I need some help. My kids are waking up WAY TOO early in the morning. They are all usually up and ready for the day between 6-6:30am. Granted I am usually up by 5-5:30ish...or on John's work days I'm up with him by 4:15am and stay up. I could count on my kids sleeping until 7-7:30 and sometimes 8:00 in the summertime. But this is getting ridiculous. I count on that time in the morning to get things going and prepare for my day. John and I sit and have coffee together, get the fire started, do morning prayers, and sit in the quiet before the day begins. We LOVE this time together. We've trained ourselves to be in bed before 10 and up early. It suits us well considering John's work schedule, the animals, and the morning round of "chores" that need to be done first thing. But the kids are gradually "stealing" that time. They don't go to bed until 8-8:30pm which leaves us with maybe an hour before we hit the pillow. I used to count on naptime as a scheduled reprieve, but Yvette doesn't nap every day anymore (though she needs it, she doesn't usually comply) and Wyatt's naps are getting shorter and shorter. I've tried keeping them up during naptime and then going to bed at the usual hour hoping that maybe they'd sleep in. Not so. Like clockwork they are up at the same time each morning.
Please, does anyone have any advice? Anything? 7:00am is reasonable. 6:30am, not so much.
PLEASE.....HELP.....
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When my kids were really pretty little I made the "7:00 rule". I showed them on the clock what time they were allowed to get up (big hand on the 12, etc., tho you can show them on a digital clock easily, too) and the rule was theyy were supposed to stay in bed until 7am. I was quite strict and very consistent about it - chased them back to bed if they got up before 7.
ReplyDeleteYou could actually set an alarm clock in their room for the "right" time to get up, and that would give them a clear signal, too.
The 7:00 rule helped me a lot as a working mom, since I could get up and get myself up and ready to go before they were out of bed, and I don't think it scarred their childhood too much. :)
Erin M
good luck! my kids have ALWAYS been early risers. my advice-- put them to bed right after dinner. dinner, baths, bed. even if it seems too early. i found it didn't matter what time my kids went to bed they still woke up early. and, naps. i really invest a lot of time to keep my kids napping till school. :) they NEVER grew out of it. and teach them to turn on the tv so you can sleep in. we don't have television, but my little ones do pop in a movie to watch while i'm still waking up. i feel your pain...
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