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Original poster

5 year old up at 6am every morning and is exhausted

31 replies

JugglingChaotically · 12/05/2013 07:20

DD gets up at 6 everyday. Week days I think to make sure she sees me before I leave for work, weekends she gets dressed as soon as awake. Both weekdays snd weekend she appears in room as soon as she hears any sign we are awake.
She knows not to wake us but is up so early that she is exhausted. Very very white. She is at school full time now so needs to sleep well.
Now has horrible cold.
Any ideas on how to sort this would be appreciated.

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Original poster
JugglingChaotically · 12/05/2013 07:23

Sorry. Really long text.
Thanks for reading if you got to end.
No idea what to do and she looks awful and is clearly so exhausted as much more prone to tears during the day.

OP posts:
nextphase · 12/05/2013 07:38

Not sure I understand all your message, but can't she go to bed earlier?
Or maybe a slobby afternoon / morning at the weekend? make it a treet like douvets downstairs, or popcorn and a film, a PJ day, to let her recover?

Original poster
JugglingChaotically · 12/05/2013 07:46

Did 630pm bed last night. Normally 7pm.
Have tried DVD afternoons at weekends.
One day she went to get something from her room and fell asleep on her bed. Literally just passed out from exhaustion.
She is exhausted.

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 12/05/2013 07:46

My dd gets up to early too. She says she doesn't want to miss anything so we make mornings as dull as possible. No tv or anything.

alienbanana · 12/05/2013 07:51

Same here - doesn't matter if DS goes to bed at 6:30 or 8:30.. he wakes just after 6am every morning.

He does happily play in his room til a bit later, but I wish he'd sleep more, he's got huge bags under his eyes. I think its worse since school - less exercise and more going around his little head.

jaffacake2 · 12/05/2013 07:53

She is sleeping 11 hrs a night which sounds enough for a 5yr old.You now need to work out when you want that 11 hrs to be. 7-6am or 8-7am My kids always woke early but then I liked my evenings free.
As they got older they played without completely demanding that I got up to them. The "Wideawake club " started sometimes at 5am !

Original poster
JugglingChaotically · 12/05/2013 07:53

Next phase. Tks - re reading post not clear. Sorry.
DD should sleep till 7am or later but seems to have "trained" herself to get up early to see me before I leave for work.
DD then wakes up at the same time at weekends from habit I guess. She then jumps up and gets dressed so can't go back to sleep even if exhausted.
I have to leave early to avoid traffic so can't change my schedule.
But poor little thing is totally wiped out.
Have tried to explain that its too early.
DD doesn't wake DH or me unless she hears we are awake - but clearly is up waiting so she can come in as soon as possible.
So I don't know what to do.
Have 2 older DDs but this is new to me.

OP posts:
seeker · 12/05/2013 07:54

I'm a bit puzzled. Why is she exhausted after 11 hours sleep? How long do you think she should have?

CraftyBec · 12/05/2013 07:56

My DD used to get up v early every day, often before 6am, from toddlerhood onwards. It was exhausting for all of us. Altering bedtimes had no effect on when she got up. But when she started school she gradually slept for longer. She's now 7 and gets up after 7am most days. She is still asleep as I write and it's almost 8am. Grin Hope things get better for you over time.

Timeforabiscuit · 12/05/2013 07:57

Maybe take her to the doctors to see if there is anything else going on? 11 hours sounds good for that age, but if you have a virus you can be utterly wiped and they can linger on for weeks.

Is she mentioning any other aches or is anything els bothering her, is she eating normally, drinking normally?

GColdtimer · 12/05/2013 07:58

Tbh, this is quite normal. Both mine are early risers, dd1 was always up at 6 until recently. She is getting 11hrs of sleep which again sounds about right. What is her diet like? Is she getting enough fruit and veg? Could you try a multivitamin? Perhaps incentivise her to stay in bed reading at the weekend?

chickensaladagain · 12/05/2013 08:00

If she is exhausted after 11 hours sleep I would worry that there is something medical going on

You say she has bags under her eyes? If they look purple then she could have undiagnosed allergies -if this has got worse over the last couple of months she could well have hayfever

Does she snore? Could she be having disrupted sleep so isn't getting the full 11 hours

It does sound more like the quality of her sleep isn't good enough rather than the early waking being an issue

Original poster
JugglingChaotically · 12/05/2013 08:07

Good to know not the only one with this!
Mornings are v boring, not allowed downstairs so no tv. Only books and soft toys in bedroom. And doesn't wake us - though into our room at slightest sign we are awake!
As to sleep, I guess they all need different amounts and it is clearly not enough as she is exhausted.
School days are long (8.30 to 315pm), walks a mile each way, and also does tennis now its "summer" - DD wanted to as older DDs do it - and she loves it!
We don't do any Monday to Thursday play dates as she is too tired.
Her siblings at this age went to bed at 7pm, one was waking naturally around 7am, one had to "encouraged" out of bed (and still does!!)

OP posts:
sarahtigh · 12/05/2013 08:12

it is absolutely normal to wake at same time 7 days a week, my DD is 3 and 11 hours a night is enough for her she sleeps roughly from 7.30 or 8pm to 6 -6.45am, if she has a nap in afternoon which she will after nursery and maybe going to swings she will go to bed a little later but will still be up at about 6-6.30

most young children get up early, but 11 hours really does seem like enough for a five year old and children do not do lie-ins so getting up and dressed straight away and wanting to play i would see as normal too

she should not be exhausted after 11 hours sleep is she perhaps actually not sleeping

Original poster
JugglingChaotically · 12/05/2013 08:13

Eats well - lots of fruit and vegetables. Organic yoghurts etc.
Gets lots of exercise though. Takes multivitamin.

Has has a cold so that doesn't help. And eczema playing up - have new creams so hoping that will help.
DD is very white though and so tired. Not herself.
And yes it has got worse since since school and worse again with light mornings.

OP posts:
CorrieDale · 12/05/2013 08:14

We have the same thing. DS is 7 and we have had to enforce 'no telly if you're up before 7' rule. The aim being to get him to at least stay in bed at the weekend - that way there's a slight chance he may go back to sleep. If he starts looking too drac-like, we do a quiet day though not with television - more likely the library or cycling to the park. It's a swine! Earlier bedtime results in earlier waking so it's self-defeating. He sleeps in until 7 on Thursdays because he does taekwondo Wednesday evening and isn't in bed until gone 8. Same amount of sleep though:-(

sarahtigh · 12/05/2013 08:15

maybe she is just doing too much maybe at weekends she just needs to be allowed to stay home and sit on sofa do TV DVD's play in garden, obviously might not fit in with older DC's but sounds like she needs more down time not just more sleep

Mominatrix · 12/05/2013 08:16

I don't think that her fatique has anything to do with lack of sleep - 11 hours a night at 5 would be plenty for a healthy child. If she is white, perhaps she is suffering from a nutritional deficiency, particularly iron or zinc? I would book an appointment with your GP.

Original poster
JugglingChaotically · 12/05/2013 08:19

Corriedale. Thanks. I think if I could get her to stay in bed she would go back to sleep as clearly so tired!
If I can persuade her to go to bed early she is out like a light. (It won't work soon as she is learning to tell the time and very motivated!!)
Will try incentivising staying in bed rather than getting dressed.
Tks.

OP posts:
ohforfoxsake · 12/05/2013 08:20

The only other thing I can think of is how dark is her bedroom? Any cracks of light coming in? Can you make it darker do she thinks it's still night?

It does sound as though she is just an early bird. Definitely have her checked out. My DD who is also 5 looks terrible at the moment because of hay fever, dark circles under her eyes because they are sore.

HenriettaChicken · 12/05/2013 08:22

I wonder if this could be anaemia? I used to have it and was pale and exhausted permanently. And the rest I got was poor quality.

seeker · 12/05/2013 08:24

Will she go back to sleep if she gets into bed with you in the morning?

But I agree with others, I honestly don't think a child who gets 11 hours sleep should be this tired. Is it possible she's anaemic?

chickensaladagain · 12/05/2013 08:24

Honestly I would try her on allergy treatment (piriton or similar) especially now you have mentioned eczema

Just try it for 3-4 days and see if it makes a difference

My dd was very similar, ate well and exercised but ghostly white, big bags under her eyes and strangely a little line across her nose

I knew something wasn't right so took her to the gp and felt stupid 'my 5 yo is constantly tired and a bit 'meh' but can't really put my finger on what's wrong' type conversation

Got referred to community paeds team who put her on a week of antihistamine and 3 days later I had a different child

We've since gone back for allergy testing and the list of things she is mildly allergic to is huge!

Fuckwittery · 12/05/2013 08:27

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

youarewinning · 12/05/2013 08:35

I totally agree with chickensalad

My DS has always been an early riser - 6am until he was 6 regardless of bedtime. He would lie down and watch a DVD at the weekends though which usually refreshed him.

He also suffers from hayfever and other allergies. The hayfever definatly affects hi sleep and when he has cetirizine before bed he does sleep better - btw its non drowsy so thats not because of the medication, more because he can breathe properly!!!