How much sleep should a 3 year old have?

[jishjashjosh]

My DS is 3 years and 5 months and for months now he had been sleeping 11 hrs (sometimes 10.5 hrs ) at night. He doesn't generally nap anymore. However I don't think this is enough for him, from his grumpiness during the day, but I just can't get him to sleep longer. He goes to bed at 7 and is usually up at 6. I have used a gro clock before but this doesn't work for him anymore. As soon as he wakes in the morning he gets out of bed, goes downstairs to the living room, gets his chair, switches on the lights and plays with his toys. I'd love for him to go to bed a little later, 7.30/8 but he still seems to wake 6/6.30.

He used to have 12 hr nights and did great with that.

Any ideas?

[Jodes112]

Hi,

My son is the same age, and just dropped his nap. He sleeps around the same as your lo - asleep by about 7.30 & awake around 6.30, but he does watch the gro-clock and doesnt actually come out until sun up at 7am (i often hear him quietly singing which is how i know he wakes earlier than 7)

Sometimes if he seems really tired, i will put him in bed around 6.30 and he will still sleep until 6.30 (so we get an extra hour that way) but he has to have had a busy day to go to sleep that early & need the extra hour sleep.

I think 11hrs is about average at this age xx

[michaeljacknnugg]

Yes, 11 hours is reasonable. But if you feel he needs more, could you perhaps try an earlier bedtime? We can only get DS to take more sleep by putting him down earlier, he rarely sleeps later.

[barbaraz78]

11 h was more and less what we had at 3.5 yo, after nap dropping (11.5 for a while, then 11 h). I know it doesn't seem too much, but I also could not let him sleep longer. If you think he needs more I would also try half an hour earlier bt. For us, it works for one day or two, then wu is moved earlier and wr get the same amount of sleep asin, but it is useful for the odd catch up.

[*Ali*]

According to the BW and NHS here in the UK average sleep for a 3yo 12hrs and for a 4yo is 11.5hrs so I would definitely say 11 hrs is on the low side. And if he isn't happy maybe he does need more. Can you do EBT when he seems to need it if not every day?
Typical Amounts of Day and Night Sleep
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Childrenssleep/Pages/howmuchsleep.aspx

My 4yo sleeps 12hrs sometimes more and when he was 3yo he was doing 13.5hrs (no naps). He has always been quite high sleep needs I think.

Can you put a gate at his door so he doesn't have access to the whole house? I would just return him to bed until the sun comes up until he starts staying there by himself.

[creations]

We can only get DS to take more sleep by putting him down earlier, he rarely sleeps later.

This is what I have to do if mine is tired as it is almost impossible to move morning WU time (although I have to when the clocks change).

Can you put a gate at his door so he doesn't have access to the whole house? I would just return him to bed until the sun comes up until he starts staying there by himself.

I would do this too.

Mine is 3year 1 month and sleeps 12 hrs.  When turning 3 he needed 12.5 to get through the growth spurt and 13hr to handle the GS plus illness. He is now back to 12hr though.

[Shiv52]

I would talk to him about him being grumpy and say it's because he's not getting enough sleep/rest and then I agree with Ali I'd reintroduce the gro clock and get him to stay in bed when he wakes and hopefully he'll eventually go back to sleep.

My 3yo gets 12/12.5 hours. We had a run of nights last week where she was getting less and by the end of the week she was so so grumpy and falling apart at the slightest wee thing.  Now she's caught up the grumps are all gone...well mostly!

[jishjashjosh]

Thanks for all your replies!
Unfortunately a gate wouldn't work as I'm certain he will be able to open it and even climb out! He is tall for his age.
I put him to bed 6.30 for the last 2 days and it has given him an extra half hour. I've tried using the gro lock again but still no use.

[creations]

I think there are some child proof handles for doors, would that work rather than the gate? I have never used one but I assume a parent can easily open the door from outside but they stop LO opening from the inside? Then if he cries at the door you can do returns to bed to teach him about the gro clock?

[*Ali*]

My kids can also climb over the gate but it rattles so I can hear it and get up.  Therefore they know there is no point climbing over the gate as I will just come put them back to bed. It's a safety thing more than anything because they could be getting up to anything downstairs on their own.

What did you do with the gro clock? It won't work by itself you have to be the one putting him back to bed and making sure he stays there.  The clock is just a way for a kid who is too young to tell the time to know whether it is day or night but the partent has to be the one to enforce that. It will take a long time of you returning him to bed to wait for the clock before he will stay there by himself. Probably a week but maybe a month even.  What time is it set for and what time does he wake?  I would just start off having it set for 10-15 mins after he usually wakes up so it isn't too long for him to wait. Then you can work on gradually moving it later once he is getting the hang of it. Have you read him the book again lately?

[jishjashjosh]

The thing is I also have a 3 month old whom I'm usually breastfeeding at that time and it's impossible to get to him in time to take him back to the room. It would be near impossible to get him to go back to his room once he is downstairs with lights on and toys out. When Im not breastfeeding and DD is still asleep I would worry he will wake the baby up as he would definately put up a fight and cry not to go back to his room. Then I'd be left with screaming baby and toddler!

[Jodes112]

I dont think its such a bad thing for him to go downstairs and play with his toys when he wakes up (afterall he isnt disturbing anyone? And its quite indipendant of him!) but, i would have an issue if it was before 6am, i think anything after, i would be ok with. I guess its only like my son waking at 6.30 but being awake until 7am until the gro clock comes on.. Thats just my thoughts on that! Obvioulsy if its mega early i would have to make him stay in his room.

But, i would definatley put to bed early if you want him to have more sleep, and if he would accept it x

[*Ali*]

In the case the gro clock is pointless and I would just work with the time he gets up and do EBT to get a longer night. Can you have quiet toys in his room that he is allowed to play with until you can go and get him in the mornings? Would he accept that? I assume there is no one else in the house who could deal with him?

I hated that my DS1 always seemed to choose the moment I sat down to BF DS2 to demand my attention so I hear you on that one. I very quickly learnt to walk around BFing the baby with one arm and doing some really ludicrous things at the same time with the  other hand