My 3 year old son has never slept very late but is not waking up around 5:45 every morning. He refuses to go back to sleep and I cannot make him. We've tried putting him to bed earlier so that he gets more rest, but he'll just lay in bed awake and fall asleep at his usual time. He's obviously not sleeping enough because he's grouchy and whines a lot, but I can't think of what to do!
As with many of the responses, I agree with keeping him up later. He is probably changing his sleeping pattern. With my son I had to keep him up later and shorten his nap. A routine really helps. We do a bath and sing a song then brush his teeth then do the kissing goodnight round. Then leave him in there to put himself to sleep. If you are always putting him to sleep the both of you will deal with this going to bed issue for a long time.
It is getting light out so early now. Try darkening the windows to where it will stay dark longer in his room in the mornings. I have used aluminum foil over the windows and that will keep the light from coming in or some room darkening blinds or curtains.
He could just be an early riser!!! I use to have to get up at 4 am w/ my child. He would sometimes sleep later then other time and still get up early!!
I guess when we all get older we will catch up on our sleep!heheh
does he take a nap and if so what time take a look at that and try to re adjust that
try putting him to bed later...my daughter is almost 3 and she stays up until she gets ready to go to sleep...9pm is the cut off but usually she is ready long before then at 8-8:30pm and comes and tells me so...if she's not in bed by 9 then i step in and make her go to sleep...i usually have to pry her out of bed at 6am to get ready for daycare! good luck!
I have 3 children and had a son that stayed up all night when he was younger. It may help to keep him up until his regular time and then give him a snack before bedtime and a bath. That works well with my kids.
I have a son that is almost 3 years old and we have to let him stay up until 10 if we want him to sleep past 6:30 and with school being out, we don't have to get up that early with my 8 year old daughter. Most of the time he doesn't get a nap either. Each child is different though, your child may still need his nap or if his nap is too late in the day, that could be it too.
Buy him a clock. My 3 and 5 year old know they are not allowed to get out of bed until 7:00. Sometimes if it is just a few minutes until 7 we will let them snuggle in our bed with us for a little while.
Buy him a night light that you can set on a timer. Tell him the light will go on when it is time to get up. If the light is not on, he has to go back to sleep.
Is he still taking naps? It may be time do do away with that. If my 3 yr old falls asleep and gets even a short nap she is much harder to put to bed at night. Good luck.
I have a few suggestions for his sleeping problem:
1. Change his bed time to an hour or so later than normal.
2. Set a routine a few hours before bed time so he can instill a routine of his own.
3. Let him get sleepy on his own instead of allowing him to lie in bed for a while until he falls asleep.
Hope these will help. Good luck!
Have you tried keeping him up later or shortening his nap? When I was trying to get my 6 mo to sleep through the night, I found that she would do it when I kept her up until 9 (she sleeps until 7am, around the same time as her 2 yo sister). When my 2 yo was going to bed at 7, all of a sudden she started waking up at 6 am then we started putting her to bed at 8 and she sleeps until 7. Hope it helps!
