Waking Too Early - Troy,MI

I have to say what some of the moms said.. sounds like you need to adjust and be happy that he sleeps till 7am! My son is almost always up by 6am.. : )

I love the mornings though we relax and read books.

Perhaps if you have different expectations it will get easier and the mornings will be better?

I would try keeping a clock in his room and let him know that he is not to leave his room until the clock says 7:30. Kids at 3 can start learning about time. Maybe keep his door shut or locked and open it at 7:30. I think you are entitled to your quiet time and the kids shouldn't call the shots. This teaches them boundaries and that you are in charge. Try it for a few weeks and see if he gets the message. Funny thing though, once they start elementary school, getting them up for school can be a drag. Set boundaries now, so you don't have problems later.

Good luck,

MC

I guess I don't understand the problem. Why can't he get up at 7am? Most children get up before that... I am happy when my children sleep until 7pm.

I would think about what is making the mornings "not peaceful" and why you are angry. Maybe there is some prep you can do the night before? Maybe you could go to be earlier so that you are ready to get up at 7?

On the weekends we let my 4 year old go into the guest room and turn on Disney Channel if he gets up before everyone else. This rarely happens, because usually the baby is up first...but it might work for you.

Hi S.,
Personally I think you should be happy he sleeps until 7. My kids are usually up at 7. I have a friend who's son gets up by 6. YUCK!! Anyway, I am a morning person and love the mornings because everyone is (usually) in a great mood. I would bet if you change your attitude in the morning you could start out with a happy little boy. Instead of forcing him to go back to bed, which he probably couldn't fall asleep if he tried, I would take the opportunity of some one on one time. Start some coffee and spend some time with your son. Or if you just want some time to wake up you could let him watch a few cartoons (TV is not evil, LOL!). Anyway, unfortunatly I don't think it's your son that needs to change, I think you need to. Good luck to you.
Chris

I can feel your pain! My daughter has also been getting up at 7. I am not a morning person! She usually crawls in bed with me but she has to lay quietly until the radio turns on at 7:30. If you don't want him in bed with you, you could try putting the alarm in his room.
K.

Oh this is great, I'm going through the same thing with my daughter. I tried the same thing with it's still night time too:) I have been starting to put my daughter to bed with one car and one book. She is told when she gets up she may play with those until we come get her. For the most part this has worked. A couple of times I've heard her get out of bed, very quitely, and get a toy from the living room, then goes back to bed. I will find her in her bed playing with a couple of toys some mornings...and I'm okay with that.
As far as naps, some days she will take a 3 hour nap! I just let her sleep when she wants, as long as she gets one every day. We always put her to bed at 8pm, but some nights she will be up singing in her bed till 10pm!!! She doesn't seem to have any problems the next day so we are pretty flexible about it. Good luck!

Hi S.. He might be trying to tell you he's done with his nap.

He's up at 7:00am, because that's all the sleep he needs. I think you will be hard-pressed to get him to sleep more than he needs. One of my boys gets up BY 6:00am most days. That's just how he is, I've tried everything. He just doesn't need more sleep! As you said -- I just had to come to grips with it. My suggestions...

Option 1: Keep him up later at night, so he'll sleep later in the morning.

Option 2: Allow him to get-up at 7:00am, with strict instructions to play quitely until 7:30am. For example: read in bed, read in his room, play with quiet toys in his room, watch TV quietly, do not wake up his sister, etc.

oh man! I so hear you! and I'm chuckling a little bit.

Do they share the same room? My kids have always been early risers and now my two oldest get on the bus before 7 so it's not that big of a deal except if I get up at 6 I would like some "me" time and some quiet so...I tell the girls, if they getup before 7, to go lay quietly in their beds. Most of the time they go back to sleep or talk quietly (3 in one room) Usually through this commotion the baby wakes up too so then I do get angry but I guess I can get angry or....accept that it is morning time and enjoy our extra 1/2 hour together. I do find that if my kids get more sleep on a consistent basis they tend to sleep a little longer. I put my 8,6, and 4 yr old to bed at 7:30 (no later than 8) as well as the baby. The baby sleeps for 3 hours during the day. But I really put alot of effort into getting him on a sleep schedule (to some degree) when he was 6m old. But maybe if you slowly start his bedtime a bit earlier and if he can turn on his light and play quietly when he gets up it will turn into a more desirable schedule. I think I get angry because my sleep is interrupted. Since I've had to get up earlier (6) with my boys I find I get to wake up, get coffee, maybe a shower, and I am much better at handling early risers and other crazy things that might come up.

I'd say you're pretty lucky that he sleeps till 7am....some wake earlier than that. But maybe try having him take a nap a bit earlier...say by 1pm. Or just tell him (and hopefully he obeys pretty well) that he can quietly turn the light on and "read" books on his bed until you come and get him. Teach him to stay put until you come and get him for the day.

Hi S.,
Try these 2 things.
1st. put in down for bed at 9, instead of 830, and let's see if that works.
2nd. If that doesn't work, get rid of the nap.
H.