7 year old wakes up at 5:30am everyday

[Theponytales]

I am at my wits end with this. He wakes at 5:30 most days, sometimes it’s 6am, latest 6:30 this week. He’ll come into our bedroom and ask if he can go downstairs yet.
Obviously then we are awake. Alarm goes off at 6:30 on a weekday as that’s when we get up for work. So we’re losing an hour of sleep everyday and more at weekends.

I’m also worried about the amount of sleep he’s getting. He’s in bed by 8pm, has a story but isn’t asleep until 9pm. So he’s getting less than 9 hours sleep which I’m assuming isn’t ideal for a child of 7 years old. He’s very active, does judo, swimming and beavers during the week, school everyday. He does lots of walking with his dad, scooting and he’s learning to ride his bike.

He never slept well as a baby and dropped his daytime naps before he was 1 year old.

I’ve had sleep issues most of my life, I was diagnosed AUDHD a few months ago. He’s also ok the waiting list for the same, so I’m wondering if its connected.

I guess I’m worried it’ll impact his development in some way.

We tried nothing at all!
He went down stairs got himself cereal and watched Bear in the Big Blue House on repeat.
We did not have the energy to fight this battle.

dS was also a terrible sleeper. Also has been subsequently diagnosed with ADHD! I worried endlessly about the amount of sleep he was getting. when he was younger, he would get sort of cumulatively tired - over a period of days - but it could usually be dealt with by a lie in on the weekend. I think if he's waking naturally, the chances are he is getting enough sleep, for now - you can monitor that over time.

But coming in and waking you up is not on. At 7 I'd consider him more than old enough to stay in his room, watch something on a tablet, or go downstairs and play quietly/read/watch tv. Including getting a drink/yoghurt/bowl of cereal if he wants one.

I start work at 7 every day (granted I wfh) but when DH is in the office he gets up at 5:40. It’s very early!

My wonderful, late dad used to get up at 5 to leave the house at 7. He loved to wake up properly and have breakfast- I thought he was crackers!

Sorry OP - my post didn’t address your issue at all. Some children/people just need less sleep than others. My DS is 9 and has to be woken at half 7 during the week. He never goes to bed before 9 - if so he is up and down out of bed.

Are there any things he likes doing by himself- colouring, jigsaws that he could get one with alone at least until 6 before he wakes you up?

Is there a reason why he needs permission to go downstairs? Can he just go downstairs in the morning, pop the TV on and grab himself some cereal?

I have AUDHD children - they were all taking melatonin by the time they were 7 years old. I would not worry about how early he is waking up but make it an absolute rigid rule that he doesn't wake anyone else until the alarm goes off. He can read in his room or play but he must be quiet and not wake others.

In my experience an earlier bedtime with some melatonin may well start to provoke a better waking up time. My children had less sleep the tireder they were! AUDHD people don't show tiredness in the same way as normies - my children would get wired, and even more hyperactive when tired. I've always needed loads of sleep and 9-5.30 would absolutely not be adequate for me.

Blackout blinds might help but honestly He's 7 ...

he can get up quietly, go downstairs, get some cereal and milk then watch a few cartoons for an hour or 2....

Two things. Firstly he doesn't need to be waking you up, he should be able to have other things in place by this age. Secondly ask for a phone call with the school nursing team on whether he is getting enough sleep. They are brilliant on this kind of stuff that falls between medical and behaviour/social. Get their number from your school reception team.

Same to be fair - I am only available to help colleagues after 9:30am 😂😂

His melatonin cycles may not be optimal, regardless if his wake up time. What's his conditions in the morning when he gets up at 5:30? Ideally they should be flooded with light and the message to 'wake up', so open the curtains, get a day light bulbs in the winter months. Consistent every single morning. No nightlights or screens at bed time.

At 7 can’t he go down on his own or at least entertain himself in his bedroom?