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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Anyone used the sleep training clocks?...do they work?

44 replies

Am36butfeel66 · 17/03/2011 09:52

My dd who is 3.5 is waking earlier and earlier each day.. She then calls me from her room to ask if it is morning time...nearly every morning I call back not yet it's not morning yet go back to sleep.... She will then play in her bed fairly quietly for a little while longer which I know is great...except that she has woken me up and I cannot then get back to sleep. So I was wondering if she had one of those training clocks would it help her to see herself that it isn't morning yet and play before she wakes me?..anytime used one, or have ideas?...
I am sp recovering from two operations in last two months so I need plenty of rest.....

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

RuthChan · 17/03/2011 10:24

It sounds like one might be worth a try with your DD.
She might well enjoy it and stick to it.

My DD had one, but it didn't really work. Partly because she learned to change the day/night settings herself, which ruined the whole thing. I think also it was a very cheap clock and I'm not convinced that it ever worked reliably.

However, I would give it a go. You have little to lose!

Original poster

Am36butfeel66 · 17/03/2011 10:38

What one did you use?

OP posts:

SarkyLady · 17/03/2011 10:40

I went for the cheaper (and more reliable) option...

a basic timer switch fitted to a standard lamp/nightlight.

worked really well for ds1 and now using it for ds2.

maxpower · 17/03/2011 10:44

It didn't work for us (and we're still having problems of this nature - DD is 4.8 [exhausted emoticon])

Likesshinythings · 17/03/2011 10:49

Works brilliantly for us. DS loves to wait for the sun to come up in the morning and will lay there quietly until it does.

We have the Gro clock - it's a bit expensive but can also be used as an alarm clock, so will be in use for several years to come hopefully. It comes with a nice little story book which helps to explain what the clock is for.

RuthChan · 17/03/2011 11:40

The one we had was a Dora clock. Sorry, I don't know what make it was. It was a gift.

squeaver · 17/03/2011 11:42

Yes get the Gro clock. DO NOT GET THE BUNNY CLOCK. That bastard's evil.

Original poster

Am36butfeel66 · 17/03/2011 12:30

What is wrong with the bunny one?

OP posts:

Seona1973 · 17/03/2011 12:32

I used a digital clock with my 2 and said they couldnt come through (unless for the toilet) until it said 7:00. I think the bunny clock is noisy when the ears pop up so would wake a sleeping child.

RubberDuck · 17/03/2011 12:34

We have the bunny clock and it works well for us.

The trick is to have it on a high shelf that they can't reach so they can't adjust the time and also to be aware that you'll have to amend the alarm time as you go to bed (it's a 12hr clock so for us when the kids went to bed at 7am, we had to set it for 5 or 6am so that it wouldn't trigger at bedtime, then go back in at 10pm to change it to 7am - does that make sense?)

Haven't seen the Gro clock though so can't make a decent comparison.

Dses are 9 and 6 now and we still hear a chorus of "BUNNY'S AWAKE!" in the morning

JiltedJohnsJulie · 17/03/2011 12:36

We used a normal clock with DC1, taught him to read the time and he lay there until 7am.

Using the same thing with DC2 but she knows that if she shouts DH will get her up so that she doesn't wake up me and DS.

So yes it does work but only if you don't give in.

Original poster

Am36butfeel66 · 17/03/2011 12:43

Thanks, I don't have any high shelving in her room so maybe the bunny clock isn't the one for me, as dd may change the time knowing her! Lol.. Can you easily use the gro clock I wonder and could my dd fiddle with it?

OP posts:

Likesshinythings · 17/03/2011 13:02

My DH has yet to work out how to operate the Gro Clock, so you'd probably be alright (possibly his technical ability is less than that of a 3.5 year old, however!)

lolaismyfavouriteandmybest · 17/03/2011 13:09

another vote for the Gro clock! we love to wait for the sun to come up :)

But if mummy sets it wrong and the sun doesn't come up we refuse to get up for school.......

the gro clock also has a lock feature (you press and hold a button and it locks the clock until morning) just got to be crafty about locking it without little eyes seeing what you are doing.

iskra · 17/03/2011 13:15

We're with jiltedjohnsjulie, put a normal clock in her room & taught her that she has to wait until the big hand is on 7 etc. She got it after a few days (2.9 yrs).

Original poster

Am36butfeel66 · 17/03/2011 13:15

Am off to amazon to purchase gro clock, thanks all xx hopefully maybe by the time the clocks change at end of month dd will with help of clock let me sleep a bit longer xx

OP posts:

zenam · 17/03/2011 14:06

Hi, we got the gro clock for Christmas, it has worked a treat for my 3 1/2 yr old girl, she still wakes up a little early but plays in her room happily until the 'sun comes up'. She then comes rushing into our room singing 'the suns up!' I didnt think it would work but it has.

JossC · 17/03/2011 19:25

Hi, we use a lava lamp(any lamp would do) attached to a timer plug. My DD1's sleep went to pot when DD2 arrived and we have used this since then. I started by setting the timer plug for roughly the time she was waking and then making the time the light went on later and later- about 5 mins every 2 days. My DD1 was only 21 months when DD2 arrived and she got the idea pretty quickly.
Cheaper and simpler than the bunny clock!!
P.S We made sure the lava lamp out of reach

chillybits · 17/03/2011 20:25

We love bunny clock - had the picture one, not the one ears which pop up. Was great, saved my sanity, was fairly slow work as we started at 4.45 but I love it but sincerely hoping we don't need it with DC2!

Original poster

Am36butfeel66 · 17/03/2011 20:47

The lava lamp trick sounds like a great one, thanks. I actually have a lava lamp in the garage somewhere, so if I can remember where I put the extension lead from the Christmas lights, and find the timer I will give it a try before I buy the gro light. Thanks
Chilly I didn't realise that there were two types of bunny clocks....what is the one you used like? I read comments on amazon that some dcs were woken by the popping out of the ears, so I then ruled out the bunny clock...

OP posts:

Carrotsandcelery · 17/03/2011 20:50

Didn't work for us unfortunately. Ds was old enough to understand it but still chose to get up. Your dd sounds a bit less tricky so it might work for you. I agree with the comment that a timer switch on a bedside lamp would be just as effective, as a trial for the idea at least, before you spend so much on a clock.

poshme · 17/03/2011 20:55

We have the bunny one that just has a light that changes- not the ear popping one. We also have a monkey who has eyes that open when it is morning. The monkey makes a quiet noise when the eyes open,(ds doesnt wake up tho) but is more difficult for dc to change the time on it. The bunny light one can be changed very easily which can be a problem. Got them from jojomamanbebe I think. Both pricey but they work for our dc so worth it IMO.

MarionCole · 17/03/2011 20:56

I went for the cheaper option of a set of fairy lights on a timer. When the lights come on it's morning.

BornToFolk · 17/03/2011 20:56

"Ds was old enough to understand it but still chose to get up."

Yep. We've got the Gro-clock and it works when DS wants it to! We had some success with it (though I am sick of reading that shite book every night), giving him lots of praise and a sticker if he stayed quiet until the sun came up. But this morning, he woke me up half an hour early and refused to lie in bed quietly, so I left him whinging until wake up time.

Nothing wrong with the clock...just DS not cooperating with it!

poshme · 17/03/2011 20:56

PS we tried a light with a timer, but dd worked out that she could just turn off the plug...

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