So you have managed to get your little one to sleep through the night, but his day starts at 5am – what now?
I think we would all agree that, whilst 6am might not be our preferred time of day to be woken up, it’s probably the earliest we would consider ‘morning’. If your little one is waking before this (or you would like him to sleep a little past 6) here are my top tips to help you little one sleep a little longer:
1. If you have just recently started successfully guiding your little one to sleep through the night, give the early morning waking a little longer. Sometimes 2-3 weeks is all it takes for your little one to start waking later in the morning.
2. Is there any light coming into his bedroom? With the light mornings upon us even a tiny bit of light is enough for some children to wake up and be ready for the day.
3. Is there any outside noise which could be waking him? Heating coming on, the bin men outside? To try and resolve this issue try a white noise machine to block out any unwanted sounds.
4. The magic of a ‘gro clock’ (or a digital clock with the numbers other than the first one covered up) should not be underestimated. From just under two (some from as early as 18 months) children can respond to a clock letting them know when it is time to wake up. You set the time they are able to wake, so they know it is not morning until ‘the clock is orange’ or the clock shows ‘magic 7’. Again, 6am is the absolute earliest.
5. Treat any waking prior to this as if it was a middle of the night waking so your little one gets the idea that it is not morning yet and nothing is exciting is going to happen.
To discuss this, or any sleep related issues, call me on 07572 309404 or 01275 645919 for a free 15 minute sleep evaluation or email me on [email protected].
