Parents of those early risers often spend a great deal of time trying to maneuver and manipulate their child’s sleep schedule to force them to sleep late. After a while, many of us give up and learn to accept and adjust to the various sleep schedules in our homes. Instead of trying to change those early morning preschoolers, it might be a better idea to figure out what to do with them to keep them safe and get the morning off to a good start…
I just want to clarify that I am not talking so much about babies here. For those of you who are still trying to figure out your ever-changing infant’s sleep schedule, my heart and memories go out to you, but this is really about the preschool-age on up child who is just an early-riser by nature. Just as there are those natural night owls, there are also children who, from an early age, just wake up early raring to go. As a parent, you may be faced with trying to get an extra hour or so of sleep yourself, or keeping the early riser from pestering the other sleeping members of the household.
Set some parameters for what your child can and cannot do when he or she wakes up early. Some children are perfectly content to play quietly in their beds or bedroom and can be trusted to amuse themselves until the rest of the household gets up. Other children want company or they just don’t have the self-control to play quietly on their own. Here are some ideas for corralling an early riser without trying to force them back to sleep:
A special television program or video series for the early morning hours
A box of “quiet” toys that can be used in a specific area of the house when a child is up early
If the child shares a room, there needs to be a safe place where he or she can go and play until others get up so that the roommate won’t be bothered
If the child is old enough, early mornings could be spent working in a special “work book” or coloring book (maybe even a sticker chart or something to keep track of all the work done)
Safety should be a consideration and the child needs to learn where he can or cannot go when no one else is awake
Can the child get himself dressed and ready and have a bowl of cereal? This could save mom or dad some time and effort or allow them to focus on someone younger
Instead of trying to force and mold an early riser, helping her learn how to make the most of the time and take on increasing responsibility and self-care might be a better way to adjust.
Also: A Sleep Later Strategy for Your Preschooler