ds (age nearly 6) getting up earlier every day. Help!!

[Easy]

This is ridiculous. Mid-june he had surgery, and had 2 weeks off school to recover, during which time we settled into a routine of him sleeping until 7:15 - 7:30.

But since he started back at school he's getting earlier and earlier. On Sunday it was 5:50, this morning 5:15 !!!!

I try to get him to go back to bed, but he just fights and argues, so we all end up awake, tired and tetchy, so I'm afraid this morning he came down and watched TV (I suspect dozing too) until we got up at 7. But he had a major tantrum before school, because he's knackered of course.

He has a blackout blind in his room, so it's not the daylight, although our neighbour is often loading his truck outside our house at that time, which might be what disturbs him.

Any Ideas?

[Easy]

P.S., have no faith in rabbit clock idea. He has a clock on his wall, knows that the right time to get up is 7:00 a.m., but just ignores it.

[pleaserewind]

is there any relevance to what time he's going to bed?
sounds crazy but sometimes the earlier ds2 goes to bed the later he wakes in the morning. He's 6 also

If it were me i would remind him before going to sleep that if he wakes too early he will not be allowed to get up and stick to it.

my ds wakes up early sometimes at weekends and he knows that if it's passed 7 he can put his light on and play quietly but he must not wake us up.

[pleaserewind]

does that sound cruel (bad mummy paranoia)???

[binkie]

Same thought struck me as pleaserewind - could it be an unexpected sign of not enough sleep?

Also, what sort of exercise is he getting at the moment? - was the surgery something that might mean he's running about less now? Could you factor in some running/climbing/swimming/trampoline jumping at the end of the day, then have an early night and see what happens?

Other thing I personally would do is try to avoid "rewards" for getting up early - TV in the morning is a bit of a reward I think. Eg again like pleaserewind if ds gets up early he's supposed to know his options are to read or play quietly. But I do realise it's easy for me to say - he isn't much of a fighter.

[Prettybird]

How much sleep does he normally get? If goes to bed, say, at 7.30 and you would normally expect him to get up at around 7.30 am - ie 12 hours in bed, tell him that if he gets up at 5.30, then that means he has to go to bed at 5.30 in the evening, so that you can be sure that he has had enough sleep.

[Easy]

I have been trying to get him to bed a bit earlier in the evenings. On the 3 days I'm at work it's difficult as we don't all get in until 6 p.m. and it's 7:30 before I know it!

Am intent on trying tonight tho'

I know that I shouldn't have let him come down this morning, but DH had to drive 200 miles for an interview today, so didn't really want him disturbed that early, and frankly I'm cr*p at mornings anyway, so I took the path of least resistance today. Rubbish at mothering, aren't I?

[ssd]

No easy, you're not rubbish, you're human like the rest of us!!

I've always had problems with my 2 ds's sleeping, so I haven't got any solutions - sorry!

A lot depends on how much your kids disturb each other, outside noise, dh working shifts/starting early etc etc. My dh can't even flush the loo in the morning as it wakes my 2 up!!!

Sorry, no easy answers, just to let you know your not alone!! I think time is the only answer sometimes.

[Easy]

Thanks ssd.

Thing is, he's generally a good sleeper, nothing wakes him once he's gone off in the evening. He has always been a lark, Don't know why, dh ad I are both owls by nature.

I'm just perplexed that this is getting earlier each day, and obviously ds is getting more tired (and awkward to deal with) as the days go by.

He always says he's scared of missing ChuckleVision (which starts at 7:00 a.m. and is currently his fave programme.
I think tonight I'm going to tell him that if he gets up too early tomorrow, he can't watch any TV for the rest of the week. Wait for the fireworks (see the defiant behaviour thread).
I'm going to hide the TV remote as well.

[nell12]

if the rabbit clock will not work, take him to argos and get him to choose his own alarm clock. Set it with him for 6:55 so he knows he will be able to get up in time for Chucklevision. If he gets up before that (unless it is for the loo, and then straight back to bed) no TV.
I know that at 5:15 the course of least resistence is the easiest one, but persevere, and good luck!!

[nell12]

if the rabbit clock will not work, take him to argos and get him to choose his own alarm clock. Set it with him for 6:55 so he knows he will be able to get up in time for Chucklevision. If he gets up before that (unless it is for the loo, and then straight back to bed) no TV.
I know that at 5:15 the course of least resistence is the easiest one, but persevere, and good luck!!

[Easy]

Right, he's in bed, lights out and settled. Funny, seemed easier tonight, dh is not home yet.

I've put a paper clock on his wall, with 6:45 shown on it. Have told him that he must not get up until his real clock shows that time, or later.

If he does, no TV at all tomorrow.

We'll see.

[bigdonna]

good for you my 6yr old has a clock in her room and she does not come out until it says 7.oo weekdays and 8.00 at weekends but she goes to bed at 7.30ish.if she wakes before then she can read,play on gameboy or play in her room.she never seems to wake i had to wake her this morning at 7.30.

[Easy]

Aaaaaargh!

He came wandering in this morning, and said "my clock says after the time on the toy clock mummy, can I get up?"

I said (my eyes still closed) "What time does daddy's clock say", thats a digital one you see. So the lying little toad said "6 5 7". I'm thinking "3 mins to seven, not bad at all, I'd better get in the shower".

I prized my eyes open to find it is really 4:57. NOT YET 5:00 O'CLOCK.

So I sent him back to bed. He spent the next 40 mins shouting "is it time to get up yet?" at 5 minute intervals. I guess he fell asleep again abou 10 to 6.

Same tomorrow I guess. But why is is getting earlier each day?


And how will I stay awake thru my meeting at the end of this afternoon?

Anyone got any pro-plus?

[Easy]

Bumping in case anyone can suggest a miracle

[Prettybird]

If it makes you feel any better, our ds come wandering in this morning at 5.30 with his light sabres wanting to play. he was allowed into bed on condition he was quiet......

......which he failed to be, so five minutes later dh bundled him back upstairs!

No miracles, except be persistent in putting him back to bed when it is not time to be up.

[Easy]

Thanx Prettybird.

I know, I just have to keep being tough. I'm just not that tough at before 5:00 a.m.

Just been told I need to work from the Birmingham office for a couple of weeks, been offered travel back each night, or a hotel. The hotel option is VERY tempting right now.

[Prettybird]

.... fortunately my dh is more compos mentis than me first thing in the morning. So he deals with ds

maybe you should go for the hotel! But if your dh is not so tough with your ds, then he might get more entrenched in his bad habits!

[expatinscotland]

My niece has always been an early riser. By 6, however, she was under strict instruction NOT to wake the parents and to amuse herself in her own room.

Punishments were enforced for disturbing her siblings or parents until 7.30 at weekends.

She now knows how to amuse herself.

[Easy]

Better this morning, 6:35 (which is still early in my book)

I just can't work out what has been waking him soo early all of a sudden.

He's still wearing trainer pants at night, and I wondered if he's wetting at the time he wakes up. Would like to start lifting him when we go to bed,BUT .... our bathroom is out of comission atm, as new bathroom being fitted, He's MUCH too big to carry downstairs to the loo when he's half-asleep, and we took his old potty to the charity shop with some other stuff when we cleared out before starting the bathroom. Ho Hum.....

Still, as I said, better this morning.

[llamaduck]

my ds is an early riser.. actually had a 'lie in' this morning till 7.30!!! The sky starts lightening at around 4am and this affects him too i think. He usually tries to get up about 6.15-6.30 although at the times he gets up earlier i do growl a little and send him back to bed. He is good though because if he is really wide awake and ready for actions he will leave me till my alarm goes off. Bless him

[llamaduck]

LOL @PB - sounds familiar!!!

[Prettybird]

Slugs of the world unite!

[llamaduck]