What is a good morning light?
Sometimes children get up too early in the morning and need some help learning how to stay in bed a bit longer. One way to help your little one learn when it is okay to get up in the morning is to use a “good morning light.” A good morning light is simply a nightlight on a timer that is set to turn on at the time that it is okay for your little one to start her day. Start by setting the timer to go on at a reasonable time that is, at first, close to when your little one usually gets up. Over a few days to a week, you can set it later and later in the morning (by about 15 minutes each day or two). Teach your little one that if she wakes up before the good morning light is on that it is still nighttime. If she calls to you before the light goes on, treat that waking just like you would treat a night waking. If she wakes and calls to you after the light goes on, she can get up for the day. Giving small, age-appropriate rewards like stickers or stamps along with lots of positive attention when she waits for the good morning light to go on can help her learn this skill.
About Dr. Sonia Rubens
