Gro-clock/lights on timer: success stories and support here! #2

[trimbler]

Ooh a curtain - hadn't thought of that Putting off thinking about it right now, will wait until the 18mo SR is completely out of the way...and molars...well, tbh it probably won't be until the summer hols at the earliest, DS was at least 2.5yo before transitioning to a BBB so I guess it would just feel early if I moved DD before she's 2.

[*Ali*]

I just moved mine when they started climbing out of the cot as it is so dangerous. Second child tends to be earlier as they have DC1 to copy!

[trimbler]

Haha my DS never thought of climbing out and DD seems less adventurous so far... Think the sleeping bag helps although I've heard of LOs who've managed to get out despite that! But I'll watch out

[First mum]

So update from us.  We are working  on gw at bedtime with positive results  we have also had improvement  with the early morning blips. We have been as you suggested going in covering her up an telling her it's still night time and she needs to wait for Mr Sun.  We have had a couple of mornings where we have had to go back a few times but have seen a huge improvement  in the last week. We even moved the timing to 6:15 and got a 6:20 shout out 😀

[*Ali*]

Sounds very positive!

[trimbler]

Well done both of you

[shoeaholicanon]

At what age did you start w/the Growclocks? What's the earliest?

[clazzat]

Under 18 months it will not help them to stay in bed. Over 18 months, I have heard of a few people who have had success, but my experience is that until 2, it really only helps to plant the idea that light=morning so that when they are the right age you are working on a principle that they know rather than introducing it brand new, iyswim. Dd2 was about 20/21 months when we started using it, and it was very effective very quickly but I was sleeping in her room so I think it was easier for her to see (once she got the idea, though, I was able to leave her room within a couple of days). Ds was probably about the same age when we gave him the lights, but it took a few months for him to really figure it out.

[*Ali*]

with DS1 we started at 2y3mo. DS2 was a bit younger but only because he was in the room with DS1. I agree with what Clazzat said.

[creations]

I think I started lights on a timer younger than 18 months, might have been 16 months although I don't remember exactly. IMO the lights are easier to 'get' than the clock because they need greater understanding to look at the clock in the dark and understand that one thing means night another day, where as with lights on a timer it is blatantly obvious, dark is night, lights on is day.  Even so I began with some moves very close to his WU time, I aimed to move WU to more like 6.30am instead of 5 or 5.30am.  any success was a success in my eyes!
In addition I used a sneaky remote control button so I could switch lights on for 'day' earlier if I needed to without going into his room.  He did eventually figure out I was controlling this and at 21 months shouted to me to turn the lights back on (he was still staying in bed though and understood dark means go back to sleep and light means wake up).
I do agree with pps that the gro clock is likely to be more successful for an older toddler.

[cath~]

Started with dd1 at 19 mos and it worked really well.

[barbaraz78]

Started at 20 mo and he got the meaning in a week.

[Clairehv]

Hi
DD is 3.5. She was always a 7 am or later wake up.
We got a gro clock about 6 months ago after a phase of 6 am starts. It seemed to work and then she just seemed to start sleeping agsin. I don't think it woke her up but if she woke and the light was on then she would shout for us.

For the last 3-4 weeks we get 6am onwards wake ups and she will not wait for 'mr sun' to appear she shouts and gets out of bed.
We have been working on dropping her nap in case that was causing the EWwhich she seems to need otherwise we get complete OT meltdowns through the afternoon. We tried a week of every other day but this week she has asked childcare for a nap every day after lunch.

So we have new baby on the way in 3-4 weeks and would really love to have DD back on track before then.
We do reward charts but it just seems if she sleeps she sleeps if she wakes up that's it regardless of what incentive is on offer IYKWIM

A ny tips appreciated
Thank you

[cath~]

hmm, DYT she's had enough sleep when she wakes early?  If so, then it's prob like you say a function of her dropping the nap but perhaps needing less night sleep after a nap day.

At this age though, you might be able to encourage her to wait for the sun if you let her know what she *can* do instead (depends on her temperament though! and I see your ticker says she's spirited..).

We do reward charts but it just seems if she sleeps she sleeps if she wakes up that's it regardless of what incentive is on offer IYKWIM

the incentive (a sticker on a reward chart?) might not be enough, and a bit abstract/detached from the situation, to keep her in bed.
Could you let her know what she can do, quietly, in her bed/bedroom if she wakes up before the sun and can't/doesn't want to go back to sleep or just rest in bed?  E.g. could you leave her a few books to look at, some small-world toys...?  If you tell her what she can do, until the whole family is ready to get up, then perhaps that would help?  You'd prob need to remind her of this a few times but it's worth a try to see if she catches on to it.

[Clairehv]

Thank you.
She isn't great at independent play but I have put some dolls and her baby Annabel cot in her room and will see if we can encourage her to play until the gro clock comes on.
Playing on her own is something we have to work on anyway at any time of day.

6.15 am this morning and wouldn't stay in her room on her own.

Will see how it goes.
We are capping the nap at 30 mins.