Early morning wakerr since moved to bed

addob

Hello, in my very sleepy haze I’m looking for some experienced help or ideas!

We took the side down of my 21.5 month old son’s bed on Saturday morning to fix a loose screw and he was so excited to see it as a big bed we decided to try him out without the side. We were planning on doing this in a month or so and had the side to stop him from rolling over and with his joy thought why put to off?

Saturday nap time he was fine and that night as well but since then it’s been rocky. In addition he’s also suffering from the current cough that’s going around the crèche.

The next few nights he wasn’t staying put but with the addition of a night light that seems to be sorted (he was afraid of the dark) but the very early wake-ups (4am) are slowly killing me. So I’m looking for advice.

Some background on my son, he seems to take 2 weeks to get used to anything (i.e. asked for his bottles for 13 evening before stopping) and any time there’s a change (back from travel, milestone, etc) or he’s not well he wakes unbearably early.

So, now that we’ve managed 5 nights do we keep going or was it too early and he’s not ready?

When I look online all I get is advice on putting the bed in the same place, making a big deal about the big bed – all of which isn’t an issue and he’s delighted with his big boy bed so I don’t know if he’d be more upset to be locked in again.

Does anyone have tips for mornings?

How Strange

Get a gro clock. I was sceptical but my 3 year old won't get out of bed until the sun comes up. At the beginning he would t stay in bed but after a few days of repeating 'stay in bed/back into bed until the sun comes up' it worked. It's a very clear instruction: stars are for sleeping, the sun is for getting up.

addob

Thanks How,

Oddly I already have one, he got it for a first birthday gift and we've been using it at the 'night-light' I'll start reading him the book and showing him the sun go down and the moon come up. Unfortunately when I pulled it out yesterday he was more interested in the buttons so will have to keep it out of reach!

Any other pointers to working with the clock? When he wakes will I just say that it's still night time and point to the clock?

Will be delighted to be getting use out of it!!

AD

amor3

Just be consistent. As soon as your little man wakes, don't make a fuss, bring him back to bed without turning lights on or making conversation, settle him in and walk away. Might take a few trips for the first few nights but he will soon understand that its still nighttime and will be able to settle himself back to sleep.

Another thing, might be to invest in a black out blind when the mornings start to get brighter earlier and the evenings longer. I'd be lost without mine!

addob

Well last night feels like we were up more but he's in a better mood this morning and I'm feeling like he might be getting it and as firm as we were it's all forgiven in the morning

I set up the Grow Clock correctly yesterday and used it last night and this morning. I'm hope to get him to understand it's purpose (keeping him in bed until 6am) as well as staying put in bed.

I'm feeling positive this morning and if any one else has more tips about teaching your youngster the clock please pass them on!

It's like sleep training 2.0 without the crib to contain them!

Thanks,
ad

ariana`

I 2nd the Gro clock - best invention ever. When he gets the hang of the clock a bit you can combine it with a star chart - he's the perfect age for it. He gets a star for staying in bed until the sun comes up. At that age the star is a reward in itself, at an older age you can introduce other rewards for getting X amount of stars over the week and so on.

It is so much easier to sleep train at that age - you can be a bit tough without worrying about scarring for life. As someone else said just be consistent.

Good luck.

ariana`

addob wrote: »

Unfortunately when I pulled it out yesterday he was more interested in the buttons so will have to keep it out of reach!

You can lock it after the sun has gone down at night, if you hold down the down arrow button it locks it. We let our little man press the small button himself every night - we say "nite, nite Mr. sun" and he presses the button and watches the sun go down. He's 4 now but we still use it, it's just part of the ritual. We have another one in a box waiting for the baby to be a little bit older.

addob

Thanks Ariana,

I like the idea of the sticker reward chart - will see about getting him a dog calendar!!

He loves dogs!

I think I found the perfect place for the button of the clock to be out of reach and yet still perfectly visible

Thank you!

ariana`

addob wrote: »

Thanks Ariana,

I like the idea of the sticker reward chart - will see about getting him a dog calendar!!

He loves dogs!

I think I found the perfect place for the button of the clock to be out of reach and yet still perfectly visible

Thank you!

How're things going for ye now addob?

addob

Sometime it really surprises me how much he understands!!

He's been staying in bed since Sunday waiting for the sun to show up. Saturday was a difficult morning but I think because we stuck with it it clicked.

He was good since then with the exception of this morning when he get out of bed before the sun, I'm not sure if he forgot or was testing us or because the cat was so loud it woke us all up!! I put him back to bed and he wasn't happy but stayed put.

At least I see a massive improvement from last week

ariana`

addob wrote: »

At least I see a massive improvement from last week

Excellent, well done for being consistent and sticking with it

I have a 16mth old who's always been an early riser but i'm hoping when he gets a little bit older the clock with help with him as well

addob

Well yesterday and today he's been up from 5:30 and we go in a turn on the sun, he's not upset but has had a massive dirty diaper each morning so figure we can't let him lie there in it

Hopefully we can change the poop times next!