Toddler sleep - What age for a Gro Clock? And nap lengths for 22m old?

[VinegarDrinker]

DS is 22m and always been an early mornings boy but it has been drifting to before 6am which is our cut off for acceptable! We had the same about 6m ago and just sat in his room with him but refused to let him out until 6, he screamed for 3 mornings then started sleeping later. (Nearest to CC we have done and not easy!). Now he isn't fussed if he can go downstairs, he'll wake up happy and just read his books etc but it isn't safe to leave him alone in there, and tbh he would shout for us anyway.

He used to be asleep by 7.15 but now 8 is more like it despite being put to bed at the same time, he lies there chatting & singing.

Sorry for waffle.

So, is a Gro clock worth trying? He has good language and understanding.

Also, having always been a reluctant & short napper, he has done 1.5-2 hrs after lunch for the last 6m - we thought it was related to sleeping later actually (sleep breeds sleep & all that) so loathe to shorten the nap artificially or try & cut it out... But will try anything tbh!

Really grateful for any advice. (New here)

Gro clocks are great if your child is biddable and will generally accept what you tell them to do. However, if you have a child who generally does the opposite of what you tell them (like DS1), you are wasting your money as you can't force them to stay in their room (short of putting a lock on the door and you then spend the time you would like in bed, shouting/bribing etc.

We gave up with it fairly soon as it was a pointless exercise

Now, we haven't used one with DS2 (he shares a room with DS1 so no point) but I know that if we had, he would have obeyed it without question.

You know your child so you will know which way he is likely to go

Welcome to Mn . I think he should be fine with a gro clock. Personally I wouldn't reduce his nap, although I know many would advise it. I think he needs to naps to grow and develop. Perhaps just leave him for 1.5 hours though as this is one sleep cycle and wake him no later than 3pm.

Could he be a little hungry and so be waking earlier. Have a read of foods for sleep and waking up too early.

Is he getting enough exercise and outside time too? Know it can be difficult at this time of year but the daylight will help him sleep.

If you think a book might help try No Cry Sleep Solution for toddlers and preschoolers

Posted with cb. Good point .

Thanks both. Tbh (though I'm loathe to say this just before he hits 2!) he is fairly biddable generally. And he LOVES numbers and clocks (and letters, and shapes, and colours... Well basically is just quite enthusiastic about the world!).

JJJ I don't think he's hungry, he can happily go up to an hour or more before breakfast! I read the NCSS when he was younger so will check out the toddler version.

We have been consciously trying to work on the outdoors thing already actually, having had the same thought. He did 2hrs at soft play then park yesterday and managed til 6.15 this morning, no idea if that's related though!

Will also try and keep naps to 1.5 hr. A bit hard as I'm 15 weeks pregnant and just finished a run of night shifts so quite valuing naps myself! But if it buys time in the morning....

Thanks very much.

Fairy lights on a timer switch can work also - and are cheaper! DS and DD1 both had fairy lights from age 2.

If it were me i would try cutting his nap back and see if he settles better (maybe by 30mins).

Wow, I use too many exclamation marks. I look slightly unhinged.

Thanks nosleep I am always up for money saving ideas but - I thought he might enjoy the numbers on the clock, and we don't have a timer or fairy lights so probably wouldn't work out much cheaper. Gro clocks seem to be about 20 quid new.

Just to add my tuppence about the nap - can you make it earlier but keep it the same length? We shifted from 1pm to midday and it made a big difference. Have to ensure you give a decent snack at 11ish or sometimes we'd just do lunch at half 11 and then nap.

We have a gro clock there are no numbers on it. You set the times and switch it to night and a blue glow appears with a star in the middle. There are a number of stars around during the day circumference which disappear one an hour, so if you set it for 7 and he wakes at 6 you can show him there is still one more star that needs to disappear before the golden sun comes up.

My 4 year old and 2.5 share a room and have one. To be honest its a relatively good visual aid and they like saying goodnight to the sun at bedtime but it doesn't work How I'd like. I wouldn't waste my money again. My daughter has always been a rubbish sleeper and I'm finally sorting it now by being firm it has zero to do with that blimming clock.

I would agree with those saying lots of fresh air and exercise makes a lot of difference.it also makes them eat better.
I've stopped all juice drinks after 5 its water only and a warm milk at story time. Milk has melatonin in so definitely worth making sure he has a nice drink before sleep. Mine are greedy with juice so that's why I have cut it out, and they get hyper with it. Added bonus of not being woken with the need to wee all night or a wet nappy.
Also keep his nap! Dont let him sleep after 3pm though, you will get there.
My LG is defiant and now I just tell her it's still night and to get back in bed and she does. I know your ds is only little but if he's as bright as you say he is he knows the boundaries my dd was very clued up at 22m.

Thanks bangers and Iris - it's really good to know it doesn't have numbers - maybe a cheap digital clock would work as well, if he knows he can't get up til 6 something (though he might try and get up at 3.46 or some other godawful time in the middle of the night!).

I don't struggle with sticking to rules with him, just how to explain to a small person confused about whether it is morning yet (especially with it being dark so late in the morning) rather than just Mummy says so, which doesn't achieve the aim of stopping me being woken in the first place!

He doesn't have juice, and rarely drinks milk (doesn't like it) but I can start routinely offering it, although he does dinner - bath - teeth - stories - bed at the moment so not sure where milk would fit in? (Our bathroom is downstairs so teeth brushing has to happen before PJs etc).

Well he was awake before 6 but chatted to himself until 6.25 today ..... With a 2 hr nap (I needed it as did a night shift on Wed) but not falling asleep til 8. We didn't do anything special . Hopefully it'll be repeated, but I'll definitely try out your suggestions.

Children are random.

not helpful but my ds is the same age. last winter he woke at 5:30am every day then started sleeping in til nearly 8 in ghe summer we normally have 7am start but this week ds has decided 6am would suit him better i think they just do what they like regardless

if you cant get him to sleep longer in the morning, could you take it in turns with dp to get up with him each day? even though my dh has go to work, it means i get a lie on til nearly 8 every other day

One of the joys of a timer is that (if it's electronic) you can set it later on weekends! Even if it's only 10mins....