3/4 year old early wake ups - please help

[Vanders1233]

any sleep consultants who can help with 3/4 year olds?

Our 3.5 year old has always on and off been an early riser, any day we have made it to 6.30/7 has been a gift. He sleeps well through the night, hardly ever wakes, dropped his nap about a year ago so no daytime naps. We are careful to give him plenty of outdoor exercise, no screens hours before bed. We have a routine we’ve followed since he was a baby, bedtime is 7/7.30. He has black out blinds and some low white noise which we used to use religiously but now we have very low at times or off.

He wakes at 4.45/5 every single morning. There doesn’t seem like there is anything we can do. He has a gro clock which he totally disregards. We have a yoto player he can listen to and for a little while he was amusing himself in his room but that no longer works and we still worry he isn’t getting enough sleep, and now he comes in and out our room until we give in and get up.

I am pregnant (we just bought the Snoo!) due next month so not getting great sleep, but also worrying now about the baby and him waking us both us so early in the morning. I had hoped it would pass before the baby, but it seems to be getting earlier. It’s been 3 months now. I’m tired of googling the same solutions that now just feel frustrating to hear. We have tried a later bedtime, however it doesn’t seem to make a difference. Although admittedly we haven’t tried this for a prolonged period? We tried 8/8.30
for a few nights in a row and it made no difference.

This morning he woke at 4.30, came in to the room and lay next to me, I could see him trying to close his eyes but he’s so wide awake… we have never had him sleep in our bed usuallyz Any help or advice would be so appreciated. 6am wakes would be a dream for us. Thank you

I’d go back to 8pm and do it for longer, a few nights won’t work.
Does he have a relaxing bed time routine ? Bath, book and sleep.
Does he wake up hungry ? If so try giving supper.

My 4 YO wakes at 5 every single morning. Doesn't matter if we move his bed time or not, he wakes the same time. Just realllllly cranky as he hasn't had enough sleep.

My 8YO was the same and by the time she started reception had grown out of it so I'm hoping for the same here. Although she gets up at 6am every day now instead

I think I just have to face facts they are both early risers

I feel your pain, it's exhausting

I feel your pain. DS is almost 5 and very rarely will sleep past half 5! Black out blinds, gro clock, later bedtimes, routine changes nothing works.

I also feel your pain and have no help I'm afraid. I have a 3.5 year old that is now regularly waking between 5-6am and refusing to go back to bed, but why would he when he's already had 10 hours of sleep. He has a gro clock which he used at first but now mugs off. Black out blinds the lot!
Something which I've now started trying this week which has been positive so far is that I have created a new play corner for him in his room with some of his favourite toys and then a new cool toy which is very interactive.
He has now been told if he gets up before his clock is orange he is to stay in his room and play with whatever he wants and then he can come and get us when his clock is orange.

It may be fixable but it may not. My DS is an early riser and always has been, he's 6 now and if he makes it to 6am it's a victory. I think it's just his body clock! The good thing is that now he's older he can entertain himself for half an hour or so before the rest of us get up at a more respectable hour, think that's as good as it gets with a die hard early riser.

(don't judge me for ignoring him, our house is tiny so he's only about ten feet away and knows to wake us if he needs anything)

All three of mine woke very early at various stages... nothing helped..
But..after I made sure that they had clean nappy if needed, milk or cereal , I said the bare minimum.. I never played with them or spoke a lot...made myself very boring..
I read and drank tea...
Once the clock turned 7am normal life resumed!
I had to be up for their safety.. I didn't have to entertain them..