2 yr old boy getting up at 5am

[Mummy2Robbie]

My DS was doing really well with sleeping going down at 745 and waking up around 630, no daytime nap but hey you cant have everything. But after a bout of enthusiastic bouncing broke the cot I've had to put him into a toddler bed. He loves his big boy bed and happily goes down to sleep in it, which is great I know. But he wakes up at 5am and gets out of his bed and comes into our room. Attempts to put him back to bed result in him getting straight out again. Bringing him into bed with us also results in loud shouts of "Nuff Night Nights" and so we all get up at 5am. He is then really grumpy at lunchtime and will fall asleep in the car or buggy. I have let him sleep, but wonder if that is just making it worse. Any suggestions very welcome.

Is there something waking him up at 5?

A noise?
Light?
Cold?
Thirst?
Needing a wee or a poo?

Mine wakes up at that time too and I have been spectacularly unsuccessful at getting him back to sleep. I try and settle him reading a book or playing with something and doze until 6. Mostly though he clambers all over me and hits me on the head until I get up.

:-) I have downloaded the "talking tom" app to my phone which keeps him busy for a few minutes while I come round!

stairgate over his bedroom door may work but you might not want to do this.

When my DD was tiny I remember this mum saying she was getting up at 5am because her 2 yr old woke up at this time. And I thought "is she mad, there's no way I'm doing that". Then when my DD was about 2 she started doing the same (having slept fro 7pm to 7am from 3 months old up to age 2). We went through a phase of about 9 months where DD just did this - waking at 5am and nothing, I mean nothing would persuade her to go back to sleep. I would get up at 5am and put Cbeebies on, whilst trying to doze on sofa. They DP would get up at 6.30am - allowing me to go back to bed for an hour before he went to work. Just to say it seemed to pass once she started pre-school and was exhausted at three. I think it's a phase some go through but it does pass. Thinking of you - it's exhausting I know.

Thank you to the lovely people who posted messages. Am having mixed success with showing that it's still dark outside so he needs to go back to sleep. Thank goodness it's winter.

Both my kids were 4 before they stopped waking at 5. The youngest still wakes at 6, if he's stayed in his iwn bed all night (usually creeps in with me during early hours, I dont even wake up now!)

My best advice is, give up on trying to extend the sleeping time, and just bear in mind that its only another year or so before he will get up and entertain himself till you wake! Leaving a cereal bowl ready helps, they just have to get the milk out!