early riser!

[quornmummy]

Has anyone any words of wisdom for getting toddlers to sleep in longer? My 3 year old has dropped her 1 hr nap, goes to bed around 7-7:30 ish and is always awake between 4:45- 6:00. We have blackout blinds and have just today bought a "Gro clock". We have tried putting her down later but to no effect. A lie in until 6:30- 7:00 would be heaven.

Milk in a beaker and she may doze off again if you do it quietly with no lights and make sure she has only quiet toys to play with. Having said that my DS is awake at 5 every morning and even a feed is not working but I make him stay in bed with me for a while (and sometimes put on the tv to keep him quiet till at least 6)

Thank you candr. Will try the milk. Used the clock for the first time and she woke us at 5:30 to say the sun "Wasn't working". had set the timer for 6!

Hate to say it but I think some kids just are early risers and there's nothing you can really do about it :-(

My 2 (aged 6 and 4) go to bed at 7.30 ish and are usually awake at 6 ish, but this is pretty good for now when they were really young it was anytime from 5am.

Even if they have a late night they still wake at the same time, well more ds2, ds1 is starting to sleep slightly later so am hoping ds2 will too as he gets older.

I'm just waiting for that day I have to wake them up. It's never happened so far and will be an epic day for us!!!

My eldest DC who is now 5 used to wake between 4.30 and 5am each morning. At the age of about 2.6 we bought a Gro Clock and explained to him that he could only get out of bed (unless for a wee!) when the sun was shining. We set it really early to start with - i.e. at 4.30 am! i.e. his normal waking time. We used to say Well done for staying in bed until the sun is out, what a big boy you are now etc etc. But what he didn;t know is that we were moving it out by 5 mins a night! So over a period of a few weeks we were setting it for 7 am and he was staying asleep until then. Brilliant.
He's 5 now and happily goes to bed when he is tired (sometimes he will announce at 7p.m that he is tired and go and get ready for bed!) and he sleeps till 7.15 during the week and often till 8 - 8.30 at the weekends now.

My advice is be realistic. If he is used to waking up at 4.30 dont set the clock for 7 and expect him to stay in bed. Take little steps and encourage and praise every success he has.

My 3 yr old is doing the same. you have my sympathies.

I don't want to give mine milk as this was a habit I got into last summer. He'd wake then at stupid o'clock and ask for milk...But if it gives you that extra 45 mins or so that you need, go for it.

Think I also need to be realistic with my two.
Have the feeling that I'll have to be in bed by 8:30 myself tonight. Yawn.

gro clock! I got one last week for my ds (2.6) and so far he has been sleeping from 8pm until a wonderful 7.30am - instead of 6.15. As wfhmum says we have made it later over a period of days. He really does wait to see the sun come up and then shouts at me when it is up in my ear because I still have to get into bed with him at 3.30am wakings

it comes with a little book too that says what the clock does.