Do you wake up a teenager who falls asleep doing schoolwork?

[Wendi]

My 14-year-old is now snoozing and twitching over The Screwtape Letters (which he's reading for literature class). It's 12:30.

 

When this kind of thing happens, I usually assume he needs the nap, and let him sleep. Am I too soft? What would you do?

 

Wendi

[Jean in Newcastle]

I voted to let him sleep BUT I know that my teen would only sleep if he really needed it. If it is a habit for him and/or a consequence of not getting to bed on time, then I would wake him.

[Susan C.]

That is the year ds grew 6 inches. He fell asleep in his books! And ate me out of house and home! And slept a lot at night! Make a fourth meal for him, something healthy with protein, fat and salad and/or veggies. He will forget everything you do this year as well..... so just keep him up to date with what he has already learned and wait for him to stop growing.

[regentrude]

My 14-year-old is now snoozing and twitching over The Screwtape Letters (which he's reading for literature class). It's 12:30.

 

 

As in, half past noon? Or half past midnight?

Half past midnight - I'd let sleep.

Half past noon - I'd try to wake. If teen too tired to be easily woken and really needed a nap, he would have to finish all assigned school work after nap (no matter how long that would take) and go to bed early.

I'd do this ONCE. If they fell asleep during school time again, I would enforce a bedtime (my kids get to choose their bedtime - as long as they get up in the morning)

[LidiyaDawn]

Do you wake up a teenager who falls asleep doing schoolwork?

 

Wait, you mean there's actually a way to wake those creatures up? :tongue_smilie:

[Elizabeth in WA]

I'd let mine sleep. I do enforce a bedtime, but not so much lights out since my oldest suffers from insomnia and I don't think anything good comes of making someone lie awake in the dark staring at the ceiling. However, (a) this has never actually happened, even when he has stayed awake all night reading, and (b) I would insist that upon awakening he resume schoolwork until completed or bedtime arrived. We finish any incomplete work from the week on weekends.

[MamaT]

I voted other. It would depend on if he had somewhere to be later and couldn't finish his work, if he went to bed at a decent hour the night before, and if he was reasonably caught up on his schoolwork to begin with.

 

If he was reasonably caught up, had nowhere to be later, and had gone to bed at a decent hour, then I would let him sleep.

 

If he was behind, had somewhere to be later, or had been staying up into all hours of the night, then I would wake him up and make him get after it.

[AK_Mom4]

That is the year ds grew 6 inches. He fell asleep in his books! And ate me out of house and home! And slept a lot at night! Make a fourth meal for him, something healthy with protein, fat and salad and/or veggies. He will forget everything you do this year as well..... so just keep him up to date with what he has already learned and wait for him to stop growing.

 

:iagree:

 

DS15 went thru this last year. He would actually fall asleep sitting at the table during a meal. He would spontaneously put himself to bed at 8pm. He went from 5'2" to 5'9" last year.

[laurad1125]

I voted other. Wake him up now and make him do his work. But also make changes to the schedule and sleeping hours so he gets more sleep.

[NanceXToo]

I voted wake him up! I would not want my kid sleeping at 12:30 in the afternoon unless they were a baby. I would worry that by doing so, they would have a much harder time falling asleep at night, and then would be too tired the next day, and it would become an endless cycle. I'd wake him up and let him go to bed early if he was that tired, not sleep in the afternoon. Unless he was sick or something!

[regentrude]

I would not want my kid sleeping at 12:30 in the afternoon unless they were a baby. I would worry that by doing so, they would have a much harder time falling asleep at night, and then would be too tired the next day, and it would become an endless cycle.

 

You know what: an afternoon nap is what we are biologically programmed for. I personally find it extremely refreshing to nap (and it is the ultimate luxury which I can rarely afford), and I still can go to sleep at a decent time.

 

If it is feasible to *schedule* a nap, and the teen wants it, that may be a solution. The hours right after lunch are not productive anyway ;-)

(I find a scheduled nap much better than falling asleep "on the job".)

[NanceXToo]

If I ever fall asleep in the afternoon, I tend to wake up feeling groggy and headachy rather than refreshed, and then I do have a harder time falling asleep at night and find myself staying up later.

[SailorMom]

I voted "Wake him up", but I will add that - if the teen is not feeling well - or may be coming down with something - then let them sleep :)

[elegantlion]

Considering my son fell asleep ten minutes into read-aloud time yesterday, I say let them sleep. I do take growth spurts and sleeping habits into consideration. DS did not sleep well the night before because of an ant issue in his room. He ended up sleeping for over two hours.

 

I am a napper by nature.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

A teen's natural sleep pattern is to go to bed later and wake up later. And they require a LOT more sleep than most people think. I'd let him sleep, as long as he knows what work must be done during a 24 hour period, or for the week.

[Tammyla]

Neither of my kids are nappers, so falling asleep would be unusual, I'd let them sleep away knowing they needed to rest.

[JessReplanted]

I voted to let him sleep.

 

In college I had the most amazing naps in the library. I would simply put my head down on the desk, take a nap, and then wake up and keep working. :lol:

[HeathenMom]

my 14 year old DS couldn't believe there was any option other than 'wake him up'...so i voted, 'wake him up!'

[LibraryLover]

My vote is in for NAP!

 

The world would be a better place if everyone got a midday rest. :)

[StephanieZ]

I voted other. . .

 

If it were a rare occurence, I'd gently invite him to go take a nap in his bed to be more comfortable. . . because I'd honestly suspect he might be getting sick, or otherwise just not at his best. . . and since this is such a rare thing, I'd encourage him to listen to his body and give it a rest.

 

If this were more behavioral/chronic (as I get with my son!), ideally I'd wake him up, tell him to sit up straight in a hard chair if needed, and tell him that if it happened again today, his bedtime for the week was moving up 30 min as he was obviously not getting enough rest.

 

Now, I am not generally consistent or persistent enough to enforce that, but it's my ideal, and I strive for it.

[Murphy101]

I thought the thread title was:

 

Do you Make up a teenager that falls asleep doing school work.

 

 

And I thought, "What great fun!":biggrinjester:

 

Kind of disappointed now...

 

Sigh. My kids never fall asleep during school work or reading. Me either.

[KidsHappen]

As an insomniac who believes that sleep is a precious commodity, I make it a practice to never wake anyone, at all ever. Well, ok maybe if the house was burning down and I couldn't carry them out myself.

[Barb_]

My vote is in for NAP!

 

The world would be a better place if everyone got a midday rest. :)

 

:iagree: I don't wake my kids, and they don't wake me either.:D

[missmoe]

I let teens take a nap, but not a super long one. A half an hour should be good--anything longer and they don't want to go to bed at a reasonable hour. My teens get up super early, so I take a little bit of pity on them.

[Tarreymere]

I voted other.

 

I would take a few photos, maybe even some video if there was snoring or drooling. Then I would use it for blackmail..............:D

[Melissa in Australia]

f any of my teens fell asleep while doing school work I would know they are coming down with some illness. They never nap.

 

Isn't there some sort of saying that goes "leave sleeping bears lie"?