Well, as is tradition for the women in my family, I hate mornings. And we're also speed readers. But that's another post.
I much prefer to stay up late and get up late. Funny, cuz my dad and my brother are opposite of my mom and sister and I. They go to bed early and get up early, always. Keno used to play the piano outside my bedroom at 6 in the morning so that someone would get up with him. Nice.
When I was in college, I could easily sleep in until noon. Sometimes even on the days I had class:)
But then I got married and had children. And suddenly sleeping in was 7. Seven! What the heck.
I thought being a stay at home mom meant sleeping in and doing whatever I wanted. Ha! Double ha!
And then came time for Kate to start school. And I had to get up about the same but it was harried and rushed. Instead of lounging in our pajamas for hours in the morning, she had to be fed, dressed and out the door.
At this point in my life, I now have 4 children in school. The older two in middle school leave for the bus at 7:30.
After they are gone, I get everyone else up, and then out the door at 8:30.
Next year will be earlier when the junior high bus leaves at 7:15. Aack!
So traditionally, I am a stress case in the mornings. "Get your shoes on, brush your teeth, hurry or we'll be late for the bus. Where's your backpack, did you get your lunch?"
And then we run out pel mel and usually make it in time. But not without some irritation and dirty looks from me. Not nice.
I would repeatedly tell Charlie and Anne Marie, "When I tell you what you need to be doing, it's because I know what time it is and how much time til we leave and I really need you to listen." This said while my voice progressively gets louder and screechier.
But then I found the thing that has both saved me and irritates the you know what out of me.
The Wii.
I can tell them now that if they are fed, dressed, teeth brushed, shoes on, and completely ready to go, then they can play the Wii BEFORE school.
And it's worked. I kind of hoped it wouldn't because I just hate video games.
But it did, and now the morning is a lot less stressed because they mostly get completely ready without being told.
*sigh*
This proves why the 50's were better, back then I would have been the one in control.
But I've been replaced as the most motivating thing in the house by, the Wii.
How do you get your children out the door every morning without a lot of threatening or wailing and gnashing of teeth? Or are you going to make me feel better and describe a similiar scenerio?
Do tell.
Oh just wait until early morning seminary starts! We are out the door by 5:50am baby!
ReplyDeleteAnd by we I mean mostly my husband : 0
When my oldest kids were little I used to try and be ready 30 minutes before we had to have them out the door. If we stayed on track then I would use that time to read aloud to them, if not we'd have to skip it. Not trying to brag at all. Wii hadn't come along yet...I am all for anything that helps with the screaming.
The thing that mostly works for me is: "Evan, let's see if you can be the first one ready!". This is a big motivator for him and the other kids are old enough not to be annoyed by it. :-)
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, I'm a screecher and an eye roller and a tsk-er in the morning, too. Mostly with Joey who is famous for standing in the kitchen w/ his backpack on...no coat and no shoes. What is THAT? Do I reeeeally need to tell you to put your shoes on???
Oh girl YOU-ARE-NOT-ALONE!!!! That sounded just like my house only I have just the 1 in all day school **sigh** and It drives me crazy!!! I get up at 6:30 and then Isaac at 6:50 and we TRY to leave the house by 7:30, I refuse to get him up any earlier, he's a sleeper that one. actually would like to go to bed earlier than normal now that the schedule is bumped up an hour but wont because we wont make Norah go to bed earlier with him, to funny!!!!
ReplyDeleteJust know I'm there with you !!!!
You know, I am the same way. I stay up late, and like to sleep in late. I guess I got it from my mom. Are Kate and Julia like that too?
ReplyDeleteUmm... sorry. That last comment was supposed to be by me, but I accidently used my mom's account.
ReplyDeleteMy 11-year-old foster daughter didn't really understand the concept of a morning routine when she first came into my life nearly three months ago. She hadn't been taught much of what we take for granted. As a routine-loving person this was difficult for me.
ReplyDeleteTwo weeks ago I got so fed up with it all that I added a new opportunity for a star each day. The deal is now that IF she has all of her other morning chores done (get dressed, feed the cat, eat, brush hair/teeth, etc) by 7:10 then she can have another star. Amazingly, she's been ready no later than 7:09 AND I don't have to harp on her about anything.
Of course, we don't actually leave the house until 7:20, so this also means she gets a few minutes to relax before the 30-mile drive into town. (And it's way less stress for me. Yay!)
Did I start the late nights and late morning thing? Staying up until 2 am sewing or reading was a good time frame. But, I will admit to getting up at the crack of dark to get breakfast ready and my teens up for early morning Seminary weekdays. It was REAL hard. But then, REAL, REAL hard was working on the east coast seminars and having to be working at 5:30 am. Know when that time is on the west coast? Yup; 2:30 am. That meant I had to get up to get ready about the time I usually went to bed back home. So, Amy and Maile and their kids must come by it through inherited genes. It's great! It means we never give up until we're done with whatever task we are doing. No quitting or going to bed. Yawn!!
ReplyDeleteI read this and applauded your good behavior while cringing at mine - it's full on screech from the beginning. Briar is as SLOW as MOLASSES without fail, no matter what time I wake her up. She chews, breathes, stares, sings, and chews again. Then she leaves her vitamins on the table or stashes them somewhere in the backseat. I like the idea of giving an incentive - I'm gonna try it.
ReplyDelete