Early Rising 4 YO boy breaking point

[GFS1980]

Our first born little boy (4.5yrs has started school) has been waking very early at 5ish, it’s been getting earlier and earlier and he wants cuddles because he’s scared of the dark, worse since Halloween things started a few weeks ago he usually needs a wee, but he also won’t go back to sleep and wants to play. Is his bed time too early? (7//7.30pm?) or is this just life with a small boy? I’m at breaking point. I have to do a quite demanding job Mon-Thurs and have a toddler. OH and I have differing instincts on this at 5am. Mine are to cuddle/console/let play, his are to say it’s too early, play alone or go back to sleep. My method keeps me awake, but so does his as either I’m left with LB in our bed or take him to spare bed, or like this morning have eventually relented downstairs to play at 6am. LB won’t play alone in his room when he wakes up early as he wants a grown up with him and not to be alone. Any thoughts?

You need to put your foot down and not cuddle/allow play. It's far too early...try a later bedtime but make sure his room is dark. I used to let mine into bed with me but NO talking.

Stop rewarding him with playing for getting up early.

Get a gro clock and he isn't allowed to disturb you until the clock says so.

My son has always been an early riser. I find putting him to bed later results in an even earlier rise!!
I agree with others - get a gro clock and tell him to play in his room.
Talk to him about it before the actual time and reassure him.

At 4 he’s old enough to play alone in his room. Make it clear you won’t be woken up. Neice does this and we now have a rule that she is not to wake anyone up and will play in her room quietly until we wake up normally - luckily we’re early risers.

Can you give him a night light he can turn on himself in the morning? During the scared phase we gave a toy a medal and appointed her in charge of looking after the kids at night and giving them special cuddles if they are scared.

So now We just tell our two and four yr old it is night time any time before 5am, which unfortunately is when we need to be up for work. They have books and toys in their room and a safe lamp they can use. Also a baby Gate on the door so we would hear them escaping! It takes a while but does get better.

I'm inclined to agree with your dh; 5am is too early. My dd has just turned 5 and she isn't allowed out of her room (unless for the toilet) or to wake anyone else until a set time which changes depending on wether it's a weekday or weekend.
During the day we talk about dreams and scary things not being real and about how we all need sleep and she is rewarded for good nighttime habits but it's so ingrained now we don't need to.
She goes to bed at 7/7.30pm, depending on the day, after a supper. She is wrapped up warm at night with a onesie and socks under a duvet and her room is dark and as quiet as possible.

It could be too early for bed. It's hard to say. Mine is 4.5 and also just started reception. She goes to sleep about 8-8:30 and wakes around 7ish. I think 10 hours isn't an unreasonable amount of sleep for a school age child, so if you want later wake ups, you may just need to push bedtime later by a bit. It's worth a try. If it's a new thing, only starting since school started, it might just take some time to settle and get back to normal.

My 5 year old wakes early between
5am-6am and it is so exhausting. DS doesn’t want to be alone when he wakes up and wants to go down stairs to have breakfast which means one of us has to get up with him. We’ve tried a gro clock, all that happened was one of us sat in his room with him until it was “morning” as he would scream otherwise and wake his sister up. We have a no tv rule and he has to play by himself until it’s 6am. Really hoping he grows out of it.

My 4 year old daughter wakes up between 5-6am every day, goes to bed at 7:30 (is always asleep by 7:30) her behaviour in pre school and at home is stunningly good and she nevers plays up at bed time. I get up with her and relish the extra hour I get to spend with her in the morning. We make breakfast together, cutting fruit for a smooting and sit and eat/drink it then play together until it's time to get ready for pre-school