Early waking toddler - think I'm going to have to accept it - but HOW?!

[NotNaturallyALark]

So I am a night owl and am very grumpy in the morning.

DH has always been a morning person (just as well as he has to get up at 5.30 for work.)

But this wakes my toddler up, though often recently he's waking just before - sort of 4.45. He WON"T go back to sleep in his cot so we bring him in with us where he usually wriggles and also jumps down and gets in the way of DH as he's trying to shave etc.

So I drag my ass outta bed and generally revert to telly for him/MN for me until I can deal with breakfast - also think 6am too early for breakfast.

There must be a better way to deal with this?
all advice gratefully received.

I know you say you are a night owl but the easiest way of dealing with it is to go to bed early. When my DS was getting up at 5am I would be in bed by 9pm, it was the only way I could get thru the day.

Does he nap at all during the day? I find that if my toddler naps at all during the day we pay the price later! I'm the mum singing loudly in the car to keep him awake!

I have been doing a sticker chart with my toddler to get him sleeping all night in his own bed and it has worked - in the past 3 weeks he has only had 3 times when he has come into our bed and it was around 5am (if its before 6am no sticker). Might be worth a try.

Its very hard if he is just naturally an early bird.
How old is he?

Sorry don't know what to suggest really but you have my sympathy because 5am is just too early to start the day!

I would have to agree with Libra. You need to adapt to him as he probably won't adapt to you at this age. So go to bed earlier. Even if you don't feel tired, lie in bed reading, rather than sitting up watching TV or being on the computer.

Thanks for these suggestions.

Yes, I think I am going to be firmer about going to bed earlier- it's hard though as DH has a long day and doesn't get home until 7.45 so we're not eating much before 8.30.

DS not quite 2 yet

He does nap during the day = I find HE needs it by about 11am cos he's been up so long and if I'm not working, I need it too (!)

On the v rare occasions where he hasn't napped he hasn't really slept any later in the morning, just needed to go to bed earlier (6.30 instead of 7ishpm)

I started eating earlier with my DS and then just chatting to my DH when he came back from work as 8:30 is late for you to eat when going to bed at 9pm.

I'm having the same problem - anywhere between 4.45 & 5.30, my 2&half yr old DD wakes & comes knocking on our door, & thats the start of the day!! Because of the early start, she now has a 1 -2.5hr nap in the day, but its catch 22 with that (tired so needs a sleep = slept in the day so shorter night sleep & vice versa!!).
We had the same when she was a little younger, so we kept her awake during the day AMAP, & then brought her bedtime earlier (she was WELL ready for it, then), & this changed her sleep routine & she started sleeping later, till 7AM. This was recommended as a trick that may work, & it bally well did - BLISS!
We may try this again, but it may be harder when they are toddlers.....worth a shot!
I have a 5mo DD, too, so still doing the night feed......9pm bedtime for me is a must!! (but so hard when its nearly summertime, & theres so much more exciting things to do!) Good luck!

I've read a book on this that suggests early risers really do need to go to bed later - and if possible missing out the nap. How old is he? We have had similar probs with our DD2 and we have been giving her (and the baby and the 9 year old now I think of it!) porridge or ready brek before bed to help see them through the night - they're a hungry lot. We found that helped them sleep longer. But we have had to move the toddler's bedtime back a bit. Worth a shot?

We bought a TV for our room and then both our early wakers sat on their little foam armchairs and watched TV whilst I slept. There's not much on before 6am, so we got a DVD player as well.
Its much better now, Ds1 is very sensible and he and his little brother go upstairs and play trains or watch TV (now Sky plus trained!!)
I actually get to lie in til 7.30am most days