Sleep... Early Riser

As with other issues, consistency is key on this one. Every time your child comes in your room, immediately return him to his bed and don't say anything or even look at him. Make it very boring. Put a clock in his room (either digital or one with hands) and tell him he cannot come out of his room until the clock says 7 (or whatever time is appropriate). You can buy a digital clock and cover the last 2 numbers with tape, or you can buy a regular clock and color the area from 7AM-9AM with red. Then, on the hour hand, put a star sticker and tell him that he cannot come out of bed until the star is in the red area of the clock. Then, make a reward chart. Every morning when he sleeps through the night in his own bed, he gets a sticker. Then, if he has so many stickers, give him a treat of some kind. Praise him a lot every time he does sleep through the night in his own bed. If he does get out of bed, then immediately return him to his bed. The next morning, show him the chart and explain why he isn't getting a sticker and talk to him about why he is getting out of his room. Maybe leave some books by his bed side so he can read if he gets up too early. Don't put toys in his room or he will play all night. I think books and stuffed animals are ok. Hopefully this will pass soon, but be consistent.

How consistent are you in putting him back to bed? What I have learned is every time they wake up, you take them by the hand and lead them back to bed. Don't say A WORD. Shut their door and walk away. If they come again, do the SAME THING. Consistently do the same thing. It will happen 11 times in one night, but gradually your son will realize there is no point in coming to your bed when you keep leading him back without a word or any tempting words/comfort.

OR: This is what I heard others try, but don't quote me: Try putting a gate in his bedroom door, so if he does want to come to your bed or get up too early, he won't be able to come out of his room. If he cries for you, ignore him and he will realize there is no point in whining when no one is going to come get him.

Or, put an alarm clock in his room, and tell him, when the alarm clock goes off, that is when he can come to your room in the morning. If he gets up before the alarm goes off, he can play in bed or play with toys in his room.

And with any of these methods, create a sticker reward system. After so many stickers earned, he can get a prize. THis may make him more willing to comply.

Good luck!

We haven't dealt with this yet, but I would say check the Ferber book (Solving your Child's Sleep Problems) about this - he has a method that involves closing your child's bedroom door for a few minutes at a time (but not for hours) that I suspect works pretty well. It's a variation on his method of getting babies to sleep through the night, which I know from experience works well.

Our son was an early riser even for me and I'm a morning person! When he was about 2.5 we put a clock in his room. Then we drew a picture of a clock with the hands at 7 o'clock and taped it to the wall next to the clock. We taught him which direction the hands move and all that. We said that when the hands match or after he could leave his room and come get us. Before that, he had to play quietly in his room. Unless, of course, he was sick or needed help going to the bathroom. He loved it because it made him feel more grown up and more in control. He also started sleeping later... after a week or so he'd just stay in bed instead of playing and end up falling asleep again.

J. have you tried giving him a nice bath at the end of the day and reading a bedtime story to him?

You could put a digital clock in his room and tell him he's only allowed to get up at a certain time that you agree upon. We've had this problem and the clock worked for us. Good luck!