Started school in September and not sleeping enough

[SamPull]

Hi. DD is just old enough to have started school in September, and whereas we'd rather hoped it would tire her out so that she'd sleep in beyond her usual half six, it seems to have had the opposite effect and she's now appearing in our bedroom ready to start the day at about 5am every morning, which is obviously not ideal (although it does give us plenty of time to get ready I suppose)

She takes herself off to bed at 7pm - or rather insists that it's bedtime at 7pm, and is happily asleep by half seven, which seems reasonable for a just-four-year-old. It's just the only sleeping for 9 and a half hours that's the problem.

I have thought about changing all the clocks in the house to be a bit slow so she won't decide it's bedtime until later, but that would just mean less of the evening remaining for us to do interesting things like washing up and watching Bake Off, and also she is just clinging on to remaining civil by 7pm so any later would risk a meltdown. Ideally I'd just like her to stay asleep a bit longer in the morning. Even 6 would be better!

And tips or empathy much appreciated, so I can read them while I have some coffee so strong I need a fork.

Does she seem overtired? Are school happy? Some children manage perfectly well on 9 hours...others need 12. I don't think you should mess with her at all unless she seems over tired. You could get a Grow Clock to try to train her to get up a bit later...perhaps if you left her a drink on her bedside table and explained about the clock...then she might stay in bed longer instead of waking you as soon as she wakes.

Otherwise, I would make her get in bed with me for an hour but then I am a slattern.

Hi. Have the early mornings just started or has she been doing it since starting school in September? 5 am is very early and although she is asleep at a very decent time, I would imagine she must get tired during the day at school especially in the afternoon. She might be overtired? I know when my dcs started school, dd in particular, they were incredibly tired by the first half term. My ds always seems to wake earlier in the morning when he is overtired. Sorry, no other advice really but I would encourage her to stay in bed longer if at all possible, suggest that she try to settle herself back to sleep for an hour or so rather than getting straight up.
Good luck.

Thanks for the replies - been having a few technical/internet issues; sorry I've not replied.

She's always been one for early mornings, and was a hopeless sleeper as a baby, but 5am is new; we were kind of used to/resigned to 6am.

6 is our 'line in the sand' though: when she wakes before then she always gets in bed with us, but sadly she's not once gone back to sleep, ergo we haven't either.

She never seems over tired: she walks home from school and runs about plays nicely when she gets home, but she does insist that it's bedtime at 7. Last night we tried giving her toast and jam before bed and she slept until 6 again, so fingers crossed she was just hungry. She never said she was at 5 though, but she was always very ready for breakfast at 6.

Thanks again.