What solved your toddler early rising?

[becca3210]

Would be interested to know what solved your toddler early morning rising. Currently do one nap 12:30 for one and a half hours on average (though varies). Bed at 7. Thank you

Following as also in the same boat!

We got DD a gro-clock. I’m sure others will be along to say it didn’t work for their DC but it did for ours. She started waking at around 5am. We got her the gro-clock and strongly stood our ground that if the sunshine wasn’t up (think it was set for 6.30 initially) then she had to go back to bed. Not necessarily back to sleep but just rest in bed, look at books, play with her soft toys. Within a couple of weeks she’d got the idea. We gradually pushed the clock “alarm” - when the sunshine comes up- back towards 7.
At 8, she’s now a fairly late riser! Usually awake by 7ish. Worked well for us.

Never did! We used the gro clock too which kept them in their bedrooms but they still wake up by 6am! They’re just old enough now to not need to get us up when they do. We’ve just gone with the early starts and do morning things at weekend like parkrun/junior parkrun.

Moving bedtime back an hour. Annoying, as it means you have less of an evening to yourselves, but after 10 days even the most stubborn child will reset. Consistency is key, though.

Dropped nap, used a gro clock type clock, very strict return to bed if he gets up before the clock, took two weeks but he now lies in bed until the clock changes

Age. Sorry but true. Both of them just magically became sleepers around 3 years-iah.

What time does your toddler wake up?

Some only need 10/11 hours overnight, so if DC goes to bed at 7 and sleeps till 5/5.30 then that's not massively surprising. If you want them to sleep later then you'll probably just have to move bedtime later. Not every child needs 12 hours overnight.

I put books in the bottom of the cot, when he woke early, he would read / play with these (it was summer so he had light), then he’d often go back to sleep. Never took him out of cot before about 7am unless he was really upset.
Sleeps until 7-7:30 now. Not late, but perfectly acceptable

Honestly I don't really know, she just started sleeping later but rising later has made naps a nightmare! The early rising will pass!

Mine has never needed much sleep so later bed time is the only thing that works. She tends to sleep roughly from 9-7 now, although she still doesn't sleep through unfortunately. If she went to sleep at 7 she'd be up by 5.

am knackered as secondary aged child woke me at 5:50 this morning

Thank you very much

Maybe this is just how some people’s chronotype is? I am approaching 40 and have always woken early, rarely sleep past 6am and never need an alarm. Doesn’t make any difference what time I go to bed! Perhaps you just have a natural early riser?

Age, not what you want to hear!

He was waking up 5:30 and could usually push not going in to get him till 6 as not too upset just cry a bit then chat to himself then fall asleep for maybe 5-10 more mins then repeat. Last few mornings have been earlier though which have been tough so wondered if I need to push back bedtime.

Our 2yo DS was up and screaming at 4.30 this morning. You're not alone

Gro clock all day long....best £20 I’ve spent . We first set it to when she usually woke then changed it gradually by 15 mins or so. She very quickly learned not to shout until the sun was up.

Made it to 4:37 this morning with my 14 month old. Too young to understand the gro clock, so no advice to offer but solidarity all the way! I'm also sick as a captain's parrot so that isn't helping.

She turned 13.

We found the gro clock kept him in bed later but at seven is still an early waker, anything from 4am. Now he can read a clock he has to stay in bed until six but you are very aware he's awake!

Later dinner, switched bath to morning and put them down after dinner.

I'd noticed most children I knew were waking up around 12h after they ate, a 5pm kids tea was more strongly associated with early rising l, than bedtime or anything else.

She slept later almost immediately as did about 3 other toddlers from the same toddler group where we canvassed everyone to solve it!

That's interesting as we do a 5pm dinner. Something to consider thanks

Honestly nothing until they understood the concept of time and could be told they weren't to leave their rooms except to use the toilet until 6am - later introduced 7am at weekends. Mine messed with the gro-clock to wake it up but respected a kitchen clock on the wall marked with washi tape (coloured tape).

We needed the "not before 7am at weekends" rule for dc2 until he was 13!

Going to a school that started at 7.45. Needed to leave at 7am (closest school that taught in English, accomadation provided by DHs work, so couldnt move). Suddenly their desire to wake at 5.30 became an advantage!

My oldest is now 12. He was awake at 6.15 today.

A groclock and a mega black out blind. We bought the Velcro ones from Amazon. Game changer.

Warm fleece PJs to stop them waking up cold. To be honest I think it's all pot luck but I feel like these have made a difference as their phases of waking early have thankfully not lasted long.

Probably fucking jinxed it now