Early rising?!

So, my son Gavin and my oldest son Grifyn sleep in the same room. Grifyn needs his sleep for he goes to school all day and if he doesn't get the sleep that he needs, we have some behavioural issues that we then have to deal with. ANYWAY, Gavin was doing really well....waking up at 7am....but now, for the past 3 weeks, its been 545....6am....and he will not go back to sleep. If we attempt to put him back in his room he starts to scream and then waking up Grifyn....not good!

WE got the grow clock and Gavin knows that when the clock is blue you stay in your bed/bed room. If the clock is yellow, you can come out. And he knows this! He repeats it to me! but he doesn't listen to it when he wakes up at 6am! Clock is set for 7am. I really don't know what to do! People say to me "just put the TV on in your room and let him watch it" but I that just isn't the answer i'm looking for. I recharged his amber neclace to no avail, I have tried putting him down at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm.....no matter what....6am on the nose he is awake!

Anyone else ever overcome something like this!? HOW?!?!?

 

Does he have anything that he can entertain himself with quietly in his bed? An ipod with music, or books, or a special, quiet toy? Or maybe try a sticker chart? Or a quarter system, give him 7 quarters at the beginning of the week and for each morning that he stays in bed quietly till wake up time, he gets to keep one.

 

Keep putting him in bed early (7pm tops). At least this way you know he's getting enough sleep, even if it doesn't help.

Personally, I'd put him back in his room. My two share a room. Sometimes DS knocks on the door at 6am and we just yell at him to go back to bed. Yes it woke up his sister a couple times because it made him cry, but she just fell back asleep and he didn't do it again. He does have stuffies to play with if needed (they usually open their blinds so it's not totally dark because of the street lights). Personally, I'd put him back in his room, remind him of the rules, tell him he can play quietly but he has to stay in his room, and leave. And remind him at bedtime that he can't leave the room until the light yellow, and that if he does you'll have to put him back in, because it's too early and mommy and his sister need to sleep. Maybe ask him if he wants a book or something to keep busy (obviously difficult if there's no night light). But be firm in the morning. The main reason I would do this is that he knows there's a rule, and he's breaking it, and you can't let it go... you have to try and be consistent, even if it's extremely frustrating.

 

If one of our kids wakes up early in the morning they usually come to our big bed to snuggle and often fall back asleep. They know they have to be quiet if they want to be in our bed. This works well for us, everyone gets some more sleep or least rest and they do not wake up their twin.

Of course, this only works if you do not have to get up earlier than the kids. And I agree with Fran, keep an early bedtime so you can be sure he is getting enough sleep; for us, a later bedtime does not mean a later wake up time.

 

Fran....I love your style! Good old tough love never hurt anyone!! THANK YOU ALL for your responoses! I have started with the tough love and this morning was amazing!!!! We went over the rules last night and when Gavin woke up this morning at 550am....I gave him some water, and told him that it wasn't "awake time" and he didn't fuss or muss or anything! He played in his bed for a bit and then fell back to sleep! He woke up for good at 715am (the sun was yellow) he came out of his room all proud and said "its awake time!"

I praised him and told him how proud I was of him staying in his room until the "sun" came out!

I do like the idea of the ipod though!! I will keep that in his room and tell him that it will be there for when he wakes up! I think that he won't quite grasp the quarter reward just yet....but the sticker chart might be cute too!

I'm just so happy that he listened and stayed in his room today! Couldn't be happier!

We have tried allowing him to come and snuggle in our bedroom, but he starts to talk.....and Gavin is THE LOUDEST talker in the entire world! I sware...the kid talks as though he has a mega phone attached to his mouth! LOL!!!

thank you all again for your helpful advise and support! I'M THE MOTHER, I RULE OUR ROOST!

 

I'm glad to hear it went better!