6am waking driving me mad!!

[xxsaralouxxx]

DS turns two next week and in general we have had few probs with sleep, but the past 2 weeks he has decided that 6 (or quarter to as it was this morning!) is a great time to wake up! He went into a cot bed at christmas, but has only just realised that he can get out himself. Every morning I'm woken by him flying out the bedroom dorr and usually catch him halfway down the stairs! I work full time and could really do with at least an extra half hr in the mornings. Tried putting him strait back and explaining it's not time to get up yet, but this morning after six attempts and him ending up in a full blown tantrum I gave up. Help!!! PLEASE!!!!

you could try one of those clocks that show clearly when they are allowed to get up

or you could stick on a story tape for him and stumble back to bed for half an hour or so

but six doesn't sound that bad to me, sorry. He will probably stop doing it soon anyway.

Can't help. Just sympathise. My twins seem to wake anytime between 5.30am and 7am. What appears to help them sleep longer is if I don't let them have afternoon nap or else just a short one. This is a pain as I have to wake them and they're really grumpy or have to put up with them going mental about 5pm as they are so tired. Your ds is probably approaching that age where he needs less pm nap, so you could try that. If he is in nursery, maybe ask them to reduce the time they allow him, then they will need to deal with him being grumpy after he's been woken up ! I don't work full time but I have 3 kids, and generally I am exhausted by 10pm!

Oh yes. Forget to say that the rule in our house is that we don't go downstairs for breakfast till 7am but they can get up and play, or get into bed with me till 7.

sorry, just re-read and realised I sounded a tad unsympathetic - just put it down to sour grapes as my ds still regularly wakes up earlier than that...

also have you tried putting bedtime back by half an hour? It works for lots of children, though sadly not mine.

Tried the putting time back - made no diff!! Maybe will try implementing a 'downstairs time' and see if that makes a difference it's hard cos I'm never entirely sure if he understands or is just playing up!! Will also try limiting his sleep during the day - he was still having a good couple of hrs up to only a couple of weeks ago, but seems to have cut it down himself to about an hr thirty, so will try cutting down to an hr.
Don't worry, u didn't sound unsympathetic HumphreyCobbler!! xx