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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.....

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Midge25 · 17/03/2011 20:57

Another vote for the Gro clock here!

Carrotsandcelery · 17/03/2011 21:00

Fairy lights sound a lovely way to wake up!
BornToFolk we have given ds a personal cd player and some stories on cd which he listens to when he wakes up, lying in bed. That worked better for us than the clock. Would it be an option for your ds?

WildAndCrazyHorlicksDrinker · 17/03/2011 21:05

We're limping along with the bunny but his ears are LOUD, and as someone already mentioned, you can't set the clock more than 11 hours in advance, so say if they go to bed at 7 and you want it to pop at 7am you have to go in after 8pm and change it, which is .

And DS still comes into our room and in a stage whisper says "Is it morning yet?" to which I reply "Is the bunny awake?" ... cue thundering to his room, then thundering back again and stage whispering "No, it's asleep". "Go back to bed then, it's still night time". "OK". Thunder thunder.

Original poster

Am36butfeel66 · 17/03/2011 21:06

I have located the extension lead and the lamp...but the timer is being illusive! Hope I didn't send it to the charity shop with the last lot of dd's small clothes! :)
May have to take a trip into shop tomorrow to get another one!, will try lamp to see how she reacts to it before I spend money on a clock.

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Carrotsandcelery · 17/03/2011 21:08

Good luck! It sounds like you are not alone in your quest and we all sympathise. Let us know how it goes.

Original poster

Am36butfeel66 · 17/03/2011 21:09

I am still laughing wildandcrazy at your morning antics! Sounds just like mine! ..

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BornToFolk · 17/03/2011 21:40

Thanks for the suggestion Carrots, but I doubt it! DS insists on having a book under his pillow to look at in the morning if he wakes up early but he never actually gets it out...
If he wants to stay quiet he will, it's just hard convincing him that he wants to.

Carrotsandcelery · 17/03/2011 21:42

Yes, I know exactly what you mean!

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 17/03/2011 21:48

We like the gro clock too. You just have to be consistent that if they come out before the sun's up they get taken straight back to bed! DS is usually very good and stays in bed unless he needs a wee. It's also quite sweet when he comes wandering out and says very earnestly "the sun has come up mummy!".

It doesn't wake him either, and is quite good as a nightlight, gives just enough light to be able to move around the room safely.

Bumperlicious · 17/03/2011 23:35

We used our one (kid sleep I think) along side a sticker chart. Worked really well from about 2.5.

notasausage · 18/03/2011 09:13

We used the Gro clock for a few weeks and it worked to start with. Then DD started to violently object to it even being switched on and now we can't use it at all. Perhaps we put too much emphasis on staying quiet until the sunshine was up and she rebelled against it. Might try the lamp and timer for a bit and then progress to a digital clock when she can recognise numbers.

bigbadwolf · 18/03/2011 14:37

Gro-clock didn't work for us. And it gave up the ghost when it was just out of guarantee.

Original poster

Am36butfeel66 · 18/03/2011 20:18

I have found the timer clock now, so tomorrow I will try out the lava lamp idea and see how that works. Have put on hold buying the gro clock for now to see what happens with the lamp idea. Thanks for all of the helpful advice. Wil keep you posted on how it goes...I really need a bit of a longer lie in!

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Pkam · 18/03/2011 22:14

We are a two gro-clock house. Both DDs have them and they are fantastic. DD2 sometimes wakes up earlyish but with a glo-clock they roughly know how long they have to wait (number of stars left) and we allow her to turn her light on and 'read' if there's only one star left. She's done this since 2.5 years so really easy for them to understand. One downside though, if there's a powercut then nobody gets up in the morning!

AdelaofBlois · 21/03/2011 12:16

Can I ask what else DC can and will do? We adopted the light idea for DS1, asking him not to bother us until the green lioght came on unless his ears hurt, but also rigged up some IKEA spots with the on-off switches low down. So he can get up, turn his lights on and play with his toys bothering us, but not feel he has to lie in bed pretending to sleep.

Ladylay · 21/03/2011 13:10

Gro-clock- DD just comes through early anyway, declaring 'its broken'..

Original poster

Am36butfeel66 · 21/03/2011 14:28

Hi Adela, "can I ask what dc can and will do"
I am hoping that if dd gets to learn when 'morning time' is that she will rest a bit longer in bed before I have to get up to her. ATM if she is told it is not morning time she now goes quiet and possibly sleeps an extra 30-45 min...which is great as she is then not as tired and grumpy by 5pm. Prob is is that she has woken me up for me to tell her its not morning which results in her settling to sleep again for a bit longer but I end up wide awake which then makes me tired and grumpy by 5pm!
I thought a clock might solve this?
She knows she is allowed to play quietly in her room with her toys if she wakes early and doesn't want to sleep more, which she enjoys, and thankfully has mastered this week going independently to the toilet when she needs...she has the best hand washing technique I know :)
So if the clock/light thing worked it might give me an extra bit in bed that I need, and allow her to sleep a bit longer when she needs to by learning when morning time is?

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AdelaofBlois · 21/03/2011 14:37

Yes, timer clock would work. Just I have horrible memories as a child lying in bed in pain or trying to make no noise or turn my light on until the magic green light appeared. If she ahs something to do and can do it, fine and dandy.
Wish i had a DS who got grumpy at 5pm. DS1 wakes at 7am and then goes without nap until 10pm, even if he's been outside running around all day.

Original poster

Am36butfeel66 · 21/03/2011 14:45

Oh ISYUM now, but don't worry she calls me during the night if she needs me and knows that i will come, so I don't think she would feel she couldn't call me if she needed to.

Poor you How on earth do you cope with DS1 all that time? I completely flop at 7.15 when she is tucked up sucking her thumb in bed! How old is she?
Sorry to say but I was considering bringing the night time routine forward by half an hr as she is so tired, especially if she has been to nursery! you must be exhausted. You deserve a

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