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Early waking and Bunny Clocks.....some advice please

19 replies

Sugarmag · 15/11/2005 08:26

Yes, this is ANOTHER thread on early waking. DS now 2 1/2 tends to wake anywhere from 5:45 on and I'm desparate to get him to stay in bed until at least 6:30. I've read lots of previous posts and although any new advice would be greatly appreciated what I really want to know is more about these bunny clocks - Can the kids tell if bunny is awake it it's dark in their room? If you've used one, how helpful have you found it?

He's never been a great sleeper. Woke a lot as a baby and always had a thing for waking in the early hours of the morning even long after he no longer needed a nighttime feed. He's much better now - has only a very short daytime nap (20 min max) and goes to bed around 7:30 without much fuss but still tends to wake early. We do go through spells where he settles into a good routine (ie sleeping until at least 6:30) but any little thing upsets it. We were away in October and then the clocks changed and ever since then he's been up early again and I'm exhausted. When we go through these phases I start waking up before him and lying in bed unable to get back to sleep because I'm just waiting for him to appear.

I've considered other possibilites but I can't figure out how to make any of them work.

He would play in his room quietly but I'd either have to get up to put his light on (which still means I have to wake up early and probably not get back to sleep) or give him a light he can put on himself - but what if he decides to get up and put it on at 4:30 or something silly?

We've tried telling him to stay in bed until he hears us get up but it just doesn't work. So I"m hoping we might have better luck with somethign like a bunny clock but was just wondering what others thought of it. Thanks.

OP posts:
GeorginaA · 15/11/2005 08:45

We love ours (although there is some light in ds1's room).

Ds1 gets stickers on his chart if he waits until bunny is awake before coming into our room. We're often greated by the morning chorus of "BUNNY IS AWAKE!"

Warning: keep bunny on a high shelf where small hands can't reach - they are ridiculously fragile. You'll have to reset the time once they're asleep as it's an analogue not digital (so if kids go to bed at 7pm you can't set for 7am until an hour or so later otherwise it prematurely wakes).

Otherwise, worth every penny in our household...

GeorginaA · 15/11/2005 08:47

Oh, we also make sure that he knows he doesn't have to sleep, but can look at his books, play with his toys - just as long as he doesn't disturb us!

fisil · 15/11/2005 08:52

we bought a bunny clock, but it scares ds1, so we don't actually use it (I'm afraid our "problem" is that he won't leave his room or call for us, though).

However, one useful thing - we bought a lamp from Ikea. I don't know if they still do it, but it is blue and white plastic (it looks revolting) and is completely enclosed, so he can't touch the bulb or hurt himself. The switch is very easy to use too.

I'm an early waker and always have been. I was always allowed to put my own light on and play quietly. If that's his natural rhythm and he can cope with getting up and playing quietly at 4:30, then why not? If it makes him tired and grumpy and he;s lonely, he'll probably only do it once!

Sugarmag · 15/11/2005 09:16

Thanks for the info about the bunny clock Georgina - I was thinking of putting it on a little table right next to his bed! Still not sure if he'll be able to see it in the dark. Also is it battery operated or does it need a plug?

Think I've seen the lamps your talking about fisil - might be worth a try.

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cod · 15/11/2005 09:16

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cod · 15/11/2005 09:17

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cod · 15/11/2005 09:17

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cod · 15/11/2005 09:19

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GeorginaA · 15/11/2005 09:33

Battery operated, sugarmag

Sugarmag · 15/11/2005 09:35

thanks for the link cod. He can't turn his main light on himself because he can't reach it - even with a little step. That's why I was thinking maybe a lamp or something we could put where he can reach. And sorry, but 5:45 is just NOT ok with me. When I wake up at 5:45 I don't function. 6:15 is just about the earliest I can cope with but 6:30 is even better. And yes, I do find that even that extra 15 minutes makes a difference.

OP posts:
cod · 15/11/2005 09:37

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cod · 15/11/2005 09:39

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Sugarmag · 15/11/2005 09:40

NO I'M NOT TIRED AND TETCHY!!! [ANGRY]

sorry, just kidding. maybe a little

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Sugarmag · 15/11/2005 09:41

anyway, looks like i'm off to ikea then. great, my favourite place (not)!

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elliott · 15/11/2005 09:45

My method is to buy a timer plug (got mine from john lewis, they are marketed as anti-theft devices) and plug in a night light to it - then program it to go on at the required time. The light is dim enough and quiet enough that it doesn't wake them up, on those occasions when they do sleep a bit longer!
I had a bunny clock but found it not precise enough and too clunky. Also it would be too dark to see it!

Seona1973 · 15/11/2005 20:04

I bought lilac fluffy fairy lights for dd and arranged them along the top of her curtain and set them up with a timer to come on at a set time in the morning. At first they were set for 6am and they are now at 6.40am as she has got better at staying in her room until they have gone on. There is no worry about them getting broken as they are too high and they are more visible than a clock would be. They dont give out huge amounts of light so she can still stay asleep if they are on (as if!!).

She also has a bedside light that is touch activated so she can operate it herself but we havent had too many cases of her putting it on at silly hours and if she has it is so she can see to come through to our room so it gets switched off when we take her back.

She has just turned 2 btw.

margyfargy · 15/11/2005 20:07

Sorry no advice here except to accept the fact that your child is an early waker, and adapt your sleeping times to suit - I had 2 like that, and it was easier once I adapted to them.

Mind you I now have the opposite problem - how to get them to wake up and get out of bed in time for school!

Sugarmag · 17/11/2005 17:00

Just wanted to say thanks for all the tips. I think I'm going to go with the light on a timer thing. I found a website (childrenslighting.co.uk) that does really cute bedside lights and things. I'm going to try putting it on a digital time switch and go with Seonna's method of starting early to get him used to the idea and then if it works, trying to set it progressively later until we get to 6:30 or even 6:45. will check back in a couple fo weeks and let you knwo how we get on.

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GeorginaA · 17/11/2005 17:30

Sounds like a great plan - do let us know Will help me decide if I need to get a second bunny for ds2 (when he gets to that age) or go the lamp & timer route too!

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