4 Year old boy not sleeping enough, need advice pls.

[debplus3]

This may be posted elsewhere, thought I would start here first.
We are having trouble with our 4 year old son getting enough sleep at night. Going off to bed isn't too much of a problem, as long as we give him a good wind down time with quiet play, reading,etc.
The main issue is he wakes up far too early and it is obvious that he is still tired. He seems to jump out of bed as soon as his eyes are open, sometimes even before!! He was like this as a baby too and would never wake and play quietly in his cot. We used to say he has just two speeds, stop and go with nothing in between.
I wouldn't mind him waking early but he is getting agitated, angry, frustrated and cranky within ours of being awake. With two other children in the family, this does not make for a happy home!!
Now that he attends pre-school it is also effecting his ability to enjoy his time there as he gets so tired.
Any tried and tested tips for a longer night's sleep would be appreciated.

[supa_star323]

My ds does this so he now goes to bed earlier to compensate.

[missie_mack]

Does he still have a sleep at preschool?
Perhaps some block out blinds in his bedroom might help. The other thing is it may be diet related and be a sign of an iron deficiency or something else. Might be worth a check up with the GP :yes:

[3'llhavetodo]

Yep I second the going to bed earlier suggestion.

[AM]

Sounds a bit like my 4 year old, he's slowly improving the amount of sleep he gets, it's just happening naturally...

[debplus3]

Thanks for the suggestions. He already goes to bed between 6:30-7pm. When I try to put him down earlier than that he just fights it. He has a very different temperament to his older sister, she copes a lot better when tired.
Interesting thought about Iron deficiency.
No, pre-school does not have a structured sleep time,but they have given him space and time to have a sleep when he gets distressed from being tired.
He is a very intense little boy and sleep is just one of his little struggles, but I am loathe to "label" him with anything.

[AM]

I'm not sure if this book would help at all, but when you said "intense" makes me think of my son.

I read "Raising your spirited child" and I felt like it was reading a book all about Louie! Couldn't believe that all the things he does, says, stuff he has trouble with, all in there.

The best thing about the book is that it is really positive, it stresses the negativity of labelling, and it really just helps you to understand your child, the way they see the world, and relate to it, and ways to help them cope with the intensity they feel.

I REALLY recommend it if your child is 'spirited'

The full title of the book is "Raising your spirited child: A guide for parents whose child is more intense, sensitive, perceptive, persistent, energetic"

Oh - you say he goes to sleep at 6:30 - 7pm, what time does he wake?

Louie will go to sleep 8pmish, and wake about 6pm. It seems to be OK for him at the moment, he was sleeping less.

[JabberJaw]

What time does he wake?

My DS and DD2 are the same, they go to bed about 6.30 and wake early (DS around 5.30-6, DD 6 - 6.30)

They have both always been early risers and even with a later bedtime they wake early.

Nothing really worked to keep them sleeping longer but they both wake early and entertain themselves pretty quietly, playing blocks/drawing/watching tv/reading. My hubby is also an early riser no matter if he goes to bed at 8 pm or 3 am :laughing:.....i am not a morning person.

Could you have breakky prepared and just have a little cup of milk (in fridge) so he can self serve? My kids enjoyed this and even now at 6 and 7 they can sort out breakfast if they are hungry without waking the whole house up. We also installed high saftey locks to the door to avoid escaping children :D I was always worried that i would fall into an accidental deep sleep while they wander around. (like you often see reported on the news...)

[reAllytee]

Sorry I truly have to laugh at the idea of making bedtime earlier ...

Please by all means come to my house & get my now 5yr old off earlier & I will LOVE you !!!

Tonite at 10pm he was still screaming in his room " I AM NOT TIRED !!!! " :rolleyes:

Oh & what is early to everyone lol ...

Sorry I shouldn't laugh or the likes but I have to or otherwise I would always be crying over our situation.

Boof wakes anywhere from 5am onwards, he has been a lot better of later with 6.30am being about standard but not even 3 or 4am is unheard of in this house.

I have had him wake at 3am bouncing off the walls, my sister has even commented how he doesn't wake like his little brother say which is wake & slowly move around or slowly get up instead he is awake out of bed & either off to play or getting dressed.

Things have gotten better with the 6.30am wake ups being more standard than most & the fact he now only wakes once a nite, yes my now 5yr old still wakes at nite.

Oh & he stopped his day sleeps at around 2yrs so he won't even sleep then.

Bedtime is around 7 -8pm he will not go earlier than that & he never falls asleep before 9pm, it is a miracle the nites he falls asleep as soon as he does go to bed ....

I have just had to accept even no matter how ratty he is that this is the way he is .... Does my head in but as much as I have tried to change it nothing works so going with the flow so to speak is the only way to keep the rest of my sanity ...

Oh & I advise reading the book AM is talking about !!!

That is my bible !!!!

[Pina Colada]

What time is he waking up?

DD1 is 4 and going to prep. She has always been an early waker varying between 4.30am and 6.00am, but she has never slept over 10 hours a night.

If she was asleep by 6.30pm she would be up before 5am.

Now she goes to bed at 7.30pm and is up between 5.30am and 6.00am.

[supa_star323]

I know early bed time won't work for everyone, and I have to sit with ds till he goes to sleep (but I do that no matter what time he goes to bed). At the moment he goes to bed at 530 and is asleep by 6. He then is up around 5. He doesn't day sleep either.

[debplus3]

More good info,thanks.
I don't mind at all the actual number of hours of sleep he gets. If he was happy and functioning well with getting up early (usually between 5-6am) then that would be fine.
The issue is that he is not happy and his quality of living is being compromised with being so tired.
I'm not wanting a sleep in, I just want a happy and fulfilled little boy who can learn and grow and develop.

Excellent comments about "spirited children". Thanks for the book recommendation. I have heard of that one before and think I may seek out a copy now for myself.
He is such an amazing little boy, full of affection, a fast brain and a keen sense of observation. He doesn't miss a trick!! But with that can come a whole host of other issues that can make life for him a bit overwhelming.

I just want to cover all my bases as best I can and at the moment, sleep is causing him some problems...or rather a lack of it!!