DH and I would like different things to happen when DD (2.8) wakes up....what do you do?

[BiscuitStuffer]

I am CRAP in the mornings and DH is very good.

DD wakes any time from 5:30 to 6:30am and I would love her to just read quietly until the baby wakes at 6-6.30am ish.

DH has this dream that she will potter up to our bed, climb in and lots of lovely cuddles. This is just not her - she always just wants to go downstairs and play.

When DH puts her to bed, he tells her she can come out of her room and come and find us whenever she wakes (though she has no concept of time). When I put her to bed, I tell her that it's time to go and play when the baby wakes but that she has lots of lovely books in her room that she can read if she likes. The end result is that she stays in bed and shouts out to us that she's awake. I'm sure that she used to play quietly for ages and we would know that she was awake because she was singing. She doesn't do this any more.

What happens in your house?

Here the playgrounds are full of children from 4 pm when they arrive in time for their goûter and play until 7 pm - when they go home for their bath and supper! If 4pm to 7 pm is rush hour at the playground, they are hardly going to go to bed at 7 pm...

Is she like DS1. Wakes up, leaps out of bed and expects everyone to share his enthusiasm that it is morning and he is awake? If so le her play in her room. If she'll cuddle quietly in bed where's the harm?

biscuitstuffer, you are not being mean at all. i often put different toys in DDs room at night so she has something different to play with in the morning. And story CDs have been a god send - she acts out the stories with her dolls and teddies along to the story CD. But you do need to be consistent and tell her what is going to happen at bedtime and stick to it.

WoTmania - that is like DD. she leaps out of bed and says "its a lovely day, the sun is shining (even if it isn't, lets get up!" I don't know where she gets it from because neither DH or I are morning people.

LOL at you lot telling her she should be sleeping longer. You obviously have not met my son.

DS is up between 5.30-6.30am and dh just sticks him in front of the tv while he gets ready for work.

I'm 39 weeks pg so shoot me!!

Well maybe things have changed in the 16 years since I left? But I wouldn't say that was typical of the area I lived in back then.

Twofalls It's bloody awful isn't it? I don't enjoy mornings and thought it was just tiredness but since he's been getting up later I've realised that if I get up at 6-6.30 I feel rested whether I've had 5,6 or 8 hours but if I'm woken at 5 I'm tired and grouchy even if I was in bed and asleep by 9

yes that is the answer picante. sitting alone with a book is a bit much to hope for when you can't read! telly does the trick.

ds gets up at 6am regardless of what time he does to bed.

I find if i wake up early by myself, and by that i mean without anyone yelling at me i feel fine, but its when my day starts with "MUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYY!" that im really grumpy and rah!

the going to bed later wouldnt work for mine either, have done it in the past but makes absolutely no difference in when he gets up, and makes for bad bedtime habits later on imo. i tell my ds that its not time to get up yet and he'll either go back to bed or play quietly until mummy or daddy comes to get him.