Anyone else need more sleep than their young child?

[caaandy]

My ds is 5 and falls asleep around 8:30pm. He will wake up at 5:30am. This gives him 9 hours of sleep.

I will usually be asleep by 9pm and could easily sleep through till 7am but wake up when ds does. I often lay with him when he wakes up and lightly drift back off to sleep. Once he wakes up he doesn't go back to sleep.

He is quite happy in the day and does well at school, so I feel he's had enough sleep.

I struggle even though I get over 8 hours. I get headaches and just feel like I haven't slept because I was up so early.

Anyone else have this problem?

Mine’s about to turn two and does 8-ish to 5-ish and it’s brutal. I’m in bed most nights for 9.30pm and out like a light, feeling like I don’t get an evening, but I can’t cope with the early mornings otherwise. Occasionally she skips a nap though, and though it makes her behave like an arse, she’ll do 6pm to 7am, with wake-ups instead of sleeping through. I’d almost rather have the wake-ups than the lie-in!

No advice, just solidarity! As he’s 5, can you teach him that it’s ok for him to be up at 5.30, but to play quietly in his room until 6.30am, when it’s OK to come and find you?

I feel like this sometimes. Strangely enough, I sometimes feel more tired if I've had too much sleep. No advice really other than to echo PP on letting him play quietly in his room until you get up. One day we will all get our lay ins!

Yup I’m pregnant and want all the sleep! My two year old sleeps the same hours as your DC.

Go to bed earlier to get more sleep. This isn't forever. From about age 7 I would teach to stay in their own room playing until 7am!!

My DC are 6 & 4 and know to stay in their rooms until 7. I’m in no a way a strict parent but after years of getting up at the crack of dawn they now know 7 is the golden time! Sometimes they hear each other and play together but generally they potter about i their own rooms.
I would really try to teach him that. Maybe start at 6 or 6.30 rather than 7 initially?

What happened when he woke that early as a baby? I used to treat it as a night waking and give dd milk. Had black out blinds so she didn’t see daylight ect. Barely said a word.

Now my dd 2 doesn’t wake until after 7, her body clocks set. For awhile she wasn’t waking until 8/9 but with naps in the day she wakes at 7.

I read so much about self soothing and settling guild lines though, as I really suffer if I haven’t slept. A lot of people say dd is like a second, because she’s so independent. When she wakes I don’t run and get her up either. She’ll be singing and playing in bed for awhile before I go in. I think it’s called parent centric parenting, I’ve found it mostly suits my style.

@linerforlife

Go to bed earlier to get more sleep. This isn't forever. From about age 7 I would teach to stay in their own room playing until 7am!!

The OP goes to bed half an hour after her DC.

I put my DS down at 7 every night but he mostly falls asleep around 9. I am often waiting for him to drop off (so I can put him in bed as he often falls asleep on the floor) before I can!

That doesn't sound like enough sleep for a 5 year old op. Like pp said treat 5.30am like a night and maybe put him to bed earlier.

www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/how-much-sleep-do-kids-need/

www.goodplayguide.com/parenting-tools-advice/parent-centred-parenting-model/

No good to be so tired and stressed, I basically put on my mask first like they tell you to do on flights. So I have a happy contended amazing toddler I want to be around because we’ve both had decent sleep!
Hope link works x

I can survive pretty well on little sleep but it's the time I get up rather than the hours of sleep that do me. I hate getting up before 6am, it makes me so tired and grumpy and every normal movement seems so noisy at 5.30am.

www.parentingbeyondwords.com/philosophy

This is a better link sorry.
Time for my coffee and pancakes before my 2 year old wakes!

My 3yo has always been an early waker. We got a gro clock and he's allowed out of his room to use the toilet but otherwise has to stay and play until it turns orange at 7am. We were quite firm but we'd made sure to move some of his favourite toys to his room so he's done quite well.

@Potterythrowdown

I can survive pretty well on little sleep but it's the time I get up rather than the hours of sleep that do me. I hate getting up before 6am, it makes me so tired and grumpy and every normal movement seems so noisy at 5.30am.

Yes I agree. If there’s a 6 on the clock I’m ok, if there’s a 7 on the clock (very rare) I’m elated!