Is seperating them the only way to get more AM sleep?

(insert yawn)

The boys have always been somewhat early risers, but during the process of living with my parents for four months (where they have never slept that great), it seems like sleeping until at least 7-7:15am (their old waking time) is never going to happen again. During that time period we also moved to big boy beds, which was a whole other issue, but for the most part, they at least are good with those now.

I've tried moving their bedtime later (from 7pm-ish to 8 pm and later). I've tried shortening their nap from 2.5-3 hours to right at 2 hours. This just makes them more tired. They have always had very high sleep needs, and I think I'm just making them cranky by cutting their sleep elsewhere, because they wake around 6am regardless. They are often already tired again by 8am, which is just ridiculous for a 3yo, I think.

Their room is as dark as I can get it without it being a total dungeon. No toys (obviously!).

I think the temptation of having someone to play with is just too much. One wakes slightly, and instead of laying his head back down and dozing off or being at least quiet, he wakes the other one and off they go. They are totally wild. Even bribes for special candy if they stay in their beds and are quiet mean very little.

We are now in our new house, where they sleep great. Except for waking at 6:25am on the dot every morning. An improvement over 6am, sure, but I'm just wondering: is this as good as it's going to get? I don't know what else to do other than seperate them. This would kick my poor husband out of his office and force him to finish a room in our basement for himself.... a huge undertaking and expense.... I also hate to seperate them.... but maybe it'd be worth it?

 

I've tried it and it didn't work. During our beach vacation they were separated in different rooms and it was really dark in each room and they were still up at 5:45am!!! And my oldest was always alone in his room and still got up at 6am every day!!! I think its just in their nature as kids to wake early. I wish I could give you better advice! :hug99: Just think -- someday you will be prying their teenage butts out of bed!

 

We had early risers for about a year. From 10-20 months it was in the 5am range (meaning sometimes it was 4:45! :cray, but usually 5:30am.

At about 20 months it moved more consistently to 5:45-6:15.

By 25 months they migrated to 6:30-7:00.

Now, at 28 months, the boys are sleeping until 7:00 (sometimes one will sleep as late at 7:30). I actually atribute their sleeping in the last few months more to summer business (compromised naps and later bed times) and not actually outgrowing being early birds.

 

I don't think seperating them will really help. I had early risers too, tried everything like you. I finally got my girls at about 3 1/2 to look at a digital clock and learn they were not to get out of their beds until 7am (I showed them what it looked like). It took a while but by 4 they would stay in their bed and most of the time not wake up their sister. I have one that usually gets up first and wakes the other but she does very well with the clock. My son is also an early riser and right now he stays in his crib until 7 even if he wakes before 6 as long as he's not crying I leave him in there. He will be switching to a bed at the end of the year so hopefully I can get him to stay in bed until 7 also.

 

I don't think separating them will help much. I have always had the same problem with my early risers. The compromise we came up with was that they could play in their room while I attempted to sleep a bit longer, but often the noises made that not very likely. My little divas liked to "tap dance" in their plastic princess shoes on their wooden floor in ther room directly above mine. So much for the extra sleep. But at least I got to lie down a little longer which was a bit of a bonus.

Basically I just set up a safe place for them to play and let them enjoy. They have always played together nicely, so I didn't need to worry about battles. I encouraged them to find quite things to do, which they mostly did, but sometimes not. Kids just don't get that noise wakes other people up. Every phase of their growing up passes, and so will this. We sometimes think we will not survive until the next phase, but we always do.

The best advice is to just find a compromise between what they want/need and what you can deal with. Good luck!

 

I have no advice just that I understand, mine wake between 6:15-6:45 every morning bedtime is eight pm. They have always been early risers but I am used to it now.

 

I separated mine at 9 months because of different fall asleep and wake up habits. They sleep until about 7-7:30am and before we separated it was bout 6:30am.

 

I forgot to address your question: No, I don't think seperate bedrooms will produce later wakings. I had them seperated before they became nauseatingly early birds and they migrated back on their own accord (still seperated). We only just put them back together this week.