7yo won't sleep past 5am

[Sparkle86]

7yo Stepson is up anywhere between 5 and 6. Mum tells us this is normal.

We've tried keeping him up till 9pm which gets us closer to 6/6:15.

He says once he's awake he can't go back to sleep. Issue is, he's up and playing which disturbs sibling who shares with him and me!

We've tried telling him not to get out of bed before xx time and providing a clock but he either ignores, or fiddles with the clock trying to change the time. Have also tried sending back to bed, but that turns into asking/sending him back every 20/30 mins.

At the end of my tether now as it's becoming unmanageable to be awake at this time every weekend and it's causing tired, cranky kids all round who squabble and cry etc. no fun for anyone.

Bedtime is 8-8:30ish here and always has been, at home it's 7:30 for school. He will ask to go to bed if he's tired

Does anyone have any ideas- it's difficult as we don't have a coparenting style of set up with his mum and he's here so little.

What would happen if you took him downstairs to watch a DVD snuggled under a blanket?

Or, as you say, later bedtime. Unfortunately I'm of the mindset 6 is morning 'cause its a damm sight better than 5 which was normal for several years Is 6 late enough for you?

Ds is the same, always has been. At weekends I send him back to bed til 630, then he's allowed to go and watch tv QUIETLY downstairs. It does mean I'm awake from whatever time he is but at least I don't have to be up. I guess just be glad you only have to put up with it at weekends

It is normal for some children I'm afraid. Ds is 5 and was sleeping till 6am most days. Last 2 weeks it's been 5am. I've had this 7 days a week for 5 years and it's slowly jilki

Oops, slowly killing me, not random letters!

I could live with 6, 7 would be perfect!

He gets up, toys tipped out of boxes etc and won't leave his sister to sleep. He won't play quietly and seems insistent on waking everyone up because he's awake iyswim.

He'd probably sit and watch a DVD, but if never be able to sleep knowing he was up and about. I'm aware That's part of the issue.

Maybe he is just an early riser.. Roll on the teen years!!

I feel your pain with early risers - I'm lucky I only have this at weekends - it is exhausting!

7 years old?

Tell him to be quiet until normal people wake up or no iPad/TV/whatever he likes. Put an iPad in his bed with sound turned off so he can stay there and play without disturbing anybody. Take it away as soon as you wake up, so he will try his best to be quiet.

7 and you put up with this!? Tell him to hush up and be firm! I wouldn't stand for it. DD1 has tended to herself on weekends since she was six. I always left a bowl and cereals on the table for her. She would get her breakfast on waking up and then either put on a movie ( yes I had shown her how) or play quietly while we dozed. I know for a fact she enjoyed the trust we placed in her and very much liked this little bit of responsibility we gave her.

I think a seven year old dictating what time a whole family starts the day is unacceptable.

I agree at 7 it is getting out if hand, but he isn't my child and doesn't live with us so it's very much out of my control.

We've given him an iPad etc but he will be up and watching movies or playing games from 5am which causes him to be cranky all day. If anything he wakes earlier.

Part of the problem is my inability to sleep once he's awake and up - I don't feel comfortable knowing he's downstairs etc by himself whilst we are sleeping. I'm sure this would be different if he lived with us etc.

No one actually gets up except his sister, which I feel is unfair on her to be woken so early - he likes to know we are all awake I think!

We've tried the rewards and punishment tactic, and it does t work - mainly because its not consistent with what happens at home.

He went to bed at 9:45pm last night and was up as about at 7. This would be ideal waking time but 9:45 IMO is too late for a bedtime for a 7year old.

As you say, he is not with you all the time so your priority imho should be to manage rather than change his behaviour.

It is the rule of this house that he will not step outside his bed until 7 AM. Keep iPad & books in your bed to keep you entertained until then. Finished.

There must be some way your DH can make him obey this simple rule. If not, you have bigger problems than early waking.

I'm sure we could enforce it - he is generally compliant and well behaved and respectful of what he is asked to do. I don't think we have a bigger issue behaviourally.

Maybe I do need to look at managing it rather than changing it and although I wouldn't use the iPad if he were with us all the time because I think it encourages him to wake early and not attempt to go back to sleep - maybe it's a solution in this scenario.

Thanks for all the advice. It's difficult when you don't have a child yourself.

I wanted to pop back here and update you all - mainly because I was so grateful for the advice, and also to let people know there was hope!

Changing the mindset from changing his behaviour to managing it definitely was a great help - we discovered that if given an ipad etc he'd walk up any time after 4:30/5 and be cranky the next day. The solution was actually pretty simple - maybe he realised we meant it this time or just was in a place to accept the rule.

We bought a small digital alarm clock - and he went to be with firm instructions he was allowed to use the bathroom, but was to get back into bed and stay there until 7:00am. If he woke, he was to try to go to sleep, or lie quietly until 7am after which he was allowed to get up and play quietly. If he didn't do this, we warned him we'd take away his tablet and nintendo for the day.

The first day - it worked, the 2nd day he pushed the boundaries and was up/about from 6:30 - still a massive improvement but that wasn't the deal, so tablet/nintendo were taken away for the day.

Largely, this has worked - he is now getting up for the bathroom around 6:15/6:30 and going back to bed which is a huge improvement on the 4:30-5:30 it was previously. Often, we don't hear him get up till a little after 7am, so I suspect he is dropping back off when he wakes early. The devices are still not left in his room overnight, but he is much happier for the extra sleep!