If your almost 5 year old wakes at 6am

[TheHouseofMirth]

do you get up with them? Or do they play by themselves?

DS has recently stopped wearing nappies at night and as a result wakes up at 6am for a wee and is now ready to start the day (previously it had been around 7.30am) I'm sleep deprived courtesy of his baby brother and am finding it hard.

I tell him to get into bed with me but he just talks really loudly and wriggles until I can stand it no more!

I have a friend who lets her DD go downstairs watch TV and help herself to cereal. Whilst I like the idea of a bit more sleep this sounds a bit sad for her DD. Just wondering what everyone else does?

My two eldest wake at 6. Sometimes they are happy to go down on their own but usually I go with them. If your DS is happy on his own then I really wouldn't worry - it's not sad for him to be on his own for an hour.
It's crap when they wake early but I keep telling myself that soon they will be teenagers and I won't be able too get them out of bed!!

The thing is, I think he'd take quite a lot of persuading to go down on his own (despite the fact he's mainly been watching tv since we came down today).

I suppose it's more inconvenient because DS2 (who co-sleeps with me) also loses out on sleep too.

You are right about the teenage thing though, and I quite like mornings so I think I just need to change my attitude.

Yes, if he's happy playing in his room leave him! Or you could get him a cheap digital clock, and tell him he can come to you when the numbers say x, he'll probably enjoy checking the numbers obsessively for an hour or so!

dd(6) and ds(3) have alarm clocks in their room and they are not supposed to come through till it says 7:00. They can get up for a pee but then they go back to their rooms until it is the right time. DS has had his clock since he was 2 1/2 and it works well.

My kids have always woken up around 6, no matter what time they go to bed. An internal alarm seems to go off inside them. They usually either play in their rooms or go and lie on the sofa under a blanket watching that dreadful Tracy Beaker

My DC could go and watch TV and make some cereal at that age.

DS (4.5) has always been an early riser you've done well to get away with 7.30am until now imo . He has a Thomas alarm clock in his room and he knows the rule that it is not time to get up ie go downstairs until 7am. That doesn't stop him getting up at 6.30am, shouting to us that he is going to the loo (waking up his baby sister in the process), shouting for somebody to wipe his bum (despite the fact he is capable of doing it himself) and then asking if it is morning yet. He then gets escorted back to his bedroom and reminded that he should be playing quietly in him room until 7am when we all get up. Since starting school, during the week he occasionally sleeps until 7am because he is more tired, still early at the weekend though.