Getting up Too Early/waking Everyone Up.

Updated on January 29, 2010
C.C. asks from New York, NY
7 answers

We're having a new problem with our daughter, and I'm wondering if anyone else out there has gone through a similar situation. She has slept in a bed for a few months now, but won't usually get out of it in the morning until we come and get her. In the last week or two she's been waking up very early, between 5 and 5:30, and very loudly singing or yelling for us until we come to get her. This wakes up her little brother, and then they are both overtired all morning. We've practiced having her get out of bed quietly and come to our room to get us, we've explained why what she's doing isn't okay, we've taken away some toys, activities, and treats at different times, and in desperation this morning, we put a lock on the inside of her door (she wouldn't stay in her room) and I lay on the floor with her until she fell back to sleep while my husband calmed our son down to help him get back to sleep.
I am sure most of it is about the attention she receives for this, but how do you ignore a behavior that is disrupting the entire household? She's a very good big sister and a treat to spend the day with, but this is driving us up a wall, and we haven't come up with any meaningful solution to it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

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So What Happened?

I should have mentioned that she has a clock (although I really liked some of the ones that were recommended and we might be switching) and knows when it is time to get up. She has been being loud on purpose in order to wake everyone up. Something must have clicked though (at least for today) because this morning she came to our room very early and quietly knocked on our door. She was able to fall right back asleep, and didn't even try to wake the baby. We heaped on the praise and told her how proud we were of her. We're hoping this continues, but are thrilled to just know it has happened once and will maybe start happening more often. Thanks for all the advice.

More Answers

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K.D.

answers from Provo on

My 4 year old still does this in periodic spurts. When he was almost 3 and I was pregnant and then had a new baby I lost my temper a few times (lack of sleep) and snapped at him for waking me up. That didn't work, but combined with:
- a talk to him about how much happier mommy was when she got a good sleep
- pointing out how cranky he was too when he got up too early and
- giving him some pointers on how to know when it was time to wake up and when it was time to roll over and go back to sleep
he finally learned to wake up quietly.

For us, knowing when to wake up is if the sky is not dark anymore and if the clock says 7 on the first number. (We'll be getting him a clock for his room before the sun starts rising early.) I know they have somewhere "clocks" for kids that don't actually have the time on them, but have pictures instead.
Good luck!

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S.B.

answers from Boise on

My son is the same way. When he was about 2.5 we got him a small digital clock. We put tape over the last two numbers and told him he can't come out of his room until he sees a 7. He was exited about the clock and till this day follows it to a T. (At 7:01 he comes running into our room) We made sure he knew he could play quietly in his room, and pointed out which toys were not allowed or they would be removed.

There is also a bunny face clock you can get on the web. You set it to wake up when the child can wake up(or get out). Here is a great blog about it and some other advise. http://daddytypes.com/2006/06/23/bunny_clock_is_the_maste...

Might not work for everyone, but something to try. Good luck.

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K.H.

answers from Denver on

my son did the same thing-and he still at 8 yo is still an early riser. I just went with it...he and I walked for an hour while hubby and sis slept. Maybe you could make it a condition (if you come quietly to get me, we can go for a walk/read a book/play game...whatever is special time). They grow out of the need to wake you up, I promise.

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D.M.

answers from Billings on

All of the kids in my house love books,so when some body wakes up really early,young or old,have a book by there side. Every night before bedtime,they pick there favorite book. Hope that helps!

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A.C.

answers from Colorado Springs on

My boys are bigger (6 & 8), but when they get up too early & disrupt the rest of the house, they go to bed when I'm tired. Care to guess how early I get tired? (hint: very!)
When one of our big boys woke the baby (he was 9 at the time), he had to feed him his next meal & was in charge of him til baby's usual wake up time. I know you can't put a 2.5 year old in charge of baby, but maybe she can get the diapers, dispose of the dirty, help feed baby... and when she wants something for herself, point out that since she woke him up before it was time for him to get up you need to take care of him first. If she'd not woke him up & needed something from you, you'd have been able to take care of it for her, that's the point you're making.
She could take morning naps again too-no movie, no TV time. Explain that since everyone got up so early this morning, you'll all be taking a morning & afternoon nap. Maybe tomorrow everyone will stay quiet til the rest of the family wakes up & you won't have to take a morning & afternoon nap.
I hope you figure something out!

E.F.

answers from Casper on

Cythia,
I do the clock thing too. If I hear them up before it is time I quickly and quietly go to them and tell them it is not time to wake up (still looking tired myself) and that it is still sleeping time. Some of mine, are good with that and go back to sleep. Others I have set up a reward system that they get a small treat if they stay in bed and go back to sleep, or at least lay there quietly until it is time to get up. I think with less then five year olds, rewards work better then taking things away. It has worked really well for us. after about three weeks of success, I then only give the treat if they remember. And it gradually wears off. So by the time they are three they just stay in bed and sleep or stay in bed and lay quietly.
Good luck
E.

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A.S.

answers from Denver on

I had the same problem with my son. We figured out that it's hard for him to tell when it's okay to wake up without some sort of visual clue (in the winter, the sun rises far to late). So we got a clock that changes color in the morning - it's turns blue at bedtime, and yellow when it's okay to wake up. http://www.mytotclock.com/home.php?osCsid=srmrbrf3v02acb0...
It only took one or two mornings of us leading him quietly back to bed when he got up too early, and pointing out to him that the clock was still blue, so it's still bedtime.

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