Have 3 DCs, currently due DC4 in Dec. DS1 and DS2 share a room. DS3 in cot in own room. There is no one offender, but every morning one of the three is up and about at 6 a.m. and wakes up the other two. Then they're knackered all day, unless I've got the older two asleep by, like, 18.50 the night before.
DS1 is 6, DS2 is 4 and DS3 is 20mths. DS3 doesn't really do the first waking, I'm sure he'd play away/resettle self if it was just him.
We have tried sleep fairy with lamp, monetary reward for not waking anyone else till 6.45 etc. These things only seem to work for a few mornings. I wouldn't mind if they were just "larks", they could then just go down and watch tv, but they are then knackered and crabbit all day. I kind of hoped by now with the older 2 they could be up later/have movie nights and go to an evening thing till 9 or whatever but it just isn't worth it for the next day. Anyone got experience of this with kids older than toddlers? I'd hoped school would knacker them...nope....loads of physical activity...nope. When did it change for you? I feel like I did sth wrong when they were younger!
I just find self dreaming of teen yrs when they're in their beds all day and my only gripe is getting them up! I don't mean DS3 in this, I expect it from a toddler. It's the older 2. I can hear them downstairs kicking off already cos up since 6 and late bed last night. Tell me your story please!