s/o fitting it all in...

[Mynyel]

So it got me thinking about my schedule...or lack there of.

 

My kids get up at oh....10ish. We start subjects 11ish or so..ok sometimes noonish.

 

We never get everything done. I have several subjects but a lot of them only take a few minutes but still it adds up.

 

Then add that to my ds2 (that will be another post:glare:) and the heat and it turns into an impossible day.

 

My point you ask?

 

What is a good way to gradually get the kids up earlier without causing WWIII?

 

I would like to get them up at 8am and get them started by 9:30am so that we are done by 3pm. That does include lunch and breaks. I like to give frequent breaks to ds8.

 

They go to bed by 10:30 everynight but just don't get out of bed until 10! I am up by 8am. I would like to get up earlier as well but I have a hard time getting up be fore then:D. I need my sleep and I still nurse ds2 a couple times a night so... (I just can't be super mom...I need sleep! :))

 

Suggestions?

[Melissa in Australia]

"early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

 

 

gradually make them go to bed earlier. 8.30 is the time I have my younger ones (up to 15) go to bed. over 15 can only stay up later than that if they are working on their school work for the following day. they mostly do their assigned reading in the evening.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

"early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

 

 

:iagree:

 

I would just start making them get up earlier and then hopefully, they'll be tired earlier. I have the opposite problem. I can't get mine to sleep in past 7:00, even when they've gone to bed late.

[elegantlion]

My ds is in the midst of growth spurts and currently sleeps 10 hours a day. During school his bedtime in 10pm. One of the reasons we homeschool is so ds can spend time with dh, hence the later bedtime. It's important to us. Plus neither ds or I are morning people.

 

We started school at 11am most days this spring. Instead of looking necessarily at starting earlier I would look at your times of productivity. I believe we all have certain times of the day when naturally are more productive. Unfortunately mine is a little earlier than ds.

 

We start our morning school time with a read aloud. It allows us to acclimate to each other without too much interaction (did I mention we aren't morning people). Having a set time to do that kind of activity gets us focused on school. We do our read aloud in the living room where ds can lie on the couch, then we move to the classroom to start our day.

 

My goal is to be consistent with that this coming year. :tongue_smilie: I personally don't think there is anything wrong with starting school later, if it works for your family. I don't imagine we'll ever start school before 9:30.

 

I do require that he be dressed, have breakfast eaten, and teeth brushed before school. If for some reason he hasn't he can eat while I'm reading and brush before we move to the classroom.

[Mynyel]

Hmmm read alouds in the morning might be in order!

 

When they finally do get up they sit on the couch for about 15 minutes or longer anyway so I can read to them then and then they can eat breakfast as such....

 

I will try it! Ohhh tyty

[Amber in AUS]

"early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

 

I couldn't agree more with this. I have read that children up until age 10 need approx 12 hours sleep per night. I have found that to be true for my children and others in my extended family.

[Mrs Mungo]

I couldn't agree more with this. I have read that children up until age 10 need approx 12 hours sleep per night. I have found that to be true for my children and others in my extended family.

 

I agree. My youngers are in bed at 8 (lights out at 8:30) and eldest has to be in bed at 9 (lights out at 9:30).

[Mynyel]

Here is one problem I have and perhaps you parents that can get your kids in bed by 9pm or so can help me.

 

How do you get them in bed and going to sleep if it is still light out? It is still light out right now and it is 9:20. Not a lot but some. I let the kids play outside until it is hard to see. They like catching lightning bugs and frogs :001_smile:.

 

How do you handle that? Just let them do it a couple times a week instead of every night?:D Yes my ds8 is out every night getting moths, frogs and lightning bugs. He loves them. Anyway....

 

What say you?

[Daisy]

My kids are in bed by 8:30 even in summer. Yes, it is still light outside. I just close their curtains. Friday nights are the only nights they occasionally stay up later (if we are doing something special). They are up by 6am every day of the week. But we don't have lightning bugs or frogs where we live and it is still blasted hot at 8pm (right now it is still 96 degrees outside). The coolest time of the day is 6am so they'd prefer to be outside at that time anyway. ;)

[Ellen_TX]

I agree. My youngers are in bed at 8 (lights out at 8:30) and eldest has to be in bed at 9 (lights out at 9:30).

I am working toward the schedule this week. We all better for it as a family.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Move dinner backwards? The reason you're getting a lot of "get up early!" advice is because it's hard to fit homeschooling and errands in before dinner. Most people are 8 to 8, right, like so--

 

7 up

8 breakfast

9 school

12 lunch

3 school done

4 errands

6 dinner

7 freedom

9 bed

 

If you want to remain night owls, you guys should just add three to each number.

 

10 up

11 breakfast

12 school

3 lunch

6 school done

7 errands

9 dinner

10 freedom

11 bed

[Amber in AUS]

Here is one problem I have and perhaps you parents that can get your kids in bed by 9pm or so can help me.

 

How do you get them in bed and going to sleep if it is still light out? It is still light out right now and it is 9:20. Not a lot but some. I let the kids play outside until it is hard to see. They like catching lightning bugs and frogs :001_smile:.

 

How do you handle that? Just let them do it a couple times a week instead of every night?:D Yes my ds8 is out every night getting moths, frogs and lightning bugs. He loves them. Anyway....

 

What say you?

 

Maybe she just needs to have a boundary that she can only be out late on Friday and Saturday nights? Just a suggestion.

[Peela]

Even my teens have to go to bed by 9.30 and up by 7am.

Kids need sleep- however many hours they need, count back from when you want them up and put them to bed aroudn that time. My teens need 9.5 hours- 9 is not enough. I know it, they know it.

 

I am a morning person. One of my kids is too, but the other is not. Yet she works and has activities on in the afternoons so cant possibly sleep in and get her work done. The more we get done in the mornings, the more gets done. Too much can interfere the later the day progresses.

 

So, the routine has always been up by 7am, school starts around 8.30am. Finish early afternoon. Rest of the day free. TV after 6pm, off by 8.30 pm.

 

Kids can thrive on routines.

[2squared]

Did I read this right? You have 2 uninterrupted hours at the beginning of your day and you want to ruin that? Most of us dream of the day we will be able to sit on the toilet without being interrupted.

 

Seriously, if I had those two hours in the morning, I would look at the rest of my day first before touching those two hours. If you change their habits first, those two blissful hours may disappear without you getting anymore schoolwork done. Then you'll be posting for advice about how to get your dc to have two hours of quiet time in the afternoon.

[katemary63]

"early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

 

 

gradually make them go to bed earlier. 8.30 is the time I have my younger ones (up to 15) go to bed. over 15 can only stay up later than that if they are working on their school work for the following day. they mostly do their assigned reading in the evening.

 

:iagree: My DD9 goes to be at 8:30 also. She is up by 6:30 and sometimes we start school at 7:30. We are usually done by noon and then we can go out and ride. Sleeping in the moring wastes so much of the productive part of the day IMO.

 

I would just send them to be 1/2 earlier and get them up 1/2 hour earlier each week.

[MaMa2005]

DS is in bed between 7:00 and 7:30. He NEEDS 12 hours of sleep. Regardless of the time he goes to bed, he always wakes up between 6:45 and 7:00 thus his bedtime is dictated by his waking time. (He is so predictable that DH doesn't even set an alarm clock to get up for work anymore!) We have a little more flexibility during the summer, but bedtime doesn't extend much past 8:00. We have blackout duo-cell shades on his windows as well as curtains. Once all of those are pulled, his room is dark enough for him to drift off to sleep.

[delaney]

I plan on keeping the girls on a PS sleep schedule next year. I have two older in PS and a younger that needs to go to preschool 5 days per week so it isn't a problem. If you like the later schedule and want to stay with it then it is your choice. The workplace and world in general are different now with technology. SO many people work flextime that the 9-5 is a thing of the past. If you want to change I say do it by 20 minutes per week. In a month you will have them up right about when you want them!

[Hedgehogs4]

Here is one problem I have and perhaps you parents that can get your kids in bed by 9pm or so can help me.

 

How do you get them in bed and going to sleep if it is still light out? It is still light out right now and it is 9:20. Not a lot but some. I let the kids play outside until it is hard to see. They like catching lightning bugs and frogs :001_smile:.

 

How do you handle that? Just let them do it a couple times a week instead of every night?:D Yes my ds8 is out every night getting moths, frogs and lightning bugs. He loves them. Anyway....

 

What say you?

 

catching lightning bugs is allowed on special occasions not every day. we just pull the blinds in the room, and darken it, so that they forget about the outside. bedtime is pretty strictly observed--in the room by 8-8:30 (the sooner they go up the longer i read to them), read and prayers, lights out by 9. I typically read a book to them until 9, and if they are late getting to bed the miss reading time, which they hate. i am currently reading the Little Britches series by Ralph Moody, and they can't wait for the next day, every day. we're on book 5.

[SailorMom]

We try to get started no later than 9am every day - with 8:30 being prefered but not common :)

I've noticed that if we don't start by 9, we don't get done.

My suggestion - get a puppy. Seriously. They will certainly be getting up earlier!!!!:D

No, really, um - I'd say start in hour increments - that way they don't go through a period of not enough sleep. But - you'll have to be up waiting for them - which I agree can be painful some mornings.

The more that gets organized the night before the better - showers can all be taken at night - that way the morning is less hectic. Have easy breakfasts available, and stick to the deadline. Otherwise all is for naught.

[Starr]

The tricky thing is that you have to start getting up earlier first. That is the only way everyone will be tired enough to go to bed earlier. Once you make your decision I would just do it. I wouldn't look for input from the kids. :D

[Leanna Tomlinson]

Here is one problem I have and perhaps you parents that can get your kids in bed by 9pm or so can help me.

 

How do you get them in bed and going to sleep if it is still light out? It is still light out right now and it is 9:20. Not a lot but some. I let the kids play outside until it is hard to see. They like catching lightning bugs and frogs :001_smile:.

 

How do you handle that? Just let them do it a couple times a week instead of every night?:D Yes my ds8 is out every night getting moths, frogs and lightning bugs. He loves them. Anyway....

 

What say you?

 

I am with you on this. I tried to fight the late bedtime for years, but then realized that I was always fighting. A few years ago I decided to go with the flow. I am much calmer now. :)

 

I run my year with two schedules; the school year (Mid Aug-Mid May) is strict. There is a bedtime (9:00 bed/9:30 lights out); we have a chore chart; we wake up at the same time every morning (me 6:30, kids 7:30). Dinner is a 7:00pm, because having it any earlier almost assures that my dh will be late.

 

Our summer schedule is much different. It coincides with my dds being home from college. We are more lax with bedtime especially in late June and early July when it is light late. We don't operate with a chore chart or weekly school assignment sheet but the kids expect a morning "to do" list; they complete these chores and school assignments after breakfast.

We stay up late and watch old movies, play games, look at the stars, read aloud, or just talk. Most of the time my younger kids are in bed by 10:00; my teens are in their rooms, but are often up late reading. We don't have cable or video games, so those things aren't a temptation. If they've had a day of physical labor, they usually choose to go to bed early. During the summer I do wake the kids up by 8:30, so the late nights don't go too late, but if we've had a very late night, I'll let them sleep in.

 

One big factor in this is dh's work schedule. We are on Eastern time and many of his accounts are on Central or Pacific time. His work hours are usually 8:30 - 6:45 (b/c the other half of the country is still working). If he got home for dinner at 7:00 and the kids were in bed by 8:00, he'd spend little time with them.

 

I'm all about lightning bugs, and frogs, and starry nights. Enjoy them! These days are fleeting.

[FloridaLisa]

:DSome tricks to help transition:

 

*earlier bed times (clearly, but how?)

 

*get the youngers plenty tired throughout the day so that they're ready for bed. I find evening read-alouds, with all my kiddos laying around on pillows and blankets really makes them sleepy. I'm not really trying to, but maybe that would work for you!

 

*alarm clocks for the olders, pleasant words to wake the youngers:

 

I use "rise and shine, it's morning time"

My friend always says, "wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey"

 

*Special breakfasts are huge motivators for my boys! Special cereal, a hot breakfast (rare treat on school mornings), cinnamon buns, etc.

 

Maybe you could reset your clocks so everyone thinks it's later! :D

 

Lisa

[Pretty in Pink]

I'd mention on, say, Friday that we're going to begin a new bedtime on Sunday night. On Sunday night I'd put them to bed at 8 p.m. then wake them at 8 a.m. on Monday morning. Wash, rinse, repeat.

 

I am more lax about bedtimes during the summer months. You're only a kid once, ya know? So I do let them hang outside and catch lightning bugs, or eat popsicles on the porch while they watch the sunset, play hopscotch and ride bikes on the front sidewalk, etc. But during the school year I'm rigid with the 8 p.m. bedtime (save for my eldest, who reads until 9 p.m.).

[hornblower]

I'd say instead of worrying about the clock, think about how they're spending their time and whether that's how you want it (right stuff, right balance etc.)

 

I disagree fundementally with the statement that sleeping in the morning wastes productive time. IMO, going to bed at 8:30 pm wastes a lot of productive time :D. That's 2-3h that I can use for walking, grooming dogs, reading, planning, researching. On a good evening I will also write & can do a 1000 words in an hour.

 

Kids can be reading, thinking, quietly playing in their rooms, doing crafts, writing, drawing - none of that is a waste of time, if it's part of a balanced day, kwim?

 

For that matter, there's no reason kids can't be reviewing their latin vocab & finishing math assignments in bed in the evening. I worry less about WHEN it's happening, than about whether it IS happening. If there's too much play & goofing off ALL day:

morning b/e it's nice and cool!

afternoon b/e it's stopped raining and we need fresh air!

evening b/e the sun hasn't set & we want to catch some insects!

- well, that's great during holidays, but not so good when school is supposed to be in session. That's when I'd consider what needs to be done, what the available time slots are & then see where to slot it all in.

 

But there's no reason it has to happen between 8 & 3....

 

I think you need to find your flow, your productive times & work with that.

[DawnM]

I have trouble getting one of my sons up early. He loves to sleep.

 

We try to have the boys in bed by 9:30. This summer it hasn't quite worked out that way. It is more like 10:00-10:30.

 

I don't start school until 9:00am. Occasionally it is 9:30am.

 

I am hoping in Aug, when we start our new school year up again, that I can get more of a schedule going.

 

Dawn

[Britomart]

 

How do you get them in bed and going to sleep if it is still light out? It is still light out right now and it is 9:20. Not a lot but some. I let the kids play outside until it is hard to see. They like catching lightning bugs and frogs :001_smile:.

 

 

If you're just worried about light coming through the window keeping them up, the answer is blackout curtains. Our lives got a LOT better once we got blackout curtains!

 

If you buy them pre-made, they can be expensive. But you can buy blackout fabric at a fabric store, and then just use those curtain rings with clips to turn the fabric into curtains. You might need to hem them, but that's about it. They're wonderful.