waking very early

[MavisEnderby]

dd has neurodevelopmental issues and whatever time i put her to bed she is still waking early...any suggestions?tia

what is her level of understanding like?

when dd1 was going thrugh a ropey phase, we introduced an alarm clock wiht some success.

we used one which lights up a picture of a rabbit in bed vs a rabbit skiping along htorugh sunlight depending on day/night times set.

we told her that hse had to stay in her room when the rabbit was asleep, and set the clock for 5 mins after her (then) usual wake up time.

slowly, slowly, we pushed the alarm time back, by 5 mins at a time.

if dd1 managed ot stay in her room unitl the rabbit woke up, she got a choc button after breakfast (was initially as I went in to her for immediacy, and then I "forgot" one day, so we had it downstairs after getting dressed, etc).

it worked, after a fashion...

depends on her understanding tbh.
With DD1 we had a plug timer on a light at the end of the bed. If she woke and light was still on she had to go back to sleep, if it was off she could get up.
However this doesnt work for DD2 and we have taken to just getting up :(

We got up with DS at 5am (and sometimes 4am) for 5 years. Took it in turns. It's really hard on dark mornings.

He now has a lie in until 6am.

We tried the clock thing but he couldn't get his head round it.

I feel sorry for our neighbours.

DS2 (4.5yo) regularly wakes up at 5am, and often at 3 or 4am. We just get up. There really is no other option for us. He has a safety gate on his bedroom door for his own safety, however, if we don't get up with him, he'll wake up his 1yo brother in the next room. We've tried to adjust his bedtime, but it just didn't work. He's simply an early riser.

I try to look at it as having an early shift for work. If you have to get up early, make sure you go to bed at a reasonable time at night. Sorry. That's pretty much what we do. Doesn't matter really, as he wakes up throughout the night anyway. LOL Tired is a way of life here.

Only suggestion I have is to try and sleep when your dd goes to sleep. My ds age 10 rarely sleeps up for most of night at least 4 nights out of 7. He is on medication to make him sleep, has been changed so many times because after a while he seems immune to it. Have 2 other ds so have to try and keep him quiet as they need their sleep. When he gets up he's like a tornado running up n down, banging, jumping, making lots loud noises etc, also raiding fridge wanting to eat everything. Seems to need very little sleep most nights can get by on average 3 to 4 hours sleep. Me & dh take in turns to get up with him. Same as Spinkle I too feel sorry for neighbours because i think he has full street up, lol. Im forever apologising

Hi thanks for replies.dd understanding very limited ie 18-2.Would love the go to bed when she goes to bed suggestion but have older nt ds and it would be unfair on him.Have heard about melatonin,has anyone tried this.I am a LP since dp died last year and also work (albeit pt) am knackered and desperate,not sleeping well anyhow myself.Any ideas gratefully considered!

So sorry Mavis. Really hard having to do it all alone. Can you get occasional respite at all. Just to give you a chance to recharge? Sorry, have no experience with melatonin but didn't want to read and run.

We have a fantastic visual clock we got for ds1. He hates normal clocks (noise etc). This one is divided in two: upper half day, lower half night, and you set the time (say 7am/7pm) and then at 7am the upper half lights up and vice versa at night. I got it through the internet (can't remember the exact website, was a while ago, but I know a few places do it). It has a rabbit on it if that helps! It has been invaluable to us, we have survived (I say we I mean I) on very little sleep thanks to ds's anxieties etc but this has really helped. He knows that if bunny's on night time he stays in bed.

God send. Hope this helps. I'll try to find a link meanwhile.

Bloody he'll didn't see Silverfrog's post until posted mine! Great minds.

I mean hell aaaarrggh! Sodding ipad!

I think we bought ours in Jojomamanbebe.

there are a couple of different ones available - ours is blue, and there is a pink one (I think with a cow) and a green one (portable, travel version).

if I had my time again I might buy the gro clock, though - sun/moon picture, and less fussy (and looks more robust)

I have the gro-clock and the gro any where blind. DD1 has gone from waking at 6.15 to 7.25...
I bought it on Amazon... (it was expensive but worth it for both of us)...
The clock has a little story that you read, and as you read it you turn the clock from day (sunshine) to night (blue star). It has 12 little stars round the outside and they go out 1 by 1 until the morning. Sometimes she wakes up and says "1 more star" and i say, back to bed then.
When we first introduced it was set to turn to morning at 6.15 and when she came and said the sun was up she got a present... we shifted it by 5 mins every other day or so and she got presents when she stayed in bed til then.
The blind has little suckers on it and attaches to any window for total black-out... good for hols too.

no advice except i know how you feel :( DD2 doesnt sleep muc hi nnight wakes up frequently through night and is up at 4.30-5am ready to start the day. DD2 has woken at 6am for the last 6 years and we cant get her out of it - have tried everything