Any Tips For How To Cope With Children Who Get Out Of Bed During The Night?

[jothorpe]

Anyone got any suggestions on what to do to stop children coming out of their bedrooms during the night? 8pm till Midnight all is well, but then they wake up (at random times) and decide that it is morning. If they play in their room that's fine... but coming downstairs and creating havoc is not. Main prob is 5 year old and 7 year old.
Have brought them an alarm clock each, so when it makes a noise, they are then allowed downstairs. Any other ideas on things that would work?

What about lights on a timer? My SIL does this very effective, hes not allowed out bed til lights come on! He is a bit younger at 3yrs.

We use a stair gate, but I guess it wouldn't work @ 7 years (unless it was a really tricky one).
How about no sweets/choc/tv/whatever on days when they get up; a special treat on days when they don't?

Removal of cmputer time? My four year old was getting up and wandering around and doing alsorts until i barred the computer on the days he did this.

Go to bed earlier so you don't mind waking when they do?