How do I get my 4yr old to sleep?

niknak1128 · December 2012

I'm at a total loss and I'm starting to worry that his lack of sleep is going to affect his ability to learn and do well otherwise. As a baby, he never really slept well. He always woke up easily and was hard to put down. He transitioned to his big boy bed just before he turned 3. The first couple of weeks he slept through the night but he woke up really early.. like 4am. After that he seemed much better. He seems to do fine sleeping through the night and staying in his bed but I cannot get him to sleep later than 4 or 5am! I'm on maternity now. When I was working, I had to get up at 5am to get ready. I used to have to wake him up at 6:30.. he never woke up on his own. Now... it's like he refuses to sleep past 4-5am. And if something wakes him earlier than that, he'll get up and won't fall back asleep. DH leaves for work around 3:30-4am. The garage door is under DS's window. DH unplugs the garage door and manually pushes it up so that it's quiet and doesn't wake up DS. Still, he seems to wake up at the smallest noise and then he's up.

Bedtime is the same every night. He goes down at 8pm. We read one-two books and he falls asleep pretty easily. Sometimes he tries to stall like asking for something to drink or needing one more hug or a kiss.. but usually he falls asleep and goes to bed pretty easily.

He does still nap.. I think he sleeps about an hour or so at school.. at home he usually will sleep 1-2 hours.

What am I doing wrong? What can I do to help him sleep longer? I know he's exhausted. He looks exhausted. He acts exhausted. In turn, I'm exhausted. Now, I have a newborn in the house and he's waking her up all the time.. not on purpose.. just because she hears him being loud and making noise.

mrsseguin · December 2012

We have fans in each of the kids rooms. It really drowns out the noise, DD is a light sleeper and it really helps. Why not try cutting out the naps and see if he sleeps longer. It took DS about a good 2 weeks to get used to not napping. Now he goes to bed earlier at 7:30 and wakes between 6:30/7. It actually a much better schedule. On the rare occasion that he does nap, it's from 11:30-1:30.

Leap08 · December 2012

We put a night light in my daughter's room that is a blue moon when it's time to sleep and turns into a yellow sun when it's okay to wake up. She is not supposed to leave her room until her yellow sun is on. We used this light along with a sticker chart to get her to sleep later. She got a sticker every morning that she stayed in bed until the yellow sun came on. When she had 5 stickers she got a reward. After that it was 10 stickers for a reward, and then it was 10 stickers in a row for a reward. We phased it out after that, because it wasn't really necessary anymore.

ridesbuttons · December 2012

cmeon_the_water:
Definitely sounds like it's time to cut naps. FWIW, in the three years we've been at our Montessori primary (PK3, PK4, K) school, none of the 4yo+ napped. Only a few of the the full day 3yos still do. I'd hope his school isn't making naps mandatory at this age- but, 2 hours is definitely a very long nap for a 4yo.

I agree with this.

I would also put a digital clock in your DS's room and let him know that he is not to get up before (whatever time you deem reasonable) say, 7am. Cover up the 'minutes' on the clock with electrical tape if you need to.

sunnydays99 · December 2012

I also agree about cutting naps. DS was a nightmare to get to bed until we dropped the nap, now he goes to bed easily and stays asleep for a full 10 to 12 hours depending on the day.
He still seemed like he needed the extra sleep during the day but after a few adjustment days we all got used to the new routine.

June2007 · December 2012

I agree with others: cut naps. I would also play music/ a sound machine. My kids can sleep through anything because I have always had a sound machine going while they slept. It drowns out other noises and I'm not stuck trying to whisper and tip toe while they're asleep. DD1 used to be a light sleeper but she is a good solid sleeper now.

ncbelle · December 2012

I'd also say cut the nap...and do an earlier bedtime. Never fails that if Callum is up later than usual, he will be up earlier than normal too. I'd also do white noise in his room if you don't already.

brewcitybride · December 2012

Cut out the nap. Get a white noise machine for him.

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