Recommendation: gro-clock

[Yak]

I know this has probably been done to death but I just wanted to share our sucess with using a gro-clock to stop the hideous early morning wakings that have been plauging us for months. I don't think the light mornings helped but I can say within a week of using a gro-clock, with very clear explanations, our mornings have been transformed. No more wailing toddler desperate to come into our bed, grumpy husband or cats being fed at 5.30. Hurray!

The reason I'm mentioning it is because my little one has always loved routines, and it's only now when I see him so happy knowing when it's time to stay asleep/ in his bed and time to get up that I realise the lack of any clear way he had of telling when it was morning was stressing him out. I am also a bit anally retentive and it clicked with me that it must be really difficult not knowing whether it was morning or not if you can't read a clock and the room is dark with blackout curtains.

Sorry if this comes across as being a bit boastful - it's really not intended that way, but I just wanted to drop a line in case it helps others. Clearly it is very specific to the child and their age but worked really well for us. And of course the gro-clock was an EDF purchase. Best tenner spent in a long time.

[david_carnell]

How old is your wee one?

[Pickle]

We've used one for a couple of years now (oldest two now 6 and 5).

Sometimes in the morning I hear them chatting, generally the younger one suggesting they come and see us, to which oldest (certain to have a clipboard type job when he's older) replies "the clock DOES NOT say its morning". So yes, a winner in our house too :)

[Yak]

He's 2.5 ish. I would say I could have used it for a few months now, but not before 2. But will depend on the child I expect.

Pickle - I had you down as a possible fellow fan!

[slh2009]

I think they are a great idea and have one but have never used it as am a bit worried about the long cable, my son likes to wear "necklaces" so am a bit paranoid! Have you found it to be a problem? After reading your success story Yak I am very tempted to try it out as we have a similar scenario with early waking....

On a slightly different note I have been thinking about getting a small bedside lamp for his room, bright enough for reading/playing but one that doesn't get hot - any recommendations?

[Yak]

We put the clock the other side of his room to his bed, and although he is an inveterate fiddler with buttons and the like, he's never (to my knowledge) experimented with the cable.

[buggie]

Similar success for us too, occasional blip, but we normally get woken up with shouts of "it's morning time!" Once the sun has come up.... Really need to suss out how to do the w/e lay-in thing it mentions in the instructions!!

[midivydale]

Ohhh, cant wait for ds being old enough to try this. 4.28am start this morning. I kid you not.

I was woken up with this adorable tiny little voice going "Hello hello hello mummy" and a frantic wave.

He is so cute I could eat him but:

I.cant.take.much.more.of.this

[srisky]

Eventual success here, too, but it was our fault it took so long. We started using it shortly after baby #2 was born but #1 would wail so loudly until the sun came up that hubby would rush in & get her out of bed before she woke the baby, so she knew by doing this she could 'over-rule'the clock. As with everything, consistency was the key, so after a few mornings of letting her wail until the sun came up followed by loads of praise she now happily stays in bed until the sun. We've also told her if she needs a wee to call us and afterwards she will go back to bed to wait for the sun. We have gradually delayed sunrise from 6.45 to now 7.15.

We didn't find the book that came with the clock that helpful in getting the message across. Instead, we used a mantra 'star - you stay in bed; mr sun - you get up!' with actions, which we would tell her every night when we turned the clock on & then she would repeat it to herself.

Incidentally, we found putting on a cd of classical music in the baby's room during naps & overnight helps drown out the noise from an exuberant toddler & helps the baby sleep more soundly.

[Pickle]

We are very familiar with the weekend setting in our house (it's set for 7 on weekdays, 7:30 weekends). Even better, last Saturday night Miss 5 messed with the clock, inadvertently putting the time back an hour :)

[canela]

i started reading this thread with interest....and then suddenly it dawned on me that I don't need one because - joy oh joy - my kids now sleep in until 7, 7:30 and even sometimes 8! In fact, most mornings I am up before them to get ready for work.

Suppose I suddenly realised that I have passed through the early-waking phase...and am now firmly on the other side. So just wanted to share with others.....I feel your pain, but it WILL end!!!

[Convex]

We have started using one, though I suspect he is a bit too young at not-quite-two.

Thought it would help as a nightlight until he understands, it's very bright though, even on the lowest setting. Hoping he will get used to it.

[jennyh]

We've had one for a while but our 2.5 year old just remarks that its a starry night when she gets up at 5.30 and proceeds to kick off as usual. It worked for a couple of weeks for us until she realised she could ignore it, like everything else that she can say no to! :-) happy it's working for you though!! Hurrah!!!

[nunheadmum]

We started with a Kids Sleep bunny clock and graduated to the GroClock when the previous one stopped working. They worked brilliantly from a pretty young age.

Aged 7 we STILL need to put on 'sleepy-star' every night. I'll be slightly sad when we finally grow out of them - though secretly suspect the eldest will be taking it to uni/own house with her!!!

[snowboarder]

Agree it works well - our 4 yr old has had one for a couple of years and mostly follows it - he does know how to get 'mr sun' up though so sometimes he arrives in our room early! I think the most useful thing about it that he now understands is that the number of stars relate to the time - so if only one star left it's nearly morning - he's a really early riser and I think sometimes does go back to sleep when he sees there are 5/6 stars left!

We have a different version for younger son and have had the monkey asleep/awake one in the past - they are rubbish, too subtle, the gro clock is much the best.

[GinaG3]

I still haven't got one! I have been meaning to pick one up for ages but its an expense I cannot spare right now. My daughter is nearly 5 and still coming into our bed anytime between 1-4am. I'm being pushing to the point of clinging on the edge of my mattress, in a kingsize! I researched and researched peoples views on these with the aim of getting one and was really impressed. Here to hoping I find one, and it works. If anyone has one they are selling ;-)

[Vickster]

Snowboarder, I recently discovered you can lock it to stop them 'fiddling'. Press and hold the down arrow ;)

snowboarder Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Agree it works well - our 4 yr old has had one for

> a couple of years and mostly follows it - he does

> know how to get 'mr sun' up though so sometimes he

> arrives in our room early! I think the most useful

> thing about it that he now understands is that the

> number of stars relate to the time - so if only

> one star left it's nearly morning - he's a really

> early riser and I think sometimes does go back to

> sleep when he sees there are 5/6 stars left!

>

> We have a different version for younger son and

> have had the monkey asleep/awake one in the past -

> they are rubbish, too subtle, the gro clock is

> much the best.