Early morning waking is a common challenge that many parents face, and it can be incredibly exhausting. Whether your little one is rising with the sun at the crack of dawn or waking up at an ungodly hour that leaves you feeling like you’ve barely closed your eyes, the struggle is real. But fear not, tired parents! In this blog, we’ll explore the causes of early morning waking and share effective strategies to help you and your child conquer this frustrating problem.
Ensuring your toddler gets the right amount of sleep, both during the day and at night, is crucial for their well-being, and it can be a delicate balance. Early waking in toddlers may indicate they’re either getting too much or too little sleep during the day.
To address early waking, consider encouraging your toddler to nap either late morning or after lunch. If their nap occurs very early in the morning, it might interfere with their nighttime sleep. Gradually shift their nap time later by 15 minutes each day until you reach your goal.
To avoid reinforcing early waking and creating an early morning hunger habit it’s best not to offer your child milk or food until after 6 am; if they seem thirsty try offering a few sips of water or gradually wean them off the need for milk with distraction or reducing the volume by 10 MLS every few days.
Resist the temptation to inadvertently reward early waking by bringing your child into your bed to watch TV or play games. Instead, encourage them to stay quietly in their bed until it’s time to get up, even if you need to stay with them.
Ensure the sleep environment is conducive to rest by keeping the room temperature between 16-20°C and maintaining darkness and quietness until wake-up time.
For older toddlers, implementing a reward system coupled with a morning light system can incentivize them to stay in bed until an appropriate wake-up time.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up a morning lamp system to help your child stay in bed until an appropriate wake-up time:
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Choose a Lamp:
Select a small lamp that you already have at home and place it in your child’s room.
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Position the Lamp:
Place the lamp where your child can easily see it from their bed, but ensure it’s not positioned right next to their head.
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Plug into Timer Switch:
Plug the lamp into a digital timer switch that will turn the lamp on automatically at the set time.
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Use Low-Wattage Bulb:
Opt for a low-wattage bulb in the lamp to prevent it from waking your child if they’re still asleep when it turns on.
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Set Early Wake-Up Time:
Initially, set the morning lamp to come on at the earliest time your child usually wakes, even if it’s as early as 5:00 am. Start with an easy-to-achieve goal in the first few days.
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Lamp as Morning Guide:
The lamp serves as a visual cue for when it’s morning and when your child can come out of their room.
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Explain the Reward System:
Explain to your child that to earn their reward, they must stay in their bed until the lamp comes on.
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Gradual Adjustments:
Once your child understands the goal and is motivated to earn their reward, gradually adjust the timer switch in small increments of 5 minutes each day. Repeat this process slowly until you reach your desired wake-up time.
By following these steps, you can help your child learn to stay in bed until an appropriate time, promoting better sleep habits for the entire family.
Please bear in mind that early rising can take a few weeks to see signs of improvement. It is a good idea to keep a record of your child’s waking times so you can see the gradual improvement in their sleeping patterns.
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