https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:18:57 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2827375 Fri, 08 Jun 2018 19:47:49 +0000 californiadreams 2827375@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>from what i know about melatonin it can't be a long term solution, i could be wrong but i think it says on the bottle (that i have seen) that if needed to take more than 30 days, to consult with your physician. unless that's what you are thinking - to try it for a few weeks and to see if there is some lasting impact? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2827215 Fri, 08 Jun 2018 07:21:03 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2827215@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Eminthevalley: If he's thriving and the early waking isn't causing any behavior or learning issues, unfortunately I also second the comment about learning to live with it. I actually have the opposite problem - my 5 yo is a night owl and the earliest she goes to bed is around 10 pm. If she naps at pre-K, then it's easily 11-11:30. It's exhausting because I am a morning person and am dead to the world by 10, and she likes to have someone lay down with her until she falls asleep so DH and I take turns but it fries both of us out. We've considered melatonin, but ultimately I couldn't get past the fact that it's a hormone and since I can't see an actual issue to be causing this for her and she's growing and thriving, I don't want to force it on her. Over the last few years, we've come to accept that this is just her natural rhythm (she's been like this since about 2 years old, so it's not a departure from "normal.") I know it's really rough, but like others said, I don't think melatonin will help since it's meant to calm down for bed. May be worth a try, but I did have my hesitations. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2827210 Fri, 08 Jun 2018 07:07:39 +0000 ALV91711 2827210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS has always been an early riser. Finally at 5 he will sleep until 6 or later. </p> <p>We used one of those clocks for s while and he did ok with it. When we started with it for the first few days I set it for his natural awake time and then every few days changed it until the wake time was 6. </p> <p>I hope you can find a way to get a later sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2827199 Fri, 08 Jun 2018 00:21:24 +0000 PurplePeony 2827199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is there something that causes him to wake so early? Noise from people starting their commute, birds chirping, etc? If so, maybe try some white noise to help cover up the outside sounds. My DD isn’t usually an early riser but if she does wake earlier than usual, it’s generally because of some noise she heard (she’s a really heavy sleeper at night but light sleeper toward the morning). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2827099 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 13:35:10 +0000 Eminthevalley 2827099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: right...I understand this but 6am seems really sane to me, whereas 4:30 is just not something I can live with! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2826237 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 14:26:21 +0000 Mrsbells 2826237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Eminthevalley: my daughter wakes up earlier than everyone else and we have a rule that aside from going to the bathroom she can't go into any other room til we come get her out talk to her through the monitor. A friend of ours uses a color changing alarm clock to let her daughter know when she can go to other rooms.<br /> I wouldn't try to keep him asleep with any medication if he isn't suffering from waking up that early. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2826216 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 13:34:09 +0000 Mamaof2 2826216@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Eminthevalley: I just wanted to add he may just be an early riser and you will have to accept it - My 9yr old has been this way his whole life!</p> <p>The rule was (and still is) he has to stay in his room until 6am and then could go downstairs and play/watch TV.</p> <p>He will be 10 in the fall and is just now starting to sleep until 6am - which he loves because he can get up and go downstairs right away.</p> <p>His internal clock is just set that way - Whether he goes to bed at 8pm or 10pm he is still up at 6! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2826211 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 13:22:46 +0000 MrsSRS 2826211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Echo on the melatonin helps fall asleep. Although maybe it would help him fall asleep faster and then since sleep begets sleep...<br /> We used the cvs kid chewable. But 5 is also plenty old enough to understand wake times. Do you have a clock that changes colors at morning time? Starting at 2 we taught ours that if they woke up before the clock changed it was their job to try to go back to sleep to rest their bodies. We also instituted a sticker chart system for one child who struggled with resting quietly in the mornings. Once she started actually resting quietly she started sleeping later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2826127 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 00:55:35 +0000 Littlebit7 2826127@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>On the days he doesn’t nap can you put him down earlier? Seems counterintuitive I know, but earlier bedtimes have always helped my kids, especially in a sleep debt. I might try that combined with melatonin (to help encourage a body clock reset). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2826092 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 19:45:29 +0000 wrkbrk 2826092@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Eminthevalley: Echo others. If it means anything, I was given the ok to take benedryl when pregnant but not melatonin. If anything I’d try benedryl. I suppose you’d tried this, but he won’t play in his room for an hour or so? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2826083 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 18:02:18 +0000 ladybee 2826083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Melatonin will not keep him asleep. It helps them fall asleep faster. I feel your pain. My 4.5 year old is similar. The days I force him to nap, he sleeps better that night. I finally reached my breaking point and took him to a sleep specialist. We did a sleep study and it turned out that he has sleep apnea. </p> <p>I've been desperate enough to give him Benadryl so he will sleep and not be so cranky. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2826077 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 17:28:57 +0000 SweetiePie 2826077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: yes this. It doesn’t knock you out like Benadryl or NyQuil.<br /> But maybe if sleep begets sleep with him, you could try to put him to bed earlier with melatonin? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2826073 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 16:11:53 +0000 Eminthevalley 2826073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: that was certainly my own personal experience! I would wake up around 2-3am and feel a little crazed, honestly. Wide awake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2826071 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 15:55:54 +0000 ShootingStar 2826071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You could give it a try, but melatonin generally only helps you to fall asleep, it doesn’t keep you asleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-melatonin-for-kids#post-2826070 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 15:26:52 +0000 Eminthevalley 2826070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One of my 5 yo twins is an early waker. They have always both been on the early waking side (5:30 a.m.) but now that they're in separate rooms, I know that it is just one who's the early waker...and he does everything in his power to wake up brother, too. He goes through periods of waking at 4:45 or so for a week or two, and generally is up at 5. I am starting to lose it after 5.5 years of this. Today it was 3:55 a.m. Sometimes he naps, sometimes he doesn't. Bedtime is around 7:30. Please don't suggest putting him to bed later. If only that worked! No, he will be up even earlier if he stays up later...trust me, I know and have tried. Cutting the nap doesn't work either, so I try to let him be on that. Generally if he naps he won't be up as early, he might even "make it" to 5:45!<br /> So talk to me about melatonin. Our pediatrician, who is excellent (he's actually the head of pediatrics for our region), gave his blessing to try it at the 5 year well check, but we haven't yet. Have you tried it? Did it help? Where do you get it from? I have tried it for myself as an adult and it doesn't work for me, but obviously everything is different for everyone. </p>