Toddler waking at 5 am - time for a gro clock?

[Chloevalentine]

Lately my 3 yr old has been waking around 530  sometimes earlier. I might walk past his room at five and his light is on as if he's been up  and sometimes he comes into my room.  I've been telling him it's not time to get up and he usually will fall back to sleep.  We have a new baby in the house I'm sure that's causing some issues  otherwise I can't think of why he's waking when he normally wakes at 7:30 or 8 o'clock.  I read about the grow clock should I try one ?

[Scottishmummy]

A gro clock has worked well for my 3yo.  I think he does still wake early sometimes but he's learnt that "it's still stars" and he has to wait for the sun to get up.

We have to be really consistent about putting him back toned tot each him to use it though..and he rarely sleeps in now as it has "trained" his body clock to a 6.30 start (my earliest acceptable start to the day).
 
That's a very early wake up though..could anything be disturbing him at that time?
Do you think his daytime routine might need changing?

[Haribo2012]

To be honest my DS1 has always pretty much ignored the grow clock despite always being put back to bed to wait for it. He isn't of the nature to just lay and chill and wait or play quietly in his room lol once he's awake he's up.

A lot can depend on the nature of your child and the EW are poss routine related or new baby issues.

[Lindsay27]

Is he napping at all?

[Chloevalentine]

No hasn't napped in a year since he turned 2! What kids of change to his routine?

[creations]

My DS did great with lights on a timer rather than gro-clock, same principle though, he was younger an still understood it but I would not have expected him to wait from 5/5.30 to 7.30/8am.  With such a big change in the WU time I'd be looking for other reasons.
Is he waking due to baby having a night feed?
Is his room dark enough (I had to re-black out DS's room even at 5yo for summer, he already had black out curtains but it was not enough for the summer sun in the early hours, the only way to keep him asleep was TOTAL black out)?
Is he night time dry or still in a nappy? Is there a chance he might be getting up because he needs to wee?
Have you asked why his light is on in the night? What does he say?
Is he getting enough physical exercise in the day? Mine has phases of needed LOTS of exercise otherwise he is UT for the night sleep, he doesn't resist BT but rather he wakes in the night and finds it hard to get back to sleep. With extra exercise he sleeps better at night.
Is he near birthday or half birthday? Those can effect sleep.
If yours is waking and just doesn't know if it is morning or not then the gro clock or timer lights can be helpful as a sign to him to just go back to sleep (if he can, if all he needs is telling it is night time and he just settles back down and goes to sleep alone) but if he finds it hard to get back to sleep then something additional is needed yk?

[Chloevalentine]

We also still use total blackout shades! He's pretty active every day. Some days more than others lately with the new baby though. The only thing I can think of is he always wants to be around the baby and know what we are doing so maybe he's waking and just curious thinking he's missing out lol. It's the only thing I can think of.

[jessmum46]

I'd definitely give a geo-clock or similar a try

[creations]

Yes, if he is just curious and getting up instead of resettling himself then timer lights or gro clock could be very helpful just so he knows it is still night time.