Ok, I am calling for any and all good ideas on helping children learn to SLEEP IN! I have always been thankful that our girls are great sleepers. They go down to naps and bed at night with barely a sound (unless they are talking or singing to each other) and have always seemed to need a lot of sleep. Noa, until she started sharing a room with her sister would wake up anywhere from 7:30 am to 9am, which was FABULOUS. Martha, on the other hand, ever since we subjected her to jet lag (yes, that was almost six months ago), has been an insanely early riser. We’re talking anywhere from 5:30 to 7 in the morning, usually no later than 6:30. I have tried cutting back on her naps, but then she is just so grumpy and can’t make it through the day happy, and still will wake up just as early the next morning. The problem with her early rising (besides the fact that we don’t think any kids should get up that early – we need that morning time!) is that she wakes up her sister. The only good thing that I can see in this is that they both take super long naps, Martha two super long naps, which is nice. But seriously, I want her to learn how to sleep well at night, and in the wee hours of the morning.
Any suggestions?
Just an idea….they share a room right? Can you put Martha in a spare room for a few weeks and work on getting her to sleep in, by just not getting her until the time you want? Maybe split the difference and get her at 7:30 every morning until she naturally sleeps that late? If she were in a different room she probably wouldn’t wake Noa. Do you have a pack and play or could you borrow one? Also… I would highly recommend white noise. Joey always sleeps with a noise machine. And we turn it up pretty loud. As long as it’s on, he knows he isn’t going to see anyone…. and it drowns out everything. We are planning on our 2 sharing a room, but probably not until we get to a sleeping through the night point, so we’ll need lots of advice then!
Those are great suggestions. If she is happy–let her stay in bed. (But you may try moving her normal bed-time back a little–usually if kids are happy when they wake it means they are getting enough sleep–just not at the proper times) If she isn’t happy upon wakening, well, leave her until she learns. (and don’t move her bed-time…she’s not sleeping enough) Tough love, but it won’t last forever!!
And if she is waking up happy, you can also try leaving her until 7 and then from 7 until 7:30 giving her quiet playing time in the morning. I’ll sometimes turn on the light, give William a sippy cup and a few toys in his crib and close the door until I’m ready for him.
But I know what you mean about needing that time before the kids wake up!! I crave it!! My kids usually get up at 7 and read until 7:30. Sometimes, if William wakes up before 7:30, we have Katelyn babysit him in her room. She loves it… But I guess you don’t have that priviledge yet!! Soon!
Do they have a window in their room? Sierra has a window in her room and we have always had a dark towel underneath the blinds. Which means her room is ALWAYS dark. Sierra has been a wonderful sleeper since she was born and some days she sleeps in until 10 or 10:30am. People think I am crazy when I say that. She goes to bed at the same time every night (between 7:30 and 8pm) yet she still sleeps in so late. She loves to sleep.
Just recently though, I was looking through a baby store magazine and I saw an ad for a window covering and the ad said “Get your children to sleep in later!!!” So, it dawned on me, Sierra probably would not sleep that long if it wasn’t for the window covering. Maybe she isn’t such a good sleeper after all, it is just that the sun isn’t in her eyes! I am not willing to take the towel down to see what happens though.
I pray that God will lead you to the right answer for your babies and will bless your home with a little extra sleep/time in the morning.