How normal is a 5am wake up (6 year old)?

[dummydummy]

I can't really remember how or when it started but DD has been waking up between 5 and 5.30am for at least 6 months now. Gro clock was set for 6.30 but that was so far beyond her wake up time that she just ignores it so we've now compromised on 6am and she knows she can't get up before then. Trouble is she gets up to go to the loo when she first wakes up and invariably pops in to see me and DH to ask us something so we're being woken up every day before 5.30 (today was 5.11...) I almost never manage to go back to sleep before she comes back in again at 6 and I'm fairly certain she doesn't sleep between her 5ish wake time and 6am. We could probably work on her not coming in to us but my main concern isn't me being sleep deprived (although I don't love it!) but her not getting enough sleep. She is shattered and ready for bed by 7.30 most days so a typical night's sleep might be 7.45-5.15, but even if she goes to bed later (if we've had a day out for example) she still doesn't sleep in.

So I suppose my question is - is 9.5h sleep enough for a 6 year old and, if it is, how can I encourage her to sleep later given that her body clock seems resolutely stuck on 5-5.30?

Conscious that the clocks go back tonight and cannot cope with the idea that I might be woken up at 4am tomorrow 😭

Normal.

Normal

It's pretty normal but although you've said you don't mind at 6 I would start being a bit firmer on her popping in to disturb you. She's old enough to know that's not acceptable and to occupy herself quietly in her room.

My very nearly 6 year old has woken pre 6am his whole life. He always gets up to go to the loo. Doesn't feel normal amongst our friendship group but the comments on here are reassuring. A few years ago I made a poster to go next to his bed which shows that if the clock is pre 530am he needs to be in bed with the light off still trying to rest/sleep. Between 530 and 6 he can turn his little light by his bed on and look at books etc, from 6 onwards he can play quietly in his room until the rest of us get up at 630/7. Working for us.

Normal in this house.
But then yesterday was an inset day for my kids. I left them alone at 7.15, and both were up and messaging me by 8am - and that was totally prompted by them as they were the only 2 in the house. They are 13 and 15.

I would knock the popping in to see you on its head.

Normal, my 13yo still gets up before 6! You could try a 15 min later bedtime but I think it’s normal

Ok this is fairly reassuring. So many mums in real life seem to talk about having to drag their child out of bed for school at 7am that I wondered if I was doing something horribly wrong! You're right we need to be stricter about the pre-6am chats. Things have got a bit lax in the run up to half term/half term itself but will get a bit firmer going forward.

I always did a small snack bag for my early riser- juice carton, brioche, dried cheerios and they could read, colour, listen to a story quietly but no entering anyone else's bedroom (loo was fine) before 6.45 as others have different wake up and start times. Worked fine and added the use of the dvd player at weekends for an extra hour.

I like the poster suggestion. I've tried telling her pretty much what you've said but I think having it written out would give her less "excuse" to wake us up!

Love this

Normal for my eldest at that age, although he is older now. He didn't get up until about 6:30 this morning, so it's getting later. Youngest needs a lot more sleep, so it does seem very biology relayed.

My DD is nearly 6 and is exactly the same. Doesn't matter how late she goes to bed, how busy she's been the day before or anything. She still wakes up at 5:30 on the dot.

My 10 year old has woken between 5.30 and 6.30 his whole life. I can count on one hand the times he has slept past 7. However, it has been years and years since he has come in and disturbed us early. 7am is the rule and he doesn’t even really come in around then anyway. He reads or listens to an audiobook. At 6 you can be firm with your daughter. On the weekends would she be allowed to creep down quietly and put the TV on to give you more sleep time?

Early riser here too!! My comes and asks for a cuddle and then she rolls round the bed fidgeting like a lunatic so I just end up getting up haha. The snack bag sounds like a fab idea!

So normal.

You get a pay off later if they remain early risers as you don't have to wake them for school at secondary age.

The secret is having a time they must respect before waking you (unless they need help of course).

Avoid overly stimulating activities before bed, including watching exciting TV shows or playing energetic Sprunked , as they can affect how easily the child falls asleep and stays asleep.

My son has been an early riser his entire life. It did get better when i made his bedtime later but it took a while for him to reset. I was super clear that he was not to go wandering around the house before his clock said he could though so he just reads in bed or plays quietly (he is 8 now)