2 year old getting up at 5am

dannynixon

nickiboop wrote: »

Hi my 2 year old son has started waking up at 5 am and won't go back to sleep (in his or our bed)

We are both now very tired!

his room has black out blinds so its not the light thats waking him, does anyone have any tips on how to get him to sleep a bit longer?

I have a 3 yr old and when he turned 2, he started to get up at 5. I remember having to watch re-runs of countdown at that time as Cbeebies did not start until 6am, lol.

My lad goes to bed at 7 (always has) and luckily he now gets up at about half 7.
When he was getting up at 5am, no matter what I tried, I could not change this. Me and my partner both work so it was a case of some mornings both getting up (to fight the boredom at 5am) and other morning taking in turns for a lie in. He was up at this time for a good 6 months before it changed.

My son was the same as you (black out curtains etc) Keeping him up later was pointless as he would still get up at 5 but he obviously had less sleep so he was still tired. Unless you can sort it, I think you may well have to ride it out

sylphraven

If this is a phase or not is all upto your lil munchkin, all you can really do is see if they settle if not, as others have said, have toys & things for them to play with safely while you get a little bit more shut eye. My 9 year old still wakes up early but for the past 2 years has learnt that reading or watching TV in bed for a couple of hours before getting up can be enjoyable toO. My older brother was the same as well, according to his partner he's still happy to get up at 4:00am & he's 30 :eek:

cobbingstones

I so feel for you. My son was the same for months. His mornings ranged from 4.45 to 5.30 very hard going. then I decided to put him in bed later. He now sleeps from 7.30pm and wakes around 6.30 to 7 which is fine by me. My son also sleeps between 1pm - 3pm no later and that works very well.

Good luck and I'm thinking of you xxx

MM

RoxieW

Hi there - try cutting out daytime naps. My two never needed daytime naps from the age of 18mths. They then went to bed at 7pm, were out like lights and rarely up before 7am.
Also make sure he's doing prenty of physical activity during the day, preferably the afternoon - playgroups, swimming etc.
Finally, if nothing works, let him play in his room or watch cartoons or a dvd for an hour and half. There's no point being a martyr and getting up with him at 5 am, leaving you exhausted.
Good luck.

nickiboop

Thanks for all the ideas! we were up at 4.30 this morning and despite a cuddle and a bottle he was not going back to sleep, luckily for me OH Got up with him as he screamed as soon as I left him! we then switched at 7.30 and OH went back to bed.

We both work so its going to be fun during the week, I think we may take turns in getting up with him. however tonight I am going to try weatabix and extra milk before bed time and pray that works.

He doesn't usually nap during the day at nursery and runs around all day so I can't think of anything else we can do to wear him out

guess we are in this for the long haul, he won't play in his room by himself, and if he is in with us he want to play so one of us is going to be getting up early!

jillybobs

My DS went through a stage like this. No matter what I did he woke up early!!! Sorry to say but think you just have to put up with it!! He's now five and half and usually wakes between half six and seven. He doesn't go to bed till eight and if he goes to bed later (occasionally on weekend) he still gets up at same time! He's not usually tired or grumpy in the day so I've resigned myself to the fact that he doesn't seem to need as much sleep as some of his friends seem to do.

The worse thing about it is he's never got out of bed on his own. He shouts when he wakes up, then one of us goes to get him (usually me) and then he comes for a cuddle in bed. I've told him he can play in his room, but he's having none of it! I'm sure it will change when he's older.

daveyjp

Our DD is waking at about 5.30-6am. She has been in a bed about 6 weeks. When she was in her cot she was probably awake at a similar time, but as she couldn't get out probably just laid there and dropped back to sleep.

She usually gets in with us and she is good for an hour or so.

I don't agree about keeping them awake all day. A very tired child is worse than one who gets up early. She has 1.5-2 hours at nursery after lunch. Today she woke early and went back to bed from 9-10am, but didn't sleep again all day and by 6.30pm tonight she was becoming a danger to herself! When tired she can't walk or run and bounces off furniture.

Like everything with children it's another phase which will pass.

jackomdj

Our eldest (now 3 1/2) ususally gets up between 6:30 & 7:30 but anything before 7:00 & we take her back into her room to "read" or play. When we first started doing this (probably about a year ago) we sometimes had to take her back to her room a dozen times....but we persisted. Now she has a clock & knows that she can get up when the big hand is pointing up, or down if I am pushing for a 7:30 lie in!

I agree with those that say if they still need a daytime sleep leaving it out will just make them grouchy come bedtime rather than making them sleep later the next day.

Our eldest had a daytime nap if we were at home until she was 2 1/2 - & she stopped them herself just a week before her baby sister arrived...so no daytime rest for me when our youngest was born!

Good luck

Nicky

RoxieW

http://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/detailfash.php?type=FASH&code=A5471&branch=&category=

Perhaps try one of these??

pickle

Keep him up later. When he's asleep pop some toys, a drink and a biscuit on his bed/cot. He may just wake up and play quietly if you're lucky. Optimistic I know but worth a try?