pleeeeeeeeeeease tell me how to make my dd (3) sleep later that quarter to freakin five every freakin morning

[poshgirlformerlymaggiesmama]

she has always been a terrible sleeper. didnt go through til about 9 months ago. and even that is only half the time. and for the last coupld of months she has woken up, read to go, no getting her back to sleep, at, well, 4.45. clocks changing made no odds. shes got a black out blind.

please please tell me what to do.

Neighbour going to work?
Cental heating going on?
Milkman?

havent got central heating at the moment. brrrrr

neighbour poss. good idea. no milkman

Is she still napping in the day and what time is she going to bed at night? How is she when she goes to bed? Often overtired?

ditto Jampot's questions.
My 5 year old DS will often wake up earlier if he is overtired from having had a late night.

Also, is she cold maybe?

My Son is forever getting up early always has done. 1 blackout roller blind then 1 blackout roman blind on top he still wakes up anytime between 5 and 6am. He is sleeping at 6.30pm so I know i shouldn't moan but i would love a long lie until 7am. Your title for this discussion made me laugh i so feel for you it really is frustrating knowing that while your well into your working day having got up at quater to five everyone else is still sleeping. Hopefully things will calm down.

At 3 years old we presented dd with a bunny alarm clock. When you set it at night it's eyes close. When it is time to get up the ears pop up and the eyes open.

We schooled her in the rule, if the bunny's eyes are not open, you may not wake up mummy and daddy. Mostly it works.

The bunny clock was a good idea but unfortunately my ds could not see in the dark and waking up so early meant no daylight. Also tried the light which plugs into timer socket and the rule being not to get out of bed until light came on did'nt work for us he just switched it on and off. Eventually we removed from his room. We now just go off to bed in the hope that he might sleep longer than the day before. If anyone has any other ideas please let me know.

To all those with early waking 3 year old's..I have soooo been there! Its funny how getting up in the night is actually easier than starting your day at 5am!
Our solution is a multitude of things...

1. Bunny alarm clock (or any alarm clock), very strict with it and marched back to bed if comes in to us before 6.00am. After a week or so of this she has since never come in to us before 6am.
2. I was a total advocate of black outs - she had blind, curtains, door shut the whole works BUT since turning 3.5 she has actually found this scary. I think its because of their developing imaginations. Now we leave door open with hall light on for comfort.
3. Consistent bedtime routine and actually going to bed at 6.30pm. I tried putting her to bed at 7.30pm in the hope she would sleep in - no chance, she was just a grumpy madam so I figured if she was going to get up at 6.30am she may as well be happy about it!
4. Supper. My one often woke early wingeing "I'm huuuuunnnnngry" so now she has glass of water or milk with wholemeal toast or 2 rich tea biccies right before bed with stories.

I hope that some or all of this helps you as you must be exhausted...I don't know about you but in my body clock there is only one 5 and it aint a.m. !!!

Tidders you are absolutely right about bedtime being at 6.30pm balancing out is the answer if our ds is up early well bed early. I have tried as well keeping ds up later but surprisingly he would wake earlier and we, well, distraught would be putting it mildly could not beleive this was happening. Anyway we enjoy our nights together. Some friends are happy for theirs to be up after 10pm so whatever works for you then so be it. Laugh about it, won't last forever.

excellent thooughts and suggestions.

she goes to bed at seven, but i might try bringing it forward. and yep, she always says she is hungry. will try some food just before bed.

methinks she might be getting a bunny alarm clock for christmas!!!

ta v much. keep em coming...

Saw a message from someone on a thread earlier, about this. They said something about moving morning nap to a later time, as a nap earlier was still part of night time sleep. I don't know more than that, but it had worked for hers.
Don't forget the bundle of toys in cot/on bed to entertain the little dears when they wake. We all know what a highly effective solution this little gem is don't we?...exits with sarky expression on face...

The only way I've ever managed this with my 5 is to get the bed time as late as necessary so they just don't wake at the time but not so late they're over tired of course, very hard to get it right. Some children don't need many hours sleep in the night (cut out all naps of course first). One of my twins has always needed an hour's sleep a night less than his twin and it took a long time to work that out.