To think 6 is old enough to not need me or DH to get up at 6am with ds!

[cupcake78]

DS is a early riser. He always has been and tends to wake up like hes been plugged in! Very refreshed (unfortunately). This alone pisses me off. I dont do mornings, I hate them and am very very grumpy.

Once again I find myself sat with ds watching kids tv all because he refuses to come downstairs on his own. He is very capable, knows how the tv works and can get his own breakfast but he's having none of it.

I have tried for years to stop this but nothing has worked and now we have dd (5 months) I will do anything to keep dh and her asleep. DS makes such a fuss he wakes everyone up and then no body can get back to sleep.

Dh and I take turns but I am getting annoyed with ds for being so useless! We've been up with dd 3 times last night. She is a baby afterall this is what happens.

DS woke at 5.30. I think his sister probably woke him up. Its usually 6ish. He went back to his room for all of 15 minutes and then the huffing puffing and stomping began. I'd just got dd back to sleep. Dh was up at 3 with her and sunday is his lie in day. He came in with me for 4 minutes but the fake coughing, wriggling and general movement and noise was becoming too much.

Told him to come down on his own and the moaning started.

So hear I am again! Sat up while ds watches rubbish on tv and all I want is my bed! DD is still asleep for now at least I do not want to be here. I am trying to see it as abit of me time. Time to mumsnet etc but I bloody hate mornings especially when I'm tired, its dark and its cold.

I dont think he needs anyone up with him just to watch the bloody tv.

put telly on in your room so you can doze while he watches!

I'd say he was old enough. It's more a case if can u trust him. Dd1 is allowed down stairs on her own.

I can't. DH cant sleep with the TV on (this also annoys me but everything annoys me before 11am).

Tell him he can't go down alone. Depends how big your house is. At 6 s1 was doing the tv for him and his 4 yo brother

I trust him! Hes not a bad kid just ALWAYS wants company. He hates being on his own.

The choice is to go back to sleep, or go down on his own.

Or go make him breakfast and go back to bed.

no h doesn't and you are letting him control you.

sit him down, you and dh maybe after inch and domain that when he wakes up he does so quietly, he is to either read or play in his room, quietly, or access the TV.

if b doing this he wakes you, dh or dd up thn he's immediately back in his room with no tv for the rest of the day. end of.

if you stick to your guns, BOTH of you it should h sorted in a day or so.

and don't let him rule you like this again.

Cling film a snack & a drink & leave for him.

Stick to your refusal to get up, you are the adult he is the child.

Reward charts? My mum told me when I was that age I had to play quietly in my room. No ifs, no buts. But 5.30 in the morning probably isnt the time to addresss it maybe sit him down and sorry out some kind of reward system during the day. I totally get why you're resentful.

At 6 I was coming down with dd, making sure she had some breakfast, I could sort the animals out, get her snuggled on the couch Witt the tv and dog for company and go back to bed for an hour.

We've got house guests at the mo and the little darlings (mine plus 2) woke me up at 6 acting the fool. Today is going to be a long day.

What consequences does he get for waking you up?My lot know that before 7 they can forget it. There is no way I'd get up before then for my 3 year old let alone for my 6 year old. For a little while they tried the tactic of waking their baby sister and they soon stopped when they realised it just didn't get them what they wanted.

I felt sad to see you describe your son as "useless".

Give him a choice, he goes downstairs on his own or plays quietly in his room. I know it's difficult to enforce this, but the alternative is what's happened this morning.

You need to be tougher, tell him it is not your problem and that you are staying in bed- he either goes downstairs on his own or he plays in his room.

This is the only area I have a problem with. Ive done the breakfast tray (he brought it upstairs to have in our room). Ive done the naughty step, back to his room, clocks, taking toys off him etc.

The problem Ive got is dh doesnt mind getting up with him on a Saturday morning. He almost enjoys it (sick man). If I start to enforce the stay in your room etc on a sunday Dh always gets cross at me and ds and gives in for an easier life. He gets up but is then knackered all week and I have to live with the consequences of arguments etc.

DD is now up and downstairs as well but it is near 8am now.

We have a gro clock so dd can see the time and isn't allowed up until after 7am, if she wakes at 6am she can get up in her room and play quietly or read and she has water in her room. I don't do mornings either. Having said that she was more needy when dtds were under 6 months. it could be connected so I would sit down and explain about baby waking and what you need him to do. Good luck x

My ds was like this and it drove me mad. He now will stay in his room watching videos on his iPad but that only started happening aged 8.

Can you put something in his room to keep him occupied in the morning ?

Can you compromise on 6.30am?

Looking at my last post maybe dh is the problem rather than ds? Ds isnt useless but at 6.30, wirh no sleep on a dark morning I feel like he's useless.

Oh vivacia really, come on, lighten up!
I too think that 6 is old enough and he might be playing you. Who's the parent here?
But if you really can't face being tough on this one, I used to take a duvet down with me (when kids were too young to be left alone) and curl up on the sofa and doze off, but with one ear open and stair gates (to stairs and kitchen) closed.

Unless he ahs a cognitive problem get him a very clear clock and say no disturbing until say 7:00 at a weekend. Has he previously had a problem of self settling or attachment issue. Is he overtired as a result , when is bedtime ? could you make it a bit later at weekends and see if that helps , or leave him something that would entertain him in his room for that hour or so ?

He can have anything he wants in his bedroom except for a computer and TV. Its the lack of people that he hates. Once he has me downstairs he pleases himself and has a chat.

Sounds to me like the issue is inconsistency with your DH. You need to get him on board otherwise it'll never work. Personally I let my two eldest DC (4 & 2) watch peppa pig/play games on my phone (in my bed) until a reasonable time or when Dc3 wants to get up.

DD was also an early riser, better now she's nearly 10. Nothing worked with her prior to 6.
At 6 I sat her down one afternoon and told her she now had a choice to take herself downstairs and watch TV or stay in her bedroom. Mummy was not going to get up any more and we had a reward chart. It worked.

I really don't think it is your problem. DH appears to want to get up so let him. Ignore all and stay in bed. If DH gets short tempered through lack of sleep just tell him it is his own stupid fault, he should stay in bed like you!

The only cognitive problem he has is he craves company and stimulation! We've done the clock, it didnt work. He doesnt go to bed till 8.30 on a weekend and at 6 I am not extending that any further especially as by then dh and I want some peace.