What's happened to my daughters sleeping pattern? This is a shock to the system.

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, my 6 year old daughter has always been a realy good sleeper. She used to go to sleep at 6:30pm and wake upo at 7-7:30am.
Recently, she's been going to sleep at 9ish most nights and waking up around 5:30- 6:30. It's a nightmare! I work nights, so could really do without waking up at that sort of time every morning.

She's usually hungry and has a very wet nappy when she wakes up. I always give her a snack before bed, usually a yogart containing her eyeQ capsules.

Her daddy works late and usually comes home around 8-8:30pm. She now knows this and wants to stay up to see him, then wants loads of storys/ playtime. We're now gettng hardly any time together on our own.

She's usualy quite tired in the afternoons, it's really hard to engage her in anything after about 1pm.

I don't know what's caused this change in sleeping pattern, but is there anything I could try? She has actually settled well tonight and I think she's asleep. I dread to think what time she'll be up this morning.

She could be overtired because of the later nights, and the stress makes her wake earlyand be hungry.

Early nights can lead to better sleep overall. So if I were you, I would do everything possible to enforce early bedtimes, even if that means no playing with dad during the week.

Hope it gets better soon.

Thanks, we did think when she started waking early that she's going to bed too early and tried delaying her bed time. It made no difference to the time she wakes up though.

She always tries to delay bed time what ever way she can eg, saying she's hungary, thirsty, needs the toilet, needs to find her teddy etc, etc.

I might start the bedtime routeen earlier, she can't tell the time, so she wouldn't know.

Thanks, we did think when she started waking early that she's going to bed too early and tried delaying her bed time. It made no difference to the time she wakes up though.

She always tries to delay bed time what ever way she can eg, saying she's hungary, thirsty, needs the toilet, needs to find her teddy etc, etc.

I might start the bedtime routeen earlier, she can't tell the time, so she wouldn't know.

Why has it done it twice?

If she's 6 years then mine have had a digital clock next to the bed that they know if it says 7 (you can cover up the other two numbers) then they can disturb us. Give her books/toys etc, that she can play with and let her know that she can come through to you when it says 7. (or 8 at weekends)

My dc know I'm not much fun too early and will usually enjoy a time of reading before they get up. If there's a good reason for waking me then they will though.

Great idea! I wonder wether it'll work. I could leave out a drink in her sports bottle and a bannana, or something else she can open easily. She can't read, but she could play with some toys.

Agree, earlier to bed

Don't put up with any delaying tactics