5am wake up call by my 3 yr old (in my bed-every morning)-help needed!

[cantgetnosleep]

Every morning without fail I am woken up at 5am by my 3 yr old in my bed.

He is quite happy to go to bed in his room at night but will always migrate to my bed at sometime from midnight onwards.

His day starts at 5am and the sleep deprivation is really beginning to hit me as this has gone on for months now. he's always been an early riser but the other morning he was up at 4.30!!

Does anyone have any tricks...cunning tips.....or general advice on how to deal with this?

I've had exactly the same with my ds - alhtough he doesnt' have come into our bed he has been waking at 5 since march and we are just exhausted. We have managed to move his waking to around 5.45 with a "bunny" alarm clock. The ones where the rabbit is asleep until the time set and then he wakes up - he seems to have accepted that he is not allowed up until the bunny is awake. Although he is still waking around the same time he has a few small toys in his room that he takes into bed and plays with there. We are hoping to start gradually moving the clock a little later so that eventually we can get up at a more normal time. So far it's the best £20 we have spent

My dd started to wake early around the time of the clocks changing and the mornings getting lighter. I bought a black out blind for her room which has been a godsend. Not only does it block out all day light but it also helps to keep her room cool on very warm days.

What time does your ds go to bed? Maybe he is going down too early? Try putting him to bed an hour or so later and he may sleep an hour or so later in the mornings iykwim!?!

After 6 years of early starts (both of mine are early risers) I have just resigned myself to it rather than stressing about it. Have lots of 'reverse lie ins' yourself. Has a nicer ring to it than early nights, don't you think

He goes to bed at 7- he is usually totally exhausted as he's been at nursery all day. I also can't seem to keep him out of my bed at night-its funny cause he goes to bed fine in his own!

I mean you have the early nights - not him

Lol- I do try to catch up on my sleep that way...ok... I guess i'll just have to resign myself to the fact that this is 'just another stage'.

He's unlikely to want to be in my bed waking me up at 5 when he's a hulking great teenager lol.

We also have an early riser - 5.30 every day. We send him back to play in his room until 6.30 and he does most of the time, but keeps coming in to hassle us every 15 mins so we can't get back to sleep properly. We've found early nights for us is the only solution! You can't force them to sleep longer. He flops into bed exhuasted at 7 and I don't think we could keep him awake any longer.

defo try blackout blind and rapid return if before 5am...maybe try an hour later to bed also.

We have just bought the Kidsleep bunny nightlight clock from Amazon (came via the excellent Arthur English Lighting - I don't work for them! - who gave brilliant customer service when one of the buttons broke).

Tonight is the night we start with it, along with - blackout fabric stapled close up to window; blackout linings behind curtains; sticker chart; Ben10 toys as incentives!

He actually stayed in bed today by himself until 6 today (blardy lie in these days) so hopefully we'll be on a roll tonight...

With all that i'm sure you'll be getting a lie in

Hurrah! Later than 6am for two nights on the trot! Kidsleep clock worked beautifully and he really 'got' the concept...

Here's hoping it continues! Will be putting the clock 'later' gradually (or is hoping for 7am a bit too ambitious?)

We were having the same problem for over six weeks but for three nights in a row we have had nothing short of a miracle.

It works on the same concept as the bunny clock except we use fairy lights on a timer switch. The idea being that he can't wake us up until the lights come on. We started it at 6.30am and have moved it forward gradually each morning. He has stickers as a reward and LOADS of praise.

This morning he slept until 8am (even thought the fairy lights came on at 7am). Like I said, nothing short of a miracle!

that's hope inspiring! am going to browse amazon now....tbh i'd be happy (well happier) with a 6am start but 5 is just pushing it!

right- black outs and kidsleep clock....

BTW Can I recommend John Lewis for blackout fabric. Get blackout linings for your curtains and then use the blackout fabric and a staple gun...

You don't want a single crack of light: they'll see it and torment you.

haha!he woke up at 7.30 this morning.. result.

right...of to John Lewis's tomorrow!