Please help - 3.5 year old wakes up between 4:30 - 5 am every day

[Anonymous]

I have tried the following: take away nap (he asked for it back), put him to bed early or late, cut nap short, feed him a ton at night, put in a space heater to make sure the temperature is right.

Nothing has worked. And he's not a quiet child -- he wakes the other kids up by 6:30 no matter what I do to try to keep him quiet (let him play quietly in his room, lie in bed with him, etc). I'm running out of ideas and patience. He's also a wreck by 11 am, because he woke up at 4:30!

He turns 4 in March, so he's an older 3 year old. Ack, I'm losing my mind.

Thanks in advance

p.s. He usually goes to bed between 7:30-8 and takes a 1.5-2 hour afternoon nap.

[Anonymous]

You have to drop the nap. Of course he’s going to ask for it back so just prepare for a few days of adjustment. You could start by shortening the nap rather than eliminating it. Be firm in getting him up after 1.5 hours, then 1.25 hours, then 1, then 45 minutes, then no nap. This will naturally create a sleep deficit that he will start to make up over night. Waking up so early is a classic symptom of asking a kid to sleep too many hours in a 24 hour day. He’s almost 4 so it’s unsurprising he’s having this issue— most kids don’t nap or don’t nap so long by that age.

[Anonymous]

Thanks - okay. I will start this when my husband is home from work for the holidays. As you can imagine, he's a real PITA when he doesn't sleep so the next few evenings are going to be brutal....but I'm ready to sleep in until ... uh...6 am? 7 would be a dream!

[Anonymous]

+1 for dropping the nap. It'll be a tough few days, and you won't be able to drive anywhere! So maybe plan it for when you don't have as much going on anyway.

[Anonymous]

Pp here. Another thing to remember is you may not have to drop it completely. Even skipping it or shortening it a few days a week could do the trip. There’s often a transition period where some days they nap and some days they don’t. The goal is just to create that sleep deficit so you can get longer night sleep.

An ok to wake clock if you don’t already have one can also help guide him in the mornings.

[Anonymous]

white noise machine.
blackout curtain and tape it shut.
These both helped my boy sleep to 6:30

My boy did this from age 2 to 4. Brutal. Dropping the nap didn't help.
I always wonder if it was street noise or a neighbor leaving for work in early morning that woke him.

[Anonymous]

Yes, drop the nap. I would just go cold turkey, especially if your DH is going to be home. Get it done with, allow him to start adjusting.

My son is 3 and a few months, and is in a weird phase where he doesn't need the nap, yet is a wreck without it sometimes. When he naps at school, he doesn't fall asleep until 9:30-10PM. So, when he is home, we do not give him a nap. Yes, he is falling apart by the end of the day. But, He will sleep for 11-12 hours.

[Anonymous]

OP Again...thanks for the confidence boost. I can do this!

We have a noise machine, black out shades and used the OK to wake clock. None worked. He kept on coming into our room to tell us the bunny hasn't woken up yet.

Then we put a regular clock in his room and told him to wait until he saw the 7. That didn't work either.

We finally got the monkey lock and said he could play quietly but couldn't come out of his room until 7. Let me save you the suspense...he wasn't quiet!

And thanks for the reminder that we can't drive anywhere! Totally didn't think of that.


One day, I'll look back at this and laugh. But right now, I'm very very tired! And so is my DH!!

[Anonymous]

I have a 3.5 year old who still naps and I am SO scared of her dropping it. Ha. We also have a 1 year old and it's blissful on weekends that they are both in bed 1pm-3pm.

I'd maybe try limiting the nap first? Keep it to under an hour. that might take the edge off so he's not such a mess in the evening, but help his nighttime sleep. If that doesn't work, I'd look at dropping it.

I still hope mine keeps her nap for at least a year. Wishful thinking, perhaps .

[Anonymous]

How about a reward if he goes through the night without coming to get you until his clock is green? Small car or Pokémon card or something each morning until it’s a habit. Tons of praise too. Set clock for 5:30 for a few days, then 5:40, to 6 eventually.!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about a reward if he goes through the night without coming to get you until his clock is green? Small car or Pokémon card or something each morning until it’s a habit. Tons of praise too. Set clock for 5:30 for a few days, then 5:40, to 6 eventually.!

This is what we did and it worked. OK to wake clock. If he stays in bed until it's green, he gets a sticker. A week of stickers and he gets a prize. etc.

[Anonymous]

Definitely drop nap and/or get him a clock and teach him how to read it. Must stay in room until a certain time and be quiet.

[Anonymous]

OP here...

It's been five days of no naps and the wakes ups are still before 6 am. How long does it take for the sleep debt to catch up??? (Asking desperately)

He's had no naps except one 10 minute snooze on the way to the dentist.

Thanks for any insight.

[Anonymous]

Despite what the majority of DCUM believes skipping naps doesn't always work.

I'd put sound machines in the other kids rooms
Give rewards for staying in his room quietly.
Be a little firmer with him about disturbing others.

[Anonymous]

Books on CD.
My kids loved this series.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1846865506/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3TYKIQ214SDPL&colid=1FCOJCW8B9RH8&psc=0

Get him some headphones and show him what to doo kept my kids busy for hours at that age.