Will wake to sleep work in an older child?

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Hi I know there is a current thread about early risers but I'm after some more specific info about wake to sleep. I'm wondering if anyone has tried it successfully with an older child? Ds is 3.7 and wakes around 530 - goes to bed betweem 715 and 745 We've tried keeping him up later, gro-clocks, blackout blinds etc to no avail.. I've sort of accepted that it's his natural wake up time, but he is tired in the day and I think an extra hour would really help him (and me!!). Info on line is mainly about small children so not clear whether its likely to work in a pre-schooler. And not keen on getting up even earlier unnecessarily!!! Thanks

Hiya. Does your ds still nap at all?

My ds is 3.2 & barely naps now but recently has been dragging it out at bedtime, waking in the night and waking early too. His behaviour in the day had got really awful & I eventually realised he was actually tired out. Probably a combo of dropping the nap & starting pre-school. Anyway we've started putting him to bed at 6.30pm & he settles faster & wakes later than he did before, nearer 6.30am now, meaning he's getting a full 12hrs instead of 10-11.

We've also insisted in him having a nap on days when his behaviour gets really testing & that too is helping, though we have to do a later bedtime on those days.

Is a much earlier bedtime something you could try?

He doesn't routinely have a nap although about once a week it all seems to catch up with him and he ends up falling asleep on the sofa for an hour or so. If I put him to bed early he will wake earlier! 10.5 -11 hours seems to be his max sleep time! If I keep him up later, he wakes at the same time but is just very grumpy!! Interestingly he has woken around 430 the last two mornings. Unusually he hasn't got up but called dh in and settled again after 20 mins - and then slept until 630!! Which makes me wonder if it is worth trying wake to sleep properly. I

could well be. Sounds like he's waking up early through tiredness. Give it a shot & let me know how you go - its one thing I've never dared do!

I've done it accidentally (ds, 4 shares with his younger sister and when she's woken at around 2/3am he sleep longer).

Also waking him at 10pm ish for a wee seems o help too.

Last night ds woke around 3 and crept into our bed. We put him back in his bed about 4 and he stirred a bit but then slept until 630!!