Out of curiosity, if your child falls asleep in the late afternoon, between 4pm and 6pm, do you let them sleep or wake them up, so they sleep at their usual bed time and dont wake during the night or really early in the morning. My son who is 4 and in kindy, has fallen asleep and its only 6pm, my sister who is here visiting, told me i should wake him up and keep him awake until his usual bedtime as he has kindy in the morning, and if he wakes early in the morning he will be tired for kindy. I can understand where she's coming from, but im a firm believer in never waking a sleeping child unless necessary, the way i see it, he's asleep because he's tired, by forcing him to stay awake when he's obviously tired until a later time will only make him extremely cranky and irritable...i have let him sleep, but it got me thinking, what do other mums do in situations like that
6 Replies
6pm leave him mine would sleep through but i would have tried to stretch him and try to get him to eat some dinner before he sleeps.
For me it depends on what is happening and how old the child. But if it was MY child I'd most likely let him sleep as he never went to sleep without a fight unless unwell or extremely exhausted. He'd also most likely sleep through as once he is asleep he sleeps for very long stretches (abnormally long times).
But I know my sisters both woke there kids or try to drag the sleep out as long as possible so it becomes an early night otherwise there kids would be awake at all hours looking for food or be up and ready to start there day at ridiculous hours of the morning (like 3am) meaning they were feral by the time school or kindy starts.
I always let my 3 year old sleep. In saying that though you know your child and what they are like if mine has a late nap he will either sleep through or wake up for dinner then go back to sleep at the latest an hour after usual bedtime.
I agree with you though they are sleeping for a reason I am miserable when I am woken up wouldn't do that to my kid lol
Personally I would wake my son.
Any other child and I would let them sleep lol.
If my son falls asleep, even for 5 minutes, he is up until 1am. If he fell asleep at 6pm, he would wake up around 9 and not go back to sleep until 2-3am, 8pm is the perfect bed time for him.
He's also starting kindy tomorrow and his sleep routine has gone so far backwards that he is awake now at 8am, but he still won't go to sleep tonight until 11pm.
This mumma is exhausted.
One of the best bits of advice my mum ever gave me - NEVER wake a sleeping child! :) Worked for me. If mine fell asleep early and didn't stay asleep through the night, I would give them a simple meal (like a sandwich), a warm bath and quiet story when they woke and then pretty much straight back to bed. But generally if they were going to wake it was normally before 10pm. I'm not sure what I would have done if they'd woken at 2am... Every kid is different...
Sisters are know it alls. Does she even have children herself same age or older? It's impossible to wake my son up. He gets cranky and rolls back over. Let your boy sleep he needs it. Give him dinner in future when he gets home in case he falls asleep early. My sister sounds so much like yours. She always thinks she knows everything but doesn't have a kid of her own. I regret listening to anything she suggested and now ignore her. Don't let your sister tell you what to do with your child