shifting 4 yo body clock

[creations]

Ooh yes, good point about starting school. He's likely going to be more tired.

[Aishi]

I told him last night that if he didn't wait for Mr sun in the morning he would get no screen time as a consequence. Usually I only takeaway am screen time but its not really worked so I said no screen time all day. It was a looong day for both of us. I ended up doing 7.30 BT just to get some peace from the constant 'can i watch some TV mummy'!  :-/

Im not sure school will make a diff. We can have really busy days on end and it doesnt make him sleep longer

Liz- his body clock hasn't shifted as hes still waking around 6/ 6.15 which is what he's always done. The 5/ 5.30 starts were ew due to is/ ot or whatever! This is why I want to shift body clock from 6 because when he has ews which is often it means wu shifts back to 5.30 or earlier. I can't do them anymore. Its draining and its been 4 years of it so  determined to try force that shift!

[koe2moe]

I'd say I would totally wear him out but with fun stuff, not just clock watching. 

It is so hard.  I have been there.  hugs xx

[barbaraz78]

Im not sure school will make a diff. We can have really busy days on end and it doesnt make him sleep longer

We actually have the opposite at the beginning of school (like with every changes). Short nights and less sleep. So, I always try to make him rested before any change. So, I think it is important to work on his sleep now, as you are doing.

[Aishi]

Oh that's a good point Barbara! I can still do 8pm BT but have low key afternoons. I'm just going to struggle for things to do without TV as I know he's not going to sleep in!

[Buntybear]

Aishi - are you following the thread on the Preschoolers board about what we are doing over the summer - some ideas there of activities?

Barbara's LO is like Olly and whilst not low sleep needs they do have shorter nights than most and I also think that Olly will have less sleep when he starts school rather than being tired out and having more. He has been having only 10-10.5 hour nights this week with some NWs. I woke up to find Olly in bed with me and DH in Olly's bed this morning!

I know it must be frustrating after so long. Have you thought about a reward chart in the form of an actual reward and not a punishment? ie if he stays in bed until his sun comes up he gets a sticker on a chart - you can make this together - and then when he gets 5 or 7 or whatever he gets a treat?

[Aishi]

Thanks BB. I was following the activities thread but then got too busy doing them lol were out during the day (play groups, park, swimming, or library, play dates etc) its just after tea time I struggle to entertain him so 5-7.30 (dd goes to bed around 6.30) and BT is for 8. Hes not into arts and craft so much or board games. I read to him for a bit but it doesn't fill 2.5hr! That's why I need TV! Lol

I have done reward charts before but the novelty soon wore off...

[Buntybear]

Yes - I struggle with wind down activities at that time of the day too. Maybe we need a thread about that somewhere!

[Aishi]

7.30-7.30!!!

Should I do 7.30 BT again or go back to 8?

[creations]

Hurray for a 12hr night!! whoop whoop!  If it was me I'd still do 8pm BT.

Hes not into arts and craft so much or board games

There are so so many arts and crafts my DS is not interested in (I've tried a lot, we have a lot of materials) but where we've had success is with the jewellery beads, mosaic stickers and small hama beads...it can take a long time to discover the right thing but there must be something he'd do in the evening which wasn't TV? (that said, I rarely limit TV time for DS as he seems to need the chill out time it provides)

[Aishi]

Thanks hon!

We've tried all of those and whilst he likes the idea of doing them...he makes me do most of the work I could bake with him. He does like baking...although dd woke at 8.15 today so I can do later BT for her too and they can occupy each other!

I have to limit tv time or he just wants to watch it every day all day!

[barbaraz78]

Great! So he finally had a catch up night!
I would also stick to 8 pm bt. I would never do a 12 h day with a 12 h night before anyway... And if you really want to shift his body clock, you have not to go back to earlier bt, in my opinion, until at least the new time is set in.

I have to limit tv time or he just wants to watch it every day all day!

This is F...
Baking with him is a good thing too. Can he entertain himself for half an hour or so? My DS would play with cars for 30 mins alone. Another things he likes to do (he is not much in arts either) is doing these books of exercises for young kids, like finding the right object or shape, or attaching stickers, or copying the word... He is much into numbers and letters, so even if he needs my help to do those I can still do my stuff, like cleaning kitchen after dinner, while having a look on what he is doing.

[Aishi]

Thanks ladies I think I will stick with 8pm BT it just means dh has to do BT cos I have a Pilate's class at 8. I was worried ds may play up if dh does BT but guess he will have to manage!

[Aishi]

7.45-7.15!! (2 brief nws tho)

That's the first time ever that ds has slept past 7am two days in a row!!! Please keep your fxd that this isn't just a fluke and that his body clock is on its way to being reset!!!

[koe2moe]

Start believing it  

FX and TX for you x