AIBU to ask what time your three and one year olds wake?

[Lovingit81]

Neither of my children are great sleepers but I think I am losing perspective. DD has just turned one and DS is three. Both consistently wake up at 5.30 and won't go back to sleep but are exhausted at various points during the day. Am I alone?

My 23 month old can be any time between 6 and 8 at the moment. But I remember both my older children going through phases of waking at 5am and it was horrible xx

3.5 and 14m. Oldest sleeps from 7-7ish with no nap. Youngest is a bit more varied but usually bed around 6.30pm and up between 6 and 7. One nap around 1-3pm. I’m happy with this stage right now as it hasn’t always been so good!

If they are going to bed at 6.30-7pm then a 5.30 wake up sounds about right.

My 3yo generally wakes between 6.30-7am but he doesn’t go to sleep until 8pm, sometimes later. 9 month old is teething so sleep is all over the place.

14 month old DS usually sleeps until 7 and sometimes later! He still wakes in the night though and doesn’t go to sleep until about 8pm

3 year old and 8 month old, both wake at 8am (bed at 7.30pm). We have been blessed with amazing sleepers but I do think we were quite smart in the early days with both babies - self settling and good routines etc.

I have no idea what time my 4 year old wakes up!
On week days we go into his room about 7am and he is usually awake but just lying in bed.
On weekends he will shout for us any time between 7.30 -8.30.
He hasn't realised he can't get out of bed by himself yet!!!!

My 3.5 year old DD sleeps 7pm-ish until 7.30-8.30am. Waking before 7.30am is very unusual for her. Occasionally she'll sleep until 9am.

However, she didn't sleep through the night until she was 2.5 so I think I've earned this!!

@jellygumboots I think you are probably right. I read that if your kid sleeps through then shifting bedtime later should result in a later wake up in the same way that people's circadian rhythms change when changing time zones. However, we have tried with GREAT difficulty. I think the trouble is when your kid wakes at 4:30am shifting to a later schedule is really hard because they are so bloody tired. This thread is making me think we should try again! I think we'd have to put our son to bed about 2 hours later though which is when I go to bed! Shoot me!

I'm jealous of those who kids entertain themselves in bed. My son 18 months just cries and cries until you come and get him.

I actually posted on the sleep board earlier today wondering if swapping to a toddler bed helped anyone. Like reverse psychology- if they know they can get out on their own accord they might not be so desperate??? 😩😩😩

My 3yo goes to sleep at 8pm ish and wakes at 6am ish.

My now 7 year old DS has always been and still is an early riser at around 5.30-6.30am irrelevant of the time he goes to bed.

He currently sleeps around 9-10 Hrs, unless he’s unwell then he’ll sleep for 12 Hrs.

Although I have always been and still am an early riser, I’m generally up anytime between 4-6am.

@mortifiedmama currently no. I take my toddler to groups starting at 10 am. I work evenings. Once or twice a week I have to walk my older siblings to school which means leaving the house at 7:50, so I wake him up at 7:45 and put him straight in the pram in his sleeping bag and he eats breakfast on the way. His older siblings some between 8-10am, didn't effect us as I home educated for about 5 years. I usually wake about 8 am. I do a lot of late shifts.

I should add that 2 of mine have had phases of waking at 5 am, but it was really brief.

I'm with you - 5am every day in our house - luckily I don't work but it's a long slog of a day with. 1 and 3 year olds x

I have one DS. He’s 18mo. He has a 2 hour nap within 2 hours of waking for the day. And usually have another hour in the afternoon. Will sometimes slot in an extra 30 min snooze. He seems to need the naps.

But he wakes at 5:30 most days. Sometimes 6.