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Behaviour/development

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sleep - 5 year old

2 replies

maggiems · 18/06/2006 11:53

My DT2 who weas 5 last week has never been the best at concentrating at school and is obviously worse when hes tired. Throughout the year I have not been happy with the amount of sleep he has been getting. He gets maybe 11 hours one night then the next night he wakes early in the morning . I can only recall one week in the entire year that he got what I consider to be a week of proper sleeps, ie 11 to 11.5 hours each night. His main problem is waking early although he sometimes wakes about an hour after going to bed full of beans and its difficult to get him off agin. However the waking early is the main issue. His teacher has commented a few times on how "he was not really with us today" and this always seems to coincide with him having had an early morning . However the last 2 weeks have been the worst with him having wakened early every morning. He has been getting about 10 hours each night and whilst that may not seem too bad I dont think he can operate effectively unless he gets at least 11. If I keep him up later he still wakes early. If he goes earlier he wakes even earlier. DT1 doesnt sleep as much as he used to either but his concentration doesnt seem to be effected and if he doesnt get as much as he should one night he makes up the next. On the other hand DT2 isnt tired physically and would play ball all night if allowed. However the fact that the teacher has mentioned him being particularly bad when he has not had a great night still makes me think he needs more sleep. how much sleep do your 5 year olds get and any tips for making him sleep longer. There is no noise about to wake him up, he seems to just naturally wake so i cant really think of anything. maybe the fact that hes coming to the end of the school year is an issue.

OP posts:
bouncyball · 18/06/2006 19:18

Hi, have no 5yr olds but teach them. I'd agree that his lack of sleep coincides with lack of concentration and weould recommend the following. Physical activity after school to tire him. Play park, football and school field (if allowed), basketball in garden, walks, trampolines, bikes, skateboard etc. At least 30 mins strong activity but you'll probably have to join in to make it fun. If you're anything like me though getting fitter wouldn't be a problem. Then before bedtime try a massage to relax his muscles etc. I saw a TV programme where they used massage on older toddlers (3) so you never know it might work. The only other suggestion is to buy a cheap clock and mark the outside edge with an arrow (paper stuck on) to indicate when we wake up. This is the time he may leave his bed (except for the toilet). Put the clock and a pile of books next to the bed and if he wakes earlier he is allowed to read in bed. Suggest a soft night light too so he does not put big light on. Idea if hes awake hes not using lots of physical energy wandering, playing in the house. Also books are soothing and he might dose off again. Need to teach him strategies to put himself back to sleep I think.
Hope thats helpful, good luck.

aaronsmummy · 18/06/2006 19:23

Have you seen the Bunny clock from Blooming Marvellous - you set the alarm so that bunny is sleeping and ears droop and eyes shut then when the alarm goes off the ears come up and the eyes open. Would help teach himto try and stay in bed and settle back tosleep - they are pricey at 20.00 but if you think it will work you can have mine - it worked a treat with my 7 year old when he was 4.

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