One-year-old starts his day between 5:30 and 6:00, every day

[Orrex]

And he's not subtle about it, either--screams like an air raid siren until we fetch him from the crib.

He's seldom wet, he's not particularly hungry, he's comfortably warm, and his room is pleasantly dark and quiet. In fact, he sleeps like a stone through most of the night, but when he decides it's time to get up, watch out!

So what do we do? For various reasons, chief among them our not-quite-four-year-old, we're reluctant to start our day that early.

We've experimented with differing bed-times and with shortening his naps. THe only result is that he's crankier during the day, but he still gets up before dawn.

Is there any way to get him to sleep a bit longer? Even if he consistently woke at 6:30 it wouldn't be so bad, but 5:30 has gotten to be a bit tough!

[tigereye]

1. mine was a night owl - to bed late and usually up at 7 ish

you have my sympathy...

you could wait out the screaming to see if he gets the message, and plays for a while (0r see if he goes back to sleep) - although that kind of defeats the purpose of hoping to sleep in, though... ;)


Some kids just get up that early, and maybe it will change down the road. I think a kid that age is just raring to go with all the excitement of mobility and what have you.

Maybe if you had some cool toy in the crib to engage him when he wakes up, he might play quietly for a while...

good luck!

[Orrex]

2. Thanks for the encouragement!

We've tried the let-him-scream approach, but then he just screams until it's time for him to get up anyway, and his booming voice also wakes his brother, who would otherwise be sleeping peacefully through the pre-dawn hours!


I don't usually volunteer parenting advice to my friends, though I'm happy to provide it when asked. However, one piece of advice that I've given repeatedly is this: having one child does nothing to prepare you for having two! (aside from the basics, like diaper changing, etc.)

[tigereye]

4. yeah we only have one, and that's what my friends who have 2 say!

I can imagine two in diapers or under four would be quite a challenge...


:hi:

[abelenkpe]

3. my son has always gotten up early too

For the first three years it was up at 5:30. Only recently has he begun to sleep a bit longer. He goes to sleep at 9:00pm every nite and sleeps until 6:30 or 7:00 now but that only began after daylight savings was over. We used to just bring him into bed with us for an extra hour of cuddle time if we were hoping for a bit more sleep. Maybe you could try that? Good luck!

[mrgorth]

5. Practical ideas

Let him come in your room and lay down in your bed for a bit.

Go downstairs and turn on the babysitter (PBS or Winnie the Pooh videos) and lay down on the couch for a bit.

[trotsky]

6. Warning: this will seem completely counter-intuitive.

But try bumping his bedtime up a half-hour, then an hour. Yes, I said UP as in earlier. Oh and no way should you shorten or cut back on his naps.

There's the old saying, "Sleep breeds sleep." In the case of our son, it was absolutely true. When he was 4 mos. we were putting him to bed at 8pm but he'd wake up at 3:30. Pediatrician said start putting him to bed at 7. And within a week or two, he was sleeping later.

[chicagomd]

7. Without giving medical advise...

I agree.

[BklynChick]

8. what time does he go to bed? if it's after 7, push it back to 7. sleep begets sleep.

if that doesn't work there's not much you can do. it will get better (promise)

[SmokingJacket]

9. Yep, exactly right! nt