Any way to shift internal clock? I need DS to sleep later in the mornings.

[oolongtea]

DS wakes at 6:30 or 6:45 every day. He knows he can't get up till 7:15 when a special light turns on, but he stays awake waiting for it. The issue is that he's in a program til 12:45, so he doesn't get home to nap til 1:30. He is acting really tired from 10 am till nap. He breaks down and cries. What can I do to get him to sleep till 8?

The room is already pitch dark. White noise is on. We co-sleep - he is not scared or lonely.

Lately he wakes at 6:30. Nap 1:30-3 or 3:30. Dinner at 6:30. Bed at 8, but he doesn't fall asleep till 8:30/9. I am experimenting with morning food to see how it impacts his energy levels.

Putting him to bed earlier doesn't seem to work. For one thing, if he naps til 3:30, he's not ready to sleep at 7. But even on days when I put him in early, like a nap-skipping day, he still gets up at 6:30.

I need to somehow shift his internal clock! He's always been an early riser.

[lifeguard]

I don't see how shifting to an earlier bedtime would have him sleep in later? Ds will sleep in a bit later if he is up later - but I know this is not true for all children.

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by lifeguard 

I don't see how shifting to an earlier bedtime would have him sleep in later? Ds will sleep in a bit later if he is up later - but I know this is not true for all children.

Ditto.

Have you tried putting him to bed later? 9 or 10pm?

And I don't think it's always possible to shift their internal clock. We have the opposite issue (DS goes to bed very late & gets up very late) and no efforts on my part have worked to change that, it's just the way he is. I'm not sure what will happen if/when he ever starts needing to get up early, I suspect he'll end up chronically sleep-deprived!!

Can the program he's in give him a space to nap? Or can you switch him to an afternoon program or something? (Not sure if this is preschool or daycare or camp or what).

[Peony]

I have never ever been successful in shifting my kids internal clocks. DD2 is up by 6am on the dot, she goes to bed early because she wakes up early regardless of what ever time she goes to bed. DS goes to bed later and wakes up later, 9am here and he is still snoozing. I would LOVE to get them more in line with each other but that seems like that will never happen!