How do I get the earlier bedtime?

[Mintyfreshtulips]

DD3 sleeps 10/11 hours a night but god love her, getting her to sleep before 9 (and increasingly later some days) is really hard.

I wake her at 7 otherwise she would keep sleeping. Some days I wake her earlier and she still isn't going to sleep before 9.

We have had the same solid routine her whole life but Christmas seemed to really throw a spanner in. Shes NEVER been that kid to go to sleep at 7pm, it was always around 8/8.30 which I didnt mind at all, but 9 onwards is too much, I am knackered and have no energy left to do anything after that.

I am dreading the clock change. How do I get her down earlier?

She is at nursery full time, has plenty of exercise and stimulation/fresh air in the day. She has a proper wind down after nursery, we have ten minutes of letting her jump on the bed etc to regulate herself in a last burst before bath, quiet reading and bed.

Doesnt matter what time I start that routine.

Am I just fucked?

I think that's just the natural body clock of some kids. DD1 has always gone to bed between 9-9.30, she was like that at 3 and still does at nearly 6. She's always got up naturally at 7am. We are just used to it now, it's quite nice to have the extra time with her.

How old is she and does she still nap?

Until my daughter dropped her nap her bed time was 8.30-9. during the summer we would have to do fake sunsets and close all the curtains otherwise she would be up until 11.30. since my bedtime is 10pm this was not good.

She started to drop her nap just before 3 and took her about 4 months to go to no naps at all. Towards the end on nap days it was 9-9.30 she went to sleep and on no nap days 7.30. Whilst we were getting used to the no naps and finding her new bed time we would go up to bed 5-10 minutes earlier but do an extra story so bedtime was at the same time. After a couple of days we would keep the earlier time to go upstairs but drop the extra story bring bedtime forward by 5-10minutes. If that went ok we brought the go upstairs time back 10 minutes and repeat. We went from going up at half 7 to going up at 7.

True, I dont want her to go to bed early because she goes to nursery and I work so its precious time in the week. I guess I am just going to have to suck up some 10pm bed times when the clock changes until it pushes back again!

Does she still nap?

No she dropped her nap about a year ago

You could try moving bedtime forwards by 15 mins each week until you get to where you want it to be?

Try 2 minutes earlier each evening, that’s an hour in a month and see if that works.

We’ve just been through a few weeks where it was taking my daughter ages to fall asleep. She was saying she was tired and wanted to go to bed at 6 but wasn’t falling asleep till 8 (then up between 5.30-6.30 normally with one wake) But this seems to have passed now and bedtime is taking around 45 mins all in again now. Maybe it’s a phase and will settle down soon?

I meant to say she is 3.5

If you have to wake her in the morning she may be overtired.

what happens if you let her sleep until she wakes? And try that during holidays when you can do it for a few days to see where you are.

but one of mine is like this, night owl likes to sleep in.

it is what it is.

there may be a much earlier sleep window you are missing. You could try a 7pm bedtime.

wirh my night owl I sometimes give valerian or cyto night when I know she’s overtired, which help her switch off and fall asleep.

and I enjoy my mornings. She la never started the day before 7am!