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Sleep

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Original poster

DD Getting up too early.....

11 replies

Effnjeff · 07/03/2015 15:07

DD is 7 and is normally asleep by 7.30ish. No problems getting her to bed, often says she wants to go!
Trouble is shes often awake before 6 am and then proceeds to wake DS (10) and us up by stomping along landing, switching tv on etc, crashing about.

She has a clock in her room and has been told MANY times not to come out until 7am but it never works. Says she gets bored in her room and nothing to play with/read (twaddle).

Tried hiding tv remotes, threats, bribery.....

Can live with it during the week but this morning we were woken at 6.30 FFS! .

OP posts:

FATEdestiny · 07/03/2015 16:21

My children (10, 9, 5 and 5months) have had a waking up time of between 6.30am-7.00am (sometimes 6.00am) for all of their lives and it is their natural body clocks. Bedtime is 7.30pm for baby and DS5 and 8.30pm for DD10 and DS9.

They all come for a morning snuggle (and play with baby sister) in the morning until we get up at about 6.45am.

I'm assuming you have school to get ready for in the mornings, so what time are you wanting her to get up? I'd say 7am get up time is reasonable to make sure mornings are not rushed and if your children are anything like me, it is nice to have a bit of awake time before you actually get up and start the day. So I don't actually think 6.30am is all that bad.

But I note that you do. First thing is, can your daughter reliably tell the time? Unless you are sure, then giving her a time to get up is pointless.

You could try a sticker chart with a reward after a week. My older two have TVs in their room and this is a good incentive to stay in there. Just teach her to be considerate and quiet.

Original poster

Effnjeff · 07/03/2015 17:49

Wow FATE, respect to you and your 4 DCs!!
It's not so much the waking up early which bothers me, it's the need to wake everyone else!
We're normally up by 6.45 during the week but at the weekends it would be nice to have a bit of a lie in.
She has had several clocks in her room and knows what 7 looks like on a clock so no excuse there. Just seems incapable of staying in Her room.

Am loathe to put a tv in her room as think that may trigger a whole load of other trouble!

OP posts:

paxtecum · 07/03/2015 17:56

Can you go to bed earlier and get more sleep?

She probably doesn't want to be up on her own, maybe she wants company.

Original poster

Effnjeff · 07/03/2015 18:11

No chance Pax, DH doesn't get home til after 7.30 and a million things to do before bed! (Would be nice though

OP posts:

Original poster

Effnjeff · 07/03/2015 18:12

Am sure she would like company but surely 7 isn't too long to wait??

OP posts:

CountTessa · 07/03/2015 18:15

Why don't you let her go downstairs and watch TV until a reasonable hour for you to get up?

shenzi · 07/03/2015 18:17

7.30am-6am is 10.5 hours, that's surely enough sleep for a 7 year old?

If you want her up at 7am put her to bed at 8.30pm.

Original poster

Effnjeff · 07/03/2015 18:20

If she goes downstairs pre 7am she sits glued to My Little Pony et al shite (Too early for CBBC).
She also turns volume up way too high which subsequently wakes DS up whose room is directly above lounge. She has been told several times to tip toe past his room and keep volume to a specific level!

OP posts:

FATEdestiny · 07/03/2015 18:33

I believe CBeebies starts at 6am, but it's been a while since I was up that early to be certain.

7 years old is too young to be up on her own. I can fully understand her wanting company. Indeed needing (not just wanting) company, it must be frightening to be all alone in the house at that age.

It would be different if she was getting up early with her brother, but all on her own. I'd feel a bit sad for her if I'm honest.

If her natural body clock is getting her up at that time and her bedtime is not going to change, then I would say you and your partner need to rearrange your sleep so that you can get up early with her.

FATEdestiny · 07/03/2015 18:38

Just noticed this:

but at the weekends it would be nice to have a bit of a lie in.

I don't know of any children under 10 who have a body clock able to sleep differently at weekend and weekdays, or holidays and school etc etc.

It is normal, natural and indeed healthy that a child will have the same bedtime and approximately the same waking time every day.

Weekend lie ins are a thing of the past once you are a parent.

BohemianRaptor · 07/03/2015 18:49

My 6 year old is up at 6am 7 days a week and that's an improvement on the early years. I just learned to accept it and my body clock is now well and truly reset.
He used to just play in his room but I've recently started letting him go downstairs at weekends whilst I doze for another half hour. I don't think there's an appropriate age, it depends on the child. Ds is very sensible and keeps the TV low when asked, and our house is tiny. I never really get back to sleep though and am usually up not long after him.

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