Waking Early (At 5 Am)

Hi,

I can't comment on the waking that early, but I can tell you that some children no matter what time you put them to bed, wake-up at the same time every morning. I have a 3 1/2 year old and a 6 month old. I always have a baggie of cereal or a snack for my daughter to eat and we either put it on her nightstand before she goes to bed or we leave it right outside of her door. We tell her she needs to stay in her room until either we come and get her or at least she has to wait in there unitl it's light out. She can't read time yet, but the second she can, we will tell her she can't come out until a specific time. We do a responsibility chart with her at the end of the day and if she stayed in her room like she was asked, she gets to put up a star and at the end of the week, she gets a special treat. It might take some time, but just be consistent and it should work for you.

I hope some of this helps you!
D.

My sister-in-law has a 4 y/o daughter that wakes at 4:30 every morning. What she does is to put a digital clock in her room and cover the minute numbers with tape, so that the only number showing is the hour number. She has explained to her daughter that she is not to come out of her room until she sees the number 6 on the clock. It works pretty well. Occassionally she has to remind her daughter, but most mornings she stays in her room until 6am. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Why not put them to bed closer to the time when you go to bed? Start at 8:00, read a story and then off to bed with them by 8:20p.m. Explain to them that you and daddy are going to bed and everyone needs to get their sleep. Remind them that they grow when they sleep and even though they don't realize it, it helps them get through the next day.

They obviously have a pattern of wanting to say good-bye to you and don't want to miss that. It's a wonderful thing, but they need to be in bed! SO, why not play a game: If they wake up and the clock (digital) says anything BUT 6:00 for the five year old and 6:30 for the three year old, they have to stay in bed. You could put books by their bed or a video now, but they have to stay in bed. For each day they do this, they get a sticker and when they collect five, they can choose a prize worth up to $3.00. Target has a great dollar spot! NOW, here's the key. If they are used to getting up and saying good bye, let them call you on your cell phone instead. Tell them because they are getting so big and responsible (ha ha), they can call you on your phone to say good morning. However, if they don't stay in bed, no phone call to you. They will have to wait to the next day to see if they can achieve the goal. Hopefully they will start sleeping late on their own. They just need to get out of the habit they are used too.
My son went through a terrible anxiety phase wtih my husband that works shift work. he wouldn't go to sleep if he thought my husband was going to leave. One thing we did was he kept something of daddy's with him in bed. This helped him feel closer to my husband while he was gone.

Sometimes when my oldest had problems with sleeping and bedtimes, I would always promise to come in and give her a "sleepy kiss", which was just a kiss on her cheek while she was sleeping. For some reason that comforted her, knowing that I would come in and give her that. Maybe suggesting that if they stay in their beds, you will come in and give them a sleepy kis? But I do think that the sticker suggestion by the previous poster is good...I have used that for SO many things with my girls. I make a chart and hang it on the wall, and they have to earn 5 stickers each before they can get the prize (whatever it is), then after that time, 10 stickers, then 15 stickers. Until it is obvious they don't even need it anymore. I have used that with potty training, behavior issues, sharing, cleaning up after themselves. It does work!
K.

I read about a woman in one of my parenting magz that what she did was gave her daughter a paper flower each time she stayed in bed until someone came to get her, when she had 1 dozen, she got a real flower to put in her vase in her room. It kind of goes along with the star thing, but girls this age love flowers and they know how special they are. Or get one of those travel alarm clocks and put it in the room and set it every night so she knows she can't get up until she hears the buzzer.
Hope you work it out!