Early Waking 6-Year-Old — Is This My Life Now?!

[starrynight009]

My DD is nearly 6 and has been a brilliant sleeper since she dropped her nap at 3 — 7:30pm to around 6:30am like clockwork. Bliss.

But for the past three weeks, everything’s gone sideways. She’s now waking at 5–5:30am every single morning. I’ve tried putting her to bed earlier (which has worked in the past), but this time it just made her wake even earlier. Now she’s going to bed at 8pm in the hope she’ll sleep later… but nope, still up at 5–5:30. So now I’m thinking I might as well go back to 7:30pm so at least she gets more sleep overall.

Is this just a phase? Is this my life now?

We’ve got blackout blinds. She’s got a Groclock and understands it — it turns yellow at 6:15am and she knows not to come wake me when it’s still blue. But I’m such a light sleeper that her turning on her bedroom light, chatting to her toys, or even just going to the toilet wakes me up anyway.

No anxiety or ND going on.

I guess I'm going to have to start going to bed earlier.

Any advice, solidarity, or magic tricks welcome. Is this a normal change at this age? Do I try putting her to bed even later? I'm worried she'll just keep waking up the same time and be tired all day.

I have been going through this. Was shouting at DS this morning as I am so exhausted with these early wake ups. He makes loads of noise. If he just left the rest of the household to rest it would be fine, but he doesn't. He kicks cupboard doors in his room and disturbs his older sibling who shares his room. You have my sympathies.

6am I can tolerate but not 5.10am!!

None of mine used groclocks. They ignored them or pulled the plug out of the socket. Youngest awaiting autism diagnosis. Aged 7.

My 6-year-old goes to sleep at 9pm and wakes at 6.30/7am. I would try a later bedtime.

At 6 she should be able to go downstairs by herself and watch telly, get some cereal etc? My older 2 are 7 & 9 and are still early risers, it’s not going to change 😆 well, until the teen years - I’m sure at some point in my life I’ll have to try and wake them up but so far I have never once had to try and rouse my children. Makes for lovely chill school mornings at least!

Yes I could try that. At the moment she doesn't want to go downstairs unless someone is with her. Although I'd still wake up anyway. You're right, it does make the mornings more chilled and less rushed. It just also makes me feel like I've done a days work before I even start work 😂But indeed, in a few years I'll probably be the one waking her up for school.

Thanks everyone for your solidarity and advice!

Can you go down with her and nap on the sofa? That’s what I used to do with my son while he watched telly.
Now he’s almost 14 and still fast asleep!

How is that relevant in any way, shape or form? 😵‍💫

OP I'm also a light sleeper and although DS will entertain himself in his room until a fairly reasonable time it wakes me up. I go to bed early ish and do some stuff I'd usually do the night before in the morning rather than get frustrated at something I couldn't change! Solidarity though.

As in groclocks are absolutely useless for some children and work fine for others😵‍💫

It works for OPs child as they don't go out of their room whilst it's yellow by the sound of it- even said in the OP no ND yet every thread on anything someone seems to feel the need to mention it!

2 things to try that have helped us.

Is it the birds waking? We have a tree near us and by about 5am they're so noisy! White noise helps mask this.

Are they cold? We've started putting DD to bed with socks which has given us an extra hour. Despite being summer it does cool quite a lot overnight.