Kids Are up Too Early!!!

I'm a fan of sleep schedules and early bedtimes, but 5:30 is really early. We've always put my daughter (now 2) to bed between 6:30 and 7:30 and it works out great for us.

Try putting them to bed later. My boys are 3 1/2 and 20 months. The younger one goes to bed between 8-9 sometimes earlier and teh older one goes to bed between 9-10. They get up anywhere between 6:30 and 9 depending on my work schedule. We don't get home from work and daycare until 7 so by the time we eat and do baths, it is bed time. Sometimes I start work at 8:30 sometimes as late as 2:30. That is why the bedtimes and wake up times vary.

Wow-you need to stop trying to get them to sleep at 5:30!! This is exactly why you are having a problem. 100% why really. If you change the time they will get up later in the am-I promise. Bed at 7:30-8:00 wake at 7:30-8:00.

It sound like you put them to bed toooooo early. 7:30 to 4am is 9.5 hours of sleep. Plus they nap for 1.5 hours. How long do you think they need to sleep in a day. It takes you 2 hours to put them to bed because they are not tired. I don't know what activities you are doing with them but maybe they are not getting enough physical exercise that will tire them out.

well if I were waking from a nap at 2:30, there is NO WAY I could go to bed at 5:30.
Try to revamp your schedule. First move their nap way up, to noon at the latest. Let them nap for as long as they want, but no later then 3:30. The one year old probably needs at least 3 hours of nap, or if he's a young 1 then two naps a day in which case his morning nap should be about 8 till 9:30. Then give them a snack at 3:30, dinner at a more normal 5:30, then bed at a reasonable 7 pm. You won't have to fight with them, they will go to sleep because it's a more normal time for them.
Before they go to bed explain that if it's not light out, they are to go back to sleep.

If it takes 2 hours to get them to sleep at night, it seems obvious (to me at least) that you're putting them to bed 2 hours too early. I suggest trying for a bedtime of around 8 PM (even 8:30 or 9:00 if they're still waking up earlier than you want).

To add to what everyone else has said, it takes at least 3 nights for your body to adjust to the sleep change. So, if you put your kids to bed later, as everyone is suggesting, don't expect them to suddenly wake up later. It will take time. Also, keep things dark, quiet, and calm when they wake at 4. Don't get active or turn lights on until 6 when it would be an appropriate time to wake up.

I highly suggest Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. You can use it as a reference and only read the sections that apply to you. It talks about how to do a bedtime routine, how much sleep each age group needs, and how much time should be between waking from a nap and going to bed (4hrs).

Good luck!

Hi J. :-)

I agree with everyone that your kids are seeming to follow a normal schedule of sleeping around 10 - 12 hours... bed at 5:30 and up at 4:30. So moving their bedtime to a later hour would be beneficial to ALL! Daylight savings time may well be interfering with their internal clocks, so if you would like to try something EASY and non invasive, I offer an energy balancing technique called CORTICES on my website.

This technique takes about 30 seconds to do and can REALY help you and your children to calm the brain down to facilitate relaxation and the parasympathetic response to induce sleep. You can go to my website www.amyfreundbodytalk and find the technique under the tab Dr. Veltheim teaches how to tap out the CORTICES. The first video teaches you all about your brain and how stress affects its balance, and the second video teaches you how to do this very simple technique.

Have fun watching and let me know if you need any help in doing the CORTICES.. tap out yourself AND your kids and get ready for some rest!
hugs,
A. www.amyfreundbodytalk.com

Try bedtime around 7:30 or 8pm. That's what time they are going to bed anyway, and that way you eliminate the two hour struggle! Have a simple bedtime routine (bath, soft/dim lights, bedtime story(ies), cuddles, lullabies, prayers....whatever relaxes them) and put them to bed. Read Elizabeth Pantley's "The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night" to learn some techniques for good sleep habits for both kids (and you!).

If you are getting eight hours (plus the hour and a half naptime) and it is not enough, perhaps you need to see a doctor to make sure you are healthy. Over-tiredness can be a symptom of a much bigger problem. You could have serious medical issues that need to be addressed - especially this time of year.

I would say that if they are going to bed at 5:30, it sounds pretty realistic for them to be getting up at 4... Is there a reason they go to bed that early? Or at least have you tried moving their bedtime back, even by an hour, to see if they sleep later?

Even if they are falling asleep at 7:30 (2 hours to get them to actually sleep), and napping in the afternoon, they are getting about 10 hours of sleep. Those ages need a few more hours than that. It might help to not put them to bed so early to help their bodies be more ready to sleep. 2 hours is a long time to fight them for and no wonder you're worn out. See if you can get them to nap even another half an hour in the afternoon to push back bedtime a bit.

Our boys are about 20 months apart (2 and 4 now) and we have to put them to bed at different times. Once the better sleeper is asleep the other one can dance on his head and he won't notice. I snuggle in bed, read a book, and leave (unless they're sick, etc.). Once in a while I fall asleep with one of them, but usually because I'm too tired. The hours you keep are not as important at this point as the kids getting enough sleep (we put our kids down around midnight and they sleep late because my husband is home with them and works evenings).

If their bedroom (assuming its shared) is child-proofed, consider leaving some quiet things in there they can do. We are not always positive what time our kids wake up because they usually get up and read quietly or chatter a bit before waking my husband up (I'm at work by then). The time changes are always tough on kids. Worst case, we've pushed through a day with no nap for our older boy and held off his bedtime to help him sleep in a bit and catch up to the time change.

Have you tried putting them to bed later? You are putting them to bed awfully early. The earliest I have heard anyone putting their kids to bed is 6:30.

My kids were put to bed around 8:30 as babies. My oldest is now 13 and youngest is 7 and even now, they have kept that bedtime on their own on school nights.

You're children are going to be too early!!! There is not enough time between them getting up from their naps and going to bed. You might even want to try to nap them earlier in the day as I am sure by that time they are overtired. But, at bedtime, they likely are not tired enough to sleep. If you put them to be later you will not have such protracted onsets because they are more ready to sleep and they will sleep later in the morning. As children get older, their sleep cycles needs to change with them and typically goes in the direction of going to be a bit later and later as they grow older. 6:30 - 7:00 might be where they need to be at right now. They may be tired initially as they get used to sleeping a little later in the morning as that might take some time but that tiredness will ultimately wok in your favor as you work to adjust their nap and bedtime routines. A bath and routine before bed and even a routine before napping will also help if you aren't already - some quiet transitional time with non-stimulating, low key activities, attention from you like reading.. Please try this - as I think it will make a difference for them and you. You may have to move their nap (especially) and bedtime schedules in increments overtime but maybe not! Best to everyone. Also, your pediatrician might be helpful.

Kids this age do not need more than 10-12 hours at night (though they will still take a nap for a total of 11-13 hours of sleep a day). The 3 yr old especially will start to outgrow your schedule.

I like an early bedtime myself but have never heard of 5:30. I think if you wanna sleep in, you are gonna hafta give up 2-3 hours of time in the evenings. = ) At these ages, I was putting the boys to bed at 8:00 and getting them up at 6:30 and they both took 1-2 hours naps up thru age 5.

Like most everyone's posts, your kids are trying to tell you something. They are simply not tired after waking up just 3 hours earlier. Please try and put them to bed at 7:30 and see how it goes after a few days. They will need some time to adjust. (Most people have dinner at 5:30.)

Our 16mo. old son has dinner at about 6:45/7 (that's just how it goes when both of us work). And then he goes to bed at 8/8:15. He wakes up at 7am. He naps once around 12-2:30. We think it's great! But that is what works for us.

Nothing is wrong with your kids sleep pattern, about 9-10 hours is great for kids at night. Also, think about the waking hours, instead of the sleeping ones. 4am-1pm (9hrs) is too long of a stretch for little ones. And 2:30-5:30 (3hrs) is way too short of a stretch, which is why they are not going to bed. Try to even that out so maybe their awake times are more like 5-6hrs. at a time.

And think of how less stressful it would be if you were all just playing or reading and not fighting each other over sleeping in the evening! They will be tired and ready to go down at 7:30. Good luck!

my daughter who is 2 goes to bed at 7 or 730 every night, and wakes at 6 or 7 in the morning. Maybe you should try a little later bed time

I'd push the bedtime back also. If you're fighting them for 2 hours anyway, why not make that family time.
My kids have gone to bed at 7pm at the earliest when they were smaller, but even then it was when they had a busy day and were wiped out. Usually it was 7:30-8pm, but rarely ever later than that. They get up between 6-7pm.

Hi there... I have a two year old and I just recently had a question about a little girl who is this age and throwing tantrums every night for bedtime...... My response to her question will fit your wonderfully..... hope you don't mind me reusing an answer.........

My son turned 2 in july. He did this for a while then i pulled his naps cut out all junk food (snack only consist of any kind of craker or fruit.) and I make sure he's getting plenty of exorcise thru out the day. I do no tv within 30 minutes of bed time and he is good to go now.... he asks me moma i go bed now? I say yep he grabs his blanket we brush his teeth and he's in bed sleeping within about 15 minutes. He use to scream for up to 2 hours making himself puke about 2 or 3 times. I learned that he knew if he puked I would take him out of bed changed him and his sheets. So he was getting attention. Because he just simply wasn't tired enough to go to bed. It was especially tough because It's just me with no help..... So with no naps a better diet bath time every night an hour before bed and no tv.... it's like heaven in my house now.... Good luck to you and I hope this helps. I feel for you I know exactly what your going thru.

but also in my opinoin i think you're kids are going to bed way to early.... 730 800 i think is best for kids this age but like i said thats just my personal opinion.... you'll have a rough time when school hits and they're drained so early in the afternoon and waking up 8 or 10 hours before school (if they go to kindergarten half day and afternoon)..... cut the naps and scoot bedtime back and i bet you get them to sleep 9 to 12 hours a night......my son goes to bed at 8 (we stay active during the day) and he sleeps to about 8:30 to 10 sometimes in the morning..... gives me plenty of time to get things done in the morning and at night.... good luck

Kimmie

1. Your bedtime is dinner time for most people. My kids have had a bedtime from 7-8pm since they were about 6 months old. I don't know anyone that has a 5:30 bedtime, especially since they napped and have only been up for a few hours since they had a nap. 2. Your children need to be taught how to fall asleep by themseleves. It may be hard at first, but it's what is best for them and for your sanity.
Good Luck :)

Try moving their bedtime to 7pm. Also, put some white noise in there, like a fan or something. Good luck!

wow you are getting them to bed way too early, especially with such a late nap. move bedtime to 730 or 8, adjust nap to earlier in the day and hopefully they will wake later. My almost 3 year does no nap most days and sleeps from 730-almost 7. they only need 10-12 hours at age 3

It sounds like too early of a bedtime, but if it's been your schedule then I can understand. Maybe their schedules for sleep needs are changing a bit. Do they share a room? Is one waking the other up? My son is 3. He goes to bed around 830 (but we've been having a problem with him going to sleep sometimes till 930 or so) and he's usually up somewhere in the 6am hour (615-645-ish) which is earlier than he used to because he used to not get up till after 7am. His waking earlier happened before the time change though. He also takes an afternoon nap which the time he goes down is anywhere between 1230 and 2pm and he sleeps for 1 1/2 - 3hrs, just depends.
Anyway, what I was going to say is that a friend of mine recommended the GoodNite Lite. It's a nightlight that's a moon when it's sleep time and becomes a sun in the morning to let them know it's ok to get up. It's a timer light, so you set the times for it for when you want them to go to bed and get up. It's to help sleep train basically. You can google it and check out the website. This may work for your 3yr old, probably not the 1yr old though. I just ordered mine a few days ago. It's a 30day money back guarantee too if it doesn't work for your child.
Good luck with all this!

I agree with the fact that you probably need to make their bedtime later. The 3 year old maybe weaning off a nap and may not need as much sleep as the 1 year old. Around 2.5/3 years old is when I had to either deal with getting my kids to take a nap and deal with them staying up later or skipping the nap and then the bedtime routine was a lot easier. My twins are 5 and still have a 9pm bedtime...but then they get up around 8 or 8:30 so it works for them.

The bed time seems really early to me. Try pushing it back. Two hours seems like a long time to get little ones to sleep. Maybe start bedtime routines and hour before bed time and put them down closer to 7.

Check out "The No Cry Nap Solution". Not for the napping part of your day, but it does a good job of explaining children's sleep cycles and how often they need to sleep. Going from 4am to 1pm is probably much too long for either boy to go without sleeping. It really helped me change the way I look at my kids (1 and 3.5) sleep habits/schedules.