Daughter is an early-riser

[mamallama]

We have a teeny problem. My dd likes to wake up early every morning. It doesn't matter what time she goes to bed, early or late, and she doesn't take naps. So I know that is not the issue. Anyway, we all sleep at least an hour later than she does - or at least we'd like to. I think she is old enough to keep herself occupied until we wake up whether it is playing in her room or turning on cartoons. But instead - she would rather sneak in our bedroom and wake our ds up (who wakes often during the night and keeps us awake as well :roll:). This in turn wakes us up and we are all awake. :shock:

So, my question is this: Is there any hope in getting her to either A. sleep later or B. not sneak in our room? Or is this just something that comes with her age and she will just have to grow out of it? [prayer]

[~Tara~]

Maybe a basket of books/quiet toys she can get out/play with in the mornings. That is reserved for just this purpose/time. Set it out the night before, near her bed, then in the morning she can get into it. Then once everyone else is up, the box gets put away until that night. You know, the same principle as the 'special school box' often used for toddlers of homeschooling families :)

Just tell her in the mornings she *needs* to be quiet and not wake everyone. That she needs to stay in her room and play quietly until mom and/or dad get up and whoever is up will promptly go to her room to get her.

I have early risers too. Mine have been instructed to do their chores upon waking (make bed, get dressed, tidy room, feed animals) then they are to sit down and read. This applies to my non-readers too. Though, that just means my 5 yr old. My 2 yo often sleeps in a bit later.

But anywho...they have been told they are not to come wake everyone else up. Just take care of your business and go read.

HTH

[mamallama]

I'll give this a try. Thanks Tara! :)

[Springtime]

I know that there are these things you can put over the door knob so that little kids can't open them, maybe you could put one on the outside of your sons room and your room so that your daughter can't go in to wake you up? My son loves to wake up early but his door doesn't work very well so he has a hard time opening it ( He thinks he can't but I know he could if he had to) so he just starts knocking on his door when he wants out :lol: We have almost always let him have toys in bed because it seems like he never has needed as much sleep as the rest of us!