5am waking - officially at the end of other tethers!

[Zoeb1982]

Can anyone offer me some advice...anything at all that could stop my son waking at 5am EVERY morning. I am so fed up of feeling exhausted and going to bed at 8.30pm!
He is 2yo and very strong willed. This has been going on for more than a year. He's waking out of habit, not out of hunger or anything else, and never goes back to sleep. He (& the rest of us, including his 4yo sister) are totally knackered.
We've tried everything we can think of and have read about - ignoring him, staying with him, rewards, Gro clock, wake to sleep method etc.
He is in a bed, but can't get out of his bedroom. We dont want the earth, just 6am! If we leave him to cry he wakes up the whole house (boy, can he cry) & has started kicking the door etc.
ANY advice will be so gratefully received.

I've been there cinnamon, that's why I'm saying it works

DD1 was always a mega early waker, grow clock and quiet toys/books in her room until 7 was the rule, she wasnt to get up til the sun was out on her clock.

When she got a bit older she would take herself downstairs and watch TV or play quietly until we came down.

DD2 is 18 months and also an early riser, 4.30-5.30 - once she turns 2 the grow clock will be coming back out!

Toddlers do not rule the roost, even if they like to think they do.

Just sympathy from me I'm afraid! Mine are both up at ridiculous-o'clock! I've given up trying to change it and just go to bed early to compensate. I think some children are just early birds... on the plus side I find Tesco is very quiet at 6am

Thank you thank you thank you! Reading these posts has been helpful (if no less tired). He goes to bed at 7, and takes an hour to 1.5 nap around 12.30. He is exhausted by then and there is no way I could keep him awake all afternoon - he'd fall asleep in the pushchair or car on the school run. He is more than ready for bed by 7pm.
Everything we have tried we have been consistent with, keeping at it for at least a couple of weeks. We do put him back to bed, but he just gets out and wanders back into our room. This has resulted in me sitting outside his bedroom holding his door handle so he can't get out...I do this til 6am so sometimes iim there for 1.5hrs. Ridiculous but true! He still doesn't give up though, bashing on his door & shouting the whole time. He has never once gone back to bed!!

Sympathises; my son did this but he was younger and as I was working nights at the time I could not start my day at 430am and then proceed to up til 9am the following morning in charge of a delivery suite!
I looked into this in detail and one thing that was always mentioned is the linked between early morning waking and overtiredness; they tend to crash to sleep and this somehow causes them to wake earlier. I wonder if a later day time nap is the key? He could go to bed at a similar time and perhaps not be overtired? Just a suggestion.

Thank you. This is the most likely scenario for us. He napped 1-3 today so we'll see what difference that makes. I have no doubt whatsoever he is overtired - poor boy is so pale with black eyes, everyone thinks he's poorly!
Did later nap time work for you?!? (Please say yes!!).

It sounds like your DS is getting enough sleep. With our DD, she decides how much sleep she needs, but we have some choice over when she has it! Have you tried putting his bedtime back by, say, 10 mins a day for a week - that way, he might start waking at 6am. He'd be up until 8pm though, but that might be the choice you have.