Ridiculously early mornings - 4 year old

[twolittleboysonetiredmum]

We've 3 Chn and dc1 is the eldest at 4.5. Dc1 and 2 have always been early risers - generally between 5/5:30. Just about bearable. However, for the last week dc1 has been wide awake at 4:30. Its driving us spare. We have a 5 month old baby too who is up all night so we're both exhausted. We've had limited success with a gro clock and can't just ignore him in the morning as he shouts and wakes the others up. I'm debating a reward chart, is he too young? Is there anything else we can do? Please please help us!!

Should add - they've always gone through phases of this early early waking so it isn't illness or anything. I just think at 4.5 hrs old enough to realise how bloody anti social it is and there must be something we can do now he's older and has better understanding?

He is not too young for a reward chart, try that. We use one for DD, almost 5, for various things and I'm sure we used it ages ago with her. Her latest reward is being allowed a packed lunch one day at school when she has filled all boxes with ticks - keep rewards simple.
I feel for you, this is really tough, especially with a little baby waking you too.

It's awful :(
Do you think at this age he could work towards a reward st the end of the week eg a sticker a day for 7 get ups then a toy at the end? Or is the sticker enough of a reward? Or would he need more immediate rewards?

I don't see anything wrong with daily stickers leading to a slightly bigger reward.

He is old enough to understand. Get a gro clock. Tell him he must never leave his room before the clock says. Leave books and toys by his bed abs explain he can play quietly if he doesn't wake you. Give an incentive, ours was coco pops, if he stays quiet until the clock says he immediately gets a special breakfast, if he gets up he gets a very dull breakfast.

We have a groclock for kids too young to tell the time. When it turns yellow they can leave their rooms, if it's blue with one star left they can get out of bed and play quietly but for more stars they have to stay in bed but can 'read' if they really can't sleep. I think ds still wakes between 5:30 and 6:00 but we don't see him until half 6/7 which is brilliant!

I've just made 2 new reward charts for our 4 and 2.5yr olds. We've used them before and they do work. They have to stay in their bedrooms quietly until the sun comes up on the clocks. Daily stickers plus a little treat at the end, last time it was a tiny pack of jelly beans so nothing ott!

And when starting things, don't immediately make get up time 7am. Start at 5am, and creep it forward.
My early riser is still one.... Only 6 more years til he's a teenager [yawn]

Sorry, posted too soon. If this is new to him a sticker a day will be motivating, plus mention the toy to keep him motivated.
We used stickers, trips to the park, chocolate coins, choosing dinner, ticks, a trip to cinema (we were going anyway so times it well to act as her reward).
Does he go to school? Our school has good news time, where they get to say something they have done/achieved. Might he like to say 'I stayed in bed til 7am'.
Our light clock thing didn't work but I have seen this and think it looks simple but effective: (see pic)

I like the idea of coco pops, massive incentive for him. We have used the gro clock before but it hasn't worked. Maybe worth a shot again. One problem is that his dad is currently sleeping in the same room so when he wakes up he wakes his dad up. So if we told him to be quiet and play until a certain time he might but he'd still wake up DH. Not sure how to get round that one