Help! My 5 year old gets up at 5am!!

[MrsMopple]

My 5 year old has always been a poor sleeper. He currently wakes at about 5am. Sometimes he comes in to me (any time between midnight and 5). I have newborn twins and don't have the energy to return him to his room (and I'm often feeding or have a baby in with me when he comes in, so can't get straight up).
He usually puts a dvd on if it's too early for childrens tv, and finds himself a snack, so although I feel terribly guilty that he's on his own, I know he's ok.

He goes to bed at around 7.30 - 8pm usually, and a later bedtime doesn't change when he wakes up. He looks tired and pale, but of course I can't force him to go back to sleep if he's awake!

He has digital clock near his bed and we told him not to get up and wake us up until it said seven zero zero. This worked until he found he could change the time - he once came in to me at 4.30 and said that his clock said 7.00, which it did, but only because he'd changed it!!

I'm worried that he's not getting enough sleep for his age. Any suggestions please? (the threads I've searched tend to be about toddlers)

I'm not sure if I can give you the right advice but I have a 4 year old that sometimes wakes at 5 ish and sings, it's so annoying and he seems totally awake, I also have a baby so really can do without waking her up to. So our rule is the same as yours that we don't want him up till 7 so when he wakes up we just tell him it's "night time go to sleep" whatever happens he doesn't get out of bed. As you said you cant force him to go to sleep but you can make him stay in bed ( and he prob wont like it for a bit) but he'll get bored and doze, I think he's only getting up because there's fun stuff to do like the dvd's.

Can I add though what a clever little lad changin his clock, I'd be secretly proud ha ha

It's hard putting up a fight though when you have babies to look .

after.

I have had 1 early riser, usually 4am, and 1 that never slept. But as soon as they could be a little independent i would let them downstairs with the tv on and a snack until i got up, i now have 2 who will sleep 12 to 14 hr nights.

When i had my baby was when it got easiest i told my 4yr old and 10 yr old they weren't allowed in my room until i opened my bedroom door in the morning because of disturbing the baby, which worked wonders

He sounds very bright. Do you think you could leave some books for him to look at and tell you about later on?

I'm liking the 'don't come into my room unless the door is open' approach and will try this. I suppose I just feel guilty all the time that ds doesn't get the attention from me that he used to during the day because of the twins, so I don't want him to feel even more shut out!