to ask you this...

[cjt110]

I know IABU but is there ANY way of getting your child to sleep later?!

DS (2.8y) doesnt nap in the day, goes down to bed at around 7. Without fail wakes up no later than 6 daily. Sometimes as early as 5am.

I was an early riser too apparently so I now feel so sorry for my Mum having to deal with it all those years.

Is there any way at all? He wakes and will immediately get upset - a whole other thread - and shout for me or his Dad. Mostly we'll bring him up to our bed or go downstairs with him but there have been times (the 5-amers) where we have been so exhausted we've just given him his tablet to watch in bed, along with a drink and some fruit and gone to doze on the sofa (his room is next to our lounge) just to get some more rest.

I think some children are just early risers. One of my 4 DC is and always has been. He's almost 5 now so will play/ watch TV for an hour of he's super early. Starting school also pushed his wake up time a bit.

Is he in a cot? If not, a few picture books or some toys next to his bed to play with when he wakes might buy you 10-15 mins?

You have my absolute sympathy. Ds was an early riser, he still is. Only now he is 8 (and has been very reliable with this for a good couple of years) he has been banned from waking us until at least 7 in the week. Quite often he has done a couple of hours playing by himself by then though.
We got him a normal digital clock once he knew his numbers and he wasn't allowed to shout us until the first number was a 7. (He still would sometimes though). Leave him a drink and some dry cereal/fruit/biscuit/whatever that he can eat by himself so he can last a bit longer for breakfast.
It's hard, but as they get more independent it does get easier.

I'd definitely go along with the gro-clock/bribing him to stay in his room.

I don't think you can make them sleep longer, but you can teach them the difference between day and night. You can teach them that if they wake up when it's still nighttime then that's ok, but they have to stay in their room and they have to be VERY quiet.

I'd leave him a drink (preferably milk or something else filling). Make sure he has a nightlight he can turn on so he can look at a book/play a little bit. Make sure his room is as child safe as possible. Make sure he can't get into the kitchen/anywhere else that would be dangerous.

Is he potty trained or wearing a night nappy? Could that be a problem? Does he need the loo/changing first thing?

FunkinEll No, he's in a bed. He gets up, comes out of his room and straight upstair to us. When we do doze next to him he shouts "Wake up!" each time we shut our eyes

NuffSaidSam Yes, I suppose it's more about educating him to entertain himself til we get up? We would get up at 645 in the week anyway so not a lot later than his 6am wake ups but the 5am ones are a killer. And yes, nappies but he's pretty much dry on waking - definitely could go those hours between 5 and 645.

He has a small tv (unplugged on a shelf in his room). He used to get up and put the tv on in the lounge himself (set to Cbeebies by us before we head up) and this was great. If only I could teach him that again!

We got a gro clock. I knew dh was at his wits end when he came home having bought one from Argos that very day as opposed to fannying around on eBay for three weeks. That and blackout curtains, and stickers and bribery. She's four now and most days will sleep till at least seven and it's not unusual for us to have to wake her at eight to get ready for preschool! Hang in there it gets better eventually

Thinking about it, lately he does say "Morning!" when I open the curtains so he is getting the idea that when they're shut its nighttime?

May or may not work in your house, but is there any way you could make an early wake-up less appealing? Maybe a 'too early for tv' sort of deal/'mummy is too tired to play, it's too early'? If he could sleep with a tooth-friendly snack by the bed you could also say it's too early for breakfast without actually letting him go hungry.

Will certainly be tough for a week or so, but if it can be done without full blown tantrums/with minimal whinging it works for some people.

Apologies if all of the above has been tried/doesn't apply.

TheCat yep, we've pretty much tried those. tv off, lights off, boring - he doesnt care. He's up and the day has begun!

Wondered if this is worth a go? link I know my DM did something similar with me when I was younger - pre grow clocks - by having a little clock that was functioning and a big one that was set to a time and wasnt - When this matches this you can come and get me.

Mine both have group clocks and they work a treat. You have to enforce them though which means the first few mornings you might be taking them back to bed a few times and saying "wait for he sun." Mine wake up now but play together until the clock says it's morning. You can make the sun come up later at the weekend too which is great. You just have to really be strict with it during the first few weeks. Also the poster who said 5am is not that early obviously doesn't mind the early starts we really would and count 5am as nighttime still so my children would not be allowed to get up at 5am they would be put back to bed.

A friend suggested something low tech like this?

poolemamma.blogspot.fr/2015/06/home-made-kids-alarm-clock.html

I've found an app I can put on his tablet!

I like the low tech clock, but I think it's too complex for a not even 3 year old. Gro clock is much simpler.

If he is waking with a dry nappy is it possible that he is holding it and really needs a wee? If he goes to bed at 7pm and is dry overnight then he hasn't been to the toilet in 10 hours when he wakes up at 5am. Is he potty trained during the day?

My DD was an early riser. We always said before 6 was still night time so wldnt get up with her (probably had her lying in bed with us watching TV..). At about 3 yrs old we used to put her in the lounge with dry cereal and a drink. Going to bed later changed nothing. It's only been the last year or two that she has learnt the art of lying in. She is now 13 and although gets up okish for school, will stay in bed for ages at weekends and holidays (if I let her).

NuffSaidSam No, he's wet just not drenched.

I think we'll try the simple all I've found - Looks really simple. Have donwloaded it on my phone and had a play

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Strick.OKToWake&hl=en_GB

Hope it works!

I'm hoping so. I wouldnt even mind if he started to go and put the tv on again. Those were the days.....

So, it seemed to go well for the first night. I put the app on his tavblet and we did the whole star means nighttime and that means we go to bed. Sun means morning so we get up etc etc. He semeed to get it well. Went to bed great. DH was up for work at 5. I didnt hear DS til about 540 and he trundled upto my room at around 545 after DH left for work. I made a big fuss of lets go and see if the sunshine has come up on your tablet and when he saw the sun he excclaimed "Morning Mummy!"

We also associated curtains open/closed with day/night too. So as a first night, I'll take that.