3yo 4.30/5.30 waking and tantrumming!

[LovelyWeatherForDucks]

3yo DS has started waking up at a ridiculous hour, and throws a huge tantrum if he doesn't get his own way at that time! He has a gro clock set for 5.30 but if he wakes before this he cries, shouts, strops until the sun comes up, demanding things and trying to get downstairs through the Stair Gate by shaking and hitting it. He always wants me but I'm often feeding the baby at that time (daddy won't do - ie we give him the choice of cuddle with daddy in his bed til the sun comes up, or stay on his own, but he gets angry because he wants mummy cuddle in bed). He won't stay in his room alone without shouting for me every few mins. He's only getting about 10 hours a night (in bed around 7) and is knackered. He usually naps at the weekends but not often possibly during the week. I can't be negotiating with a 3 year old at 4am any more!!

Any ideas?! The 4 month old sleeps better than him!!!

Nope - sorry, but following with interest, as my soon to be 3yo is exactly the same. 11mo sleeps through, 3 yo up at 4.30. Zzzzzzz
I feel your pain.

Urgh, that sounds tough!

I think the key here is not to negotiate- totally ignore him. He's safe in his bedroom so just leave him to have a paddy. It'll last a couple of nights before he'll realise it's not working. Worst case scenario he'll cry himself to sleep on the floor.

I wonder if it's a bit of a jealousy thing now that you have new baby getting cuddles (feeds) at night. I have 3 boys (4, 2 and 3 months) and my 2 year old really struggled with the arrival of his brother...

Might also want to try knackering him out more in the day. I've found that my boys need exercising otherwise they won't sleep well. We often go for a walk after dinner and before bath etc.

Good luck - try a bit of tough love!

Glad I'm not alone! He usually wakes just as the 4 month old has fed/resettled. I want to ignore him - and I have no doubt that it the best way! - but he is so noisy and just comes crashing out of his room and barging into see me and the baby or trying to launch himself over the stairgate and getting enraged because he's being ignored. Best we can do it sit near him and just tell him he can't go downstairs til the sun comes up and if he needs a wee then just taking him silently. He's clearly still tired as he is so badly behaved at that time until he's properly up and had breakfast. He's got a full nursery day today and he's going to be so tired, poor thing. (And therefore probably in a horrible mood afterwards!)

Thought this morning might be better, as yesterday he only had a little nap in the car and two mammoth gym / playgroup sessions to wear him out, and lots of 1 to 1 time while baby napped. But no.

I think new baby issues are part of it - he has learnt he has our full attention when he wakes whereas during the day he has to share.

Argh it's so rubbish. Baby usually wakes twice and isn't up too long, so if it wasn't for older DS waking at a silly hour we'd be doing quite well!

Is he warm enough? The temp really drops now at about 2am and this would slowly wake up my two making it difficult for them to resettle so they were wide awake. So ignoring doesn't work - as they're not deliberately waking up at that hour

Mine are 6&3 now - I should add. Also we put a hot waterbottle in bed with them when we go to bed at 10pm and an extra cover (their room is very cool at 18c and they don't like to be hot at the start of the night)

Now my 3 yr-old has always been an early riser, but we managed to get her to go to 5/5.30. And then the clocks went back and she started getting up at 4.30 again! So we started a sticker reward chart if she stays in her bed until her gro clock turns yellow. At the end of the week, provided she's stayed in bed, she gets a small treat - a small pack of stickers or something (costs about 50p). In the second week now and it really seems to be working!