Help - insomniac 6 year old!!

[YummyMummy81]

Hi all - any other late owls amongst us?! Well, I'm wondering if you have any advice for how I can get my 6 year old to enjoy an uninterupted sleep. We normally him to bed around 8:30 and he sleeps until midnight, then for hours he is restless and comes knocking on mummy's door saying he can't sleep. It's usually around 3am when he eventually gets back asleep again. Any thoughts?

Help would be welcomed!!!

Do you let him in to your bed? I have found it's the only way that we get some sleep. My DD is 4...she wakes up and get in with us...my older DD did too but grew out of it last year when she turned 6. Many DC wake up because of dreams, needing a wee etc...they grow out of it. 8.30 is on the late side imo for his age....especially if he's not actually falling asleep right away.

It's interesting that there is a pattern. When he wakes at midnight is it to go to the loo or is he thirsty, does he hear you go to bed or maybe it gets a bit cold by then? Explore what triggers him to wake up rather than asking him when he's already been restless for hours because by then he may not remember what it was. Ask him to come in as soon as he wakes up so he can tell you. You'll probably also get more uninterrupted sleep that way as you can sort out whatever is bothering him.

Hi YummyMummy81,

We're moving this talk thread to 'Sleep' because we think you'll get more responses there.