DD and DS are 5yo and started kindergarten a month ago. They were home with me in the summer and slept 7:30 - 6:20 nearly every day. Since starting school, their bedtime is the same, but they are often waking up at 5:30. Unlike spring time, its not like its light outside earlier or anything - haha.

Does it make sense that their sleep needs would be lower after starting school?? I figured they would be more exhausted from having to be "good" all day and with all of the learning they are doing....

They are in a half day public school program and bus to a montessori school for the afternoon. At the montessori school they seem to spend a lot of time of the playground - so they are certainly getting gross motor / running around time....

Has anyone else experienced less sleep once starting school?

(ETA - the goal was for them to keep waking up at 6:20 --- it isn't that we are waking them up early or anything :-p)