It's a disciplinary issue

[ailbhe]

How does one impose nonviolent discipline on children at 4 am? Given that these days I swear generously when woken up and am very inclined towards physical violence?

I want to get Linnea one of those clocks that lights up when it's a civilised time to come into her parents. I want to cut Rob's soft palate out of the back of his mouth and plug his nose with it. I want a night in a hotel all by myself with earplugs and sleep drugs.

Comments

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

Nonviolence aside (though I know what you mean), we have a plug-interrupter (like this) on a light in Gnome's room, and after a shaky start it's working really well. She arrives at 6.45 every morning with "My roundy-roundy light is on so it's okay!"

[k425.livejournal.com]

I don't know but I sympathise. On both fronts. YB gets up earlier than we do most mornings and it's generally my side of the bed he comes to.

He now understands that he shouldn't come in till his clock has a 6 on it, but the understanding doesn't translate to behaviour. And I had to put a book in front of the rest of the digital readout because he came in at 4.26 because he could see a 6.

And the snoring. Oh god, the snoring.

We should run away for a weekend and leave the chaps to look after the smalls...

[oldbloke.livejournal.com]

Ordinary light on a timer? Point it at a clock if you want.

[grumpyolddog.livejournal.com]

Deadbolts on the outside of their doors.

Cheap, efficient, effective. You know it makes sense.

Then you just threaten to use said deadbolts as and when required.

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

I remember reading a blog post somewhere in which they explained to their 4-year-old (I think) that he couldn't come in till 6:00, and he basically understood how to read time, so that was great. Until the next morning, at 4:30, when he came in and announced that there was an hour and a half until he was allowed to come wake them up......

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

Kate has now been trained to stay in bed (mostly) until either Andy or myself are up, but she is 5. Holly (aged 3 today! yay!) gets up between 1 & 2am every single night & comes into our bed. I have learnt to either sleep through it or go straight back to sleep, but it's taken a long time for me to get to this point. I now also have back ache as Andy stayed in bed this morning (normally he goes into Holly's bed) as I ended up sleeping half hanging over the side of the mattress.

[heraldis.livejournal.com]

Dunno about 4ish year old, but when R was 2-3 we found the silent approach worked eventually. Pick up (or shepherd if you can)child, place back in bed, say stock phrase (Goodnight, or Time to sleep, or something), leave. Repeat.

Hmm, now I think about it, we did threaten to shut her in her room if she kept getting up, and had to do that three times I think (I felt awful). More difficult now actually, cos she needs to be able to get up to use the toilet!

I think you should do the first and third things, to avoid having to do the second!
I've got one of those lights, thinking about it myself for R (She still gets up at 6).