To think this was a nice day for toddler …?

[Owlatnighttime]

Wakes at 5.

Comes in bed for cuddle with parent a, won’t go back to sleep, Parent a puts tv on. Has breakfast around 8, goes out with parent a at 9. Toddler group, then a run and play on the park. Home for lunch, naps 12:20-2:20, watches some tv for maybe an hour, plays outside in the garden for an hour. Now playing with toys until tea at 515, will then watch another hour of CBeebies then bath and bed.

I know this isn't the main point of your post but thought it worth mentioning. We used to have this level of early wake up when our little one was around 1.5 - 2 (at one point the norm was 4:30 which was, well...awful to put it lightly!).
The thing that finally worked to make wake-ups later was cutting out the morning milk. It turned out she was specifically waking up so she could have her milk. It took 3 days of not offering her milk in the morning when she woke up, and waiting for around 20-30 mins for breakfast to break that association of waking up = yummy milk. After that she immediately went from 4:30 to 6:30 wake-ups, which let's face it is like a lie in.
It might not work, but like you we had tried everything so it could be worth a go!

We've been through those early morning toddler phases and a LOT of tv got watched. You need the rest, and no one is going to do quality parenting at that time of day! What has worked for me recently is moving dinner forward to 4.30pm to cut out a whingy hour in the evening.

I have CBeebies on all day long in my house.

Its just background noise and not watched constantly.

They run about and play etc

Sounds awesome. I’d love a day like that myself.

Sounds like a great day to me, socialising, out and about plus food and rest. As for the tv, I have yet to meet a toddler who sits inert on the sofa, eyes glued to the screen , it is usually a background feature to other activities.

I think what you're missing is 'mooch time'. You're dividing his time between TV or being actively engaged with you/an activity, he should be getting a big chunk of time to just play by himself (probably with you nearby). Get a sofa duvet and chill out on the sofa while he plays (TV off) when you have an early wake-up. Don't feel bad about refusing to play with him, a bit of time to be bored, to entertain himself is actively valuable, they NEED it and it's this time that excess screen time often replaces.

@Mariposista

and do what instead?!

Apart from the 5am wake up it sounds fine.

The problem is @NuffSaidSam he just doesn’t … not for the hours I would need him to! He might play for a bit but then he’d come over to me and if I ignored him he’d get upset as he wouldn’t understand.

so much judgement - I totally sympathise OP I had a 5am waker - they do grow out of it. I would just try as much as you can to get him used to entertaining himself for even some of that early wake time - I know how tricky it is at that age - but if you start small he will get used to it.

they do stop the horrific early waking as they get older

I would just think - okay new rule he can't get up til 6am/ 630 whatever and until then he either cuddles or he can have toys in his bed etc - he will get used to it even in small increments.

You need to just be in the same room with him while he plays.

So when he wakes.up, try putting him back to bed.

If that doesn't work.then go downstairs lie.on the floor with the toys and just be there while he plays. So you are interactive but not doing an activity.

And of course he won't play for hours. But ten minutes while you put washing in the machine. Then teo hours late ten minutes while you hang it up.

Lovely for the toddler but too much TV.

Really? Mine both are glued to it FWIW

I wouldn’t have the tv on at 5am but otherwise it sounds ok. Mine had a rule of no lights on before six and no going downstairs before 6.30 (there wasn’t a tv in his bedroom). Before long he would just go back to sleep as he learned there was no point getting up early as nothing fun would happen.

Way too much screen time. Five hours??

Mine were watching an hour max at that stage.

The screen time police are out in force. Such perfect parents all the time.

Sounds great but probably a bit too much TV. I would try to read / do puzzles / playdough instead. It might also be worth going to bed earlier if you can until he learns to wake up at a civil time.

Sounds lovely. Don’t stress- better that you’re resting and then able to stay calm, rather than knackered and snappy (if you’re anything like me!)

My daughter had similar amount of TV at that age several days a week. As long as they’re getting plenty of other stimulation, outdoor play, etc I wouldn’t worry. Certainly not done her any harm.

You don't ignore him, you explain, 'Mummy's resting, you play and I'll watch'. Calm, consistent, if he cries for a bit because he isn't getting exactly what he wants that's fine...no harm in that.

I wouldn't expect him to mooch for the entire three hours. I'd probably do an hour of TV in bed, an hour if him playing by himself with you on the sofa and then at 7am breakfast/get ready and then engage with him in an activity.

It's honestly ok for children to be bored and to whinge and whine about that, stick with it for both your sakes. It's a bit like exercise, it doesn't always feel great initially but it's good for you and the more you do it the easier it is!

It’s a bit rubbish but ultimately acceptable if a parent is at the end of their rope or feeling run down that day.

Its not a day I’d aim for, little interaction and waaaay too much screen time but as an occasional one off because mum or dad is ill etc then fine!

My little boy turned 2 at the end of December so pretty much exactly the same age…. And our days sound absolutely identical. Please don’t stress about the screen time. CBeebies is bloody great, and you’re doing a nice mix of activities with him! We all need some down time. Especially at 5am…

I used a Gro clock with both my children from around 19 months and it's worked like a dream. DC1 is nearly 6 and still "waits for the sunshine" before getting up and coming to wake us. DC2 is 2.5 and was waking around 5-6 until we introduced the gro clock but now sleeps until 6.30-7 and sometimes even a bit longer if we're lucky. DC2 recently had a few days of waking and crying for me at around 5 but I just went in, gave her a cuddle and put her back in her cot - she went back to sleep.

I'm not being smug, both my kids were poor sleepers as newborns and it was a struggle to get them to sleep through (DC1 especially but DC2 had her moments). It is so worth it though. You just have to be consistent.

You're clearly too tired and for your own sake as well as for the sake of enjoying your days with DC (as opposed to just getting through it) you need to try to improve the early wakings.

Give the Gro clock a try - you might be pleasantly surprised. I was amazed at how well it worked with DC1 especially.

Pretty sure the child is not watching the telly intently for 5 solid hours, yes it might be on but they’re usually doing something else at the same time.