any advice please on how to handle this little problem

[mckenzie]

quick background....
DS, nearly 4, always been very good sleeper. Last 2 months or so started waking at 6.15/6.30am. He has black out blinds and black out curtains so we dont think the light mornigns is the issue, hoping it's just a phase.
But he's now started waking up and going into the nursery which then wakes DD, 7 weeks old! He doesn't stay in there but because we have fire safety doors which spring back the bang of the door wakes DD.
Should we explain that he mustn't do that or are we better off ignoring it and hoping that he gets bored and goes back to just playing in his own bedroom, or even better still, goes back to waking up at a more civilised hour?

Any thoughts gratefully received.

[TracyK]

tricky one - can you prop the door open overnight - so if he goes in it won't bang shut - or put a towel over the top of it so it closes but doesn't fully bang?

[elliott]

I'd go for the direct approach - if he doesn't know he shouldn't do it then why should he stop? I would tell him its not allowed (and explain why) and that he should stay in his own room - with a star chart/treat for compliance.

[Mud]

I think he's old enough to have it explained to him and he's also old enough to be told to stay in his room till a decent time (use a clock - rabbit clock if you must or just put stickers on a normal clock) I'd have told him off the very first time he did it tbh

[mckenzie]

well we took your advice and told DS tonight that it was naughty to go into DD's room because it woke her up and that he was to stay in his room (unless he needs to go to the toilet) until his clock says 7am at least. I've offered him a star for doing all this so fingers crossed for tomorrow morning.
Sod's law, it'll probably be DD who wakes at the crack of dawn tomorrow now instead!