4am starts with a 2 year old

[kaz70]

My 2 year old use to sleep lovely from 7am until 7pm, over the past 6 months it's been awful to get him to sleep, he use to have a daytime nap of 1 1/2 hour sleep, we've cut this down to 45 mins, and he now goes to sleep ok as he is very tired. The problem now is the early mornings, he wakes between 4 - 5am every morning wanting to go downstairs and play, he is still very tired, his daytime nap use to be about 12.30pm but since the 5 am starts he falls asleep about 10 am, when he wakes in the morning he doesn't cry he bangs his head on bed, walls floor etc. We have tried leaving him for an hour or so before but he bangs his head constantly. Any ideas, should we use the 'controlled crying technique' or go to him straight away? As soon as i go to his room, he lies himself down and says he want to go downstairs. He is so tired when he gets up at this time, so are we! Please help

Head banging is a wonderful method of getting attention as it is so distressing for the parents. if it was me, I would pad his cot so he couldn't hurt himself, and then when he wakes go in to him every 5 mins and say 'not morning yet, have some quiet time'. Also, you can get clocks which show night and day, and when the day bit lights up he knows he is allowed to wake up. I think it will get temporarily worse before it gets better, but if you are consistent you should get through it quickly. Good Luck!

could you not keep him occupied with activities and try and ride through 10 oclock nap and put him down for nap later and maybe make bedtime bit later

my ds also started waking at this time and found this helped made it 7.30 bed and he started waking 5.30-6

and some mornings 6-6.30 they do go through many phases as they have no concept of time

so maybe just lay him down gently and say not time to get up yet mummy come and get you when morning good boy

does he have a drink of water with him could he be thirsty?

I was going to say the same as bubblagirl - try holding off his nap until after lunch, letting him sleep a bit longer and then putting him down at 7.30pm.
Do you have a bedtime routine? Ours starts at 6.30pm - both in the bath, stories with Daddy, pyjamas on, comes to say goodnight to me and dd, milk, clean teeth, one more story and then bed for 7.30pm. Sometimes he sits in his cot and plays until 8ish before he falls asleep.
Whatever you do, don't get him out of his cot until after 6am, even if you sit with him - you could start aiming for 6am and then push it back. But do the same every night and allow a couple of days for it work.
I think 2 is too old for controlled crying.
Good luck!