What do kids do who get up at 5.30am?

[gerispringer]

Hi there grandparent here- am on childcare duty for week 1 of summer hols. 2 youngest GC 4 and 6 who get up anytime from5 am. I just wondered what do parents of early risers do with kids these days? I remember my DC reading books or one who did lots of drawings. These 2 seem to expect to watch TV first thing. I feel a bit guilty letting them watch too much TV but it means I can have an early morning cuppa in relative peace.

No advice but grandparent here doing the same. 5.10 am this morning. Urgh.

At 4 and 6 I would send them back to their room to look at books or play quietly. There is no need to start the day at 5.30.

I’d say do whatever works for you. You are a grandparent, so no need for any mum-guilt. You are already doing above and beyond what many grandparents do having them for a whole week! Doubt their parents would mind (or would be likely to complain considering you’re doing them a huge favour).

It takes a little planning but it works really well to set up a simple activity the night before.

I find it easy to do it by theme, so tomorrow we could do 'summer holidays' and I would get out some colouring pages of summer themed things, some summer related Playmobil/Lego, play dough, an age appropriate craft.

You could do a small craft every morning or one that's a project to take all week.

Leave it all on the dining table for them to get in to when they get up.

But also a little TV in the summer holidays won't hurt 😁

I suppose they are used to watching tv if they ask for it. Personally I would dedicate the early morning for things like reading/looking at books, drawing, duplos/magnatimes/whatever you have/they like etc. but I think it’s ok if you need some peace to let them watch tv as long as it’s not all day every day.

Get sent back to bed 😂😂

At 4 and 6 I’d tell them to stay in their rooms until a reasonable hour. Make sure they’ve got something to keep them occupied and leave them to it. Providing engaging activities or stimulating tv is only going to encourage the early rising.

Can we watch TV?

No.

At that age I would send them back to bed with books until at least 6am. Then yes I would put tv on

You're the grandparent not the mum. Your the one who's suppose to feed them to much sugar and ignore bedtimes and slip them money when nobody is looking. Build fun memories not strict rules thats what parents are for.

I would never have allowed my kids to watch TV 5:30 am. That'll be why they wake up so early - because they know they get TV time at that hour.
When mine were tiny and woke at that hour they just got told its still nighttime, til about 6, 6:30am

We have early bedtimes here so early mornings are understandable. Ours have had more than enough sleep by 5.30 so it would be unfair to send them back to bed. Thankfully, my husband and I are early risers so it's not too big of a deal for us.

We have baskets of Lego, magna tiles, craft supplies as well as reading books, sticker books, colouring books. So plenty of quiet activities available to them. Breakfast at around 7 and then we generally get dressed and go out. As I say, we're morning people!

With my own kids I have sent them back with clear guidance that tv only goes on after 7, though I appreciate it’s a longer time for a younger age. My youngest would actually go back to sleep sometimes though.

so explain some things for them to do in their rooms till a certain time. They may need a clock of some sort - that’s where gro clocks are really helpful

Also complete black out blinds - Velcro on windows ones

DD is 5.5, and is sent back to her room to listen to audio books, or play with her cuddly toys etc. often find her asleep again dressed as a dinosaur with the twits playing on her yoto.

Otherwise she has a clock and comes back through at 7.

As others have suggested, they are old enough to understand a clock so state clearly At our house morning is 7am. You can play in your room until then. You’re not being mean you’re actually helping them in the long run!

I have a 4 year old grandaughter. If there’s something she does at home which I don’t want her to do at my home I just say “I know you do that at home but we aren’t doing it at Granny’s house, we can do x y,z instead”.

She totally gets it, no issues at all. I do try to keep to her usual routines as it makes for an easier life for all, but tele at 5.30 would not be one of them! Like others have said I’d have quiet activities- books, colouring, dolls house etc.

Maybe I’m a little coloured by a complete lack of grandparent involvement. But if my mum was being kind enough to look after my kids for an entire week I would have no issue whatsoever with the TV going on at 5am, if that’s easiest for you. My kids are both early risers and we don’t let them have TV at that time as I think it will just cement that getting up at that time is okay. But that’s because I’m their parent. You should make life as easy for yourself as possible.

Out of interest, what will it help them with? I know a few people who do this so they, as parents, can get more sleep and I've always wondered if there's also a direct benefit for the child.

As I've said above, we're an early morning household so it wouldn't work for us anyway.

Shes the grandparent having them for a week why on earth would she buy a gro clock and black out blinds

I do not do activities or any sort of effort before 7am. Sod that, the TV goes on!

Ds is allowed in at 7. Until then he can play quietly or read in his room .

It’s clearly a way of criticising the daughter or DIL and her parenting - they expect to watch TV, absolute feral brats that they are.

Id buy the stick on black out blinds. That's what we have for our spare room for when it's needed.

A clock is a standard item, surely? Doesn't have to be a group clock.

And presumably they're going to be staying again?

You don't have to put any effort in, send them back to their bedroom to read/play/draw etc

5am Keep it boring.
Go in and lie with them if you can for 15 or so.
5.20Then wee wee
6.10 Then quiet playing
6.15 Im bored leads to lets get dressed
6.20 dry cereal and tv for them while I make coffee and question my life choices

Sometimes they go back for a snooze until 7 ish