Early Risers

Hi K.! I too "feel your pain"! I am a SAHM of 3 (10, 8, & 2). When the 8 year old was a baby, she would NEVER sleep past 6:30. For her, it didn't matter what time she went to bed or how many naps she took or the duration of her naps. She would fall asleep on her own by 7:00 p.m. She would even put herself to bed once she was out of the crib....just grab her blanket and go lay down. There was no way to make her stay up later. We never did get her to sleep later until she got older (around 6) and started doing it on her own. However, when she was about 2 1/2 or 3, we were able to teach what an 8 looked like. By this time she was in a toddler bed and would get herself out of bed at 6:30 in the morning and come tell me and my husband that it was time to get up. When we said no it wasn't, she would say "Yes it is mommy! Look, the sun is up! So we should be too!". Very frustrating. At various times we were able to have blinds on the window that blocked out all light and she would sleep a little later because she couldn't see the light (maybe 7:00 or so). But, once she learned what an 8 looked like, we put a clock in her room and told her that when the first # on that clock was the 8, she could come out of her room. Until then, she had to stay in her room and play with her toys or (even better!) sleep. It took her a few days of us asking if the first # was an 8 for her to get the idea. But it worked quite well. She is now the 8 year old and still likes to get up early some days. But she never comes to talk to me until the first # on the clock is an 8. :-)

I realize that you have awhile yet before your son will be old enough to recognize an 8. But some kids are just wired to sleep more than others and at different times of day than others. It may turn out that you have to adjust to his schedule, go to bed early so you can wake up refreshed enough to get up with him and enjoy the sunrise together. I have 2 other kids and their sleep patterns are different from each other and their sister. The oldest has always liked to stay up late and sleep late the next day. She adores her "Night Owl" distinction. I don't....but she has been that way from the day she was born. The youngest is just right. He will go to sleep around 9 or so and will sleep until I get up in the morning. It doesn't matter what time I get up, if he hears me, he will get up. So I can sleep til 9 and so will he. With each of my kids, I have had to make adjustments to my sleep routine until they were old enough for each of us to deal with us having different ones. I look at it this way....they are only young for so long. The day will come that they won't want your comfort at 5 or 6 in the morning. And the first time you wake up and realize that he didn't come get you, you will feel that tug at your heart and realize he is growing up and away. I take advantage of every chance I get to comfort and snuggle with my kids. Those chances are getting farther apart with the older 2. But every once in awhile, one of them will crawl in the bed with me when daddy leaves for work. And I love it!

Best of luck! I hope you find a happy medium for you and your son! You have to do what works best for you and your family. No one has the "right" answer...just suggestions to try. The only right answer is the one that works for you.

T.

When my son was the same age as your son, he too would wake up EARLY in the morning, just about the same time you mention. Is it set in their schedule to do this? Anyway, between either crying or just talking to himself sometimes he would just fall back to sleep. (is he still in a crib??) We cut his nap by 1/2 hour and that either sometimes worked or had no effect either...putting him to bed later didn't work. It may just be a phase kids go through and he's anxious to explore the world and learn. We ended up bringing him into our bed, which he would fall right back to sleep. I hated the idea of "co-sleeping" for 2 hours in the morning, but it got to a point where we were both exhausted from early mornings (we both work full time jobs outside the home). I was fearful that he would become reliant on sleeping with us..BUT For whatever reason--of his own doing--, within 4-6 weeks he stopped waking up at 4:30AM, or 5 or even 6AM. I can't say WE did anything, but rather this 'stage' passed. We no longer have to bring him into our bed early in the morning. He's back to sleeping in until nearly 7AM. At 18 months, your son may just be having a growth spurt and waking earlier. Give yourself a break from the anxiety and lack of sleep...and if you too can do it safely, maybe think about bringing him to bed with you for an hour in the morning and he can fall back to sleep because he feels secure knowing you are there. Just a suggestion...I know some parents are completely anti-bring the child to bed with you, but we felt hopeless and it worked for us during this stage (and it too shall pass)...

just don't go in.make sure you have curtains in his room that block the light, but otherwise don't go in.
he's 18 months old he should be sleeping through the night. now mind this though even mine, good sleepers are up by 7, if they wake up at 7:30 am that is A GOOD DAY but definitely up by 7. so for that hour and a half he's up let him cry, stay awake what not but don't go in unless you fear his cry is turning into a pain cry.

This isn't really advice, because I think you are looking for a way to get him to sleep later and I don't have one. This is more of an "I feel your pain" because my son stopped napping at 18 months and has always been an early riser. I recommend putting him to bed earlier so that even though he is getting up early he will still get all the sleep he needs, and also to give you some needed down time. You don't mention how late your other kids stay up, but you may want to adjust their bedtime a little earlier to to give you more "kid free" time in the evening since you are not getting any in the morning.

Wow this seems like a trend lately! My son is almost 3 (in Sept.) and he's been waking up really early too. He's been sleeping through the night since we stopped nursing and haven't had any problems since. (minus the travel and illness situations) We've never really had trouble getting him to sleep at night either long as we stick to a routine.

Now here all of a sudden he's been getting out of bed after we put him down, therefor not falling asleep until 10pm or so and then he's been getting up around 5:15-5:30am!!! My DH and I are so tired! We've really gotten no kid free time lately and that can really drain us out!

I've tried letting him go with shortening his nap or no nap and that hasn't worked. He's still up before the crack of dawn! I tried this morning to let him take his WHOLE box of Matchbox cars in the room, but that only bought me about 20 minutes of being in bed. Though I didn't sleep since he made so much noise (DH however slept through it all!).

So sorry I really don't have any advice at this point. Just wanted you to know that you're not alone!!