One of the most difficult parts of parenting is the lack of sleep. I can definitely relate to having an early riser—no matter what time I put my son to bed at night, he’s up at the crack of dawn every morning. One way to encourage your child to stay in bed longer is to get a sleep training clock (my favorite is the Gro-clock www.gro.co.uk/gro-clock). A sleep training clock uses simple images, colors, or alarms to help children understand when it is time to get up, and when they need to stay in bed. I have successfully used a sleep training clock with both of my children before they were two years of age, and the clocks have really become an important part of our bedtime routine. Now my children are happy to play quietly in their room or read a book until the sun comes up on their clocks, rather than coming into my bedroom and waking me up!
