Is 8:00 in the morning too early to start

[Dmmetler]

It is starting to look like a lot of opportunities for DD this year, instead of starting in the afternoon, are starting in the late morning. Since I know from experience that school is much harder to accomplish after we've left the house, I'm wondering about starting an hour earlier in the fall, so that we'll be able to at LEAST get LA/Math done before we leave on those days. I know DD will be OK with read-alouds, which is most of history, and any hands-on stuff for science later if need be, but I really want to get that core in BEFORE we go to co-op or science lab.

[*Lulu*]

Not at all. We start read alouds at 7:30am around here.

[kitten18]

We're early birds here. We start as soon as DD finishes breakfast, often at 6:30.

[Lolly]

For most, it is not too early. For some, it is.;)

[Mom-ninja.]

We don't even get out of bed before 8 most mornings!

 

If your dd doesn't mind then go for it. I have one ds who wouldn't mind, but the other would see it as pure torture.

[abbeyej]

I find the earlier we start (and the more consistently we do so), the better our school days go. I won't say it's easy! Getting started early is tough for me. But I find the rewards are great.

[In The Great White North]

She's 6? Early to bed, early to rise :D

 

In 6 more years, it would be hopeless.

[Ellie]

If y'all get up early enough, no.

 

I liked letting my dc sleep until they were finished sleeping, which, happily, was usually around 7:30-8 and not 9 or 10. :001_smile: We were usually ready to go by 9.

[Dobela]

9 is often as early as we can make a start. Part of it has to do with getting my dh out of the door around 8:15 for work and then taking a moment or several to give myself some quiet time. However, it doesn't always work that way, especially since we allow the kids to stay up until 10 or so for time with dad. The later they re up the later they want to sleep....

 

This year though I am going to make more effort to start earlier because of all the out of the house interruptions. My son needs to make more progress in more areas so we will just have to work harder.

[Shannanlee]

We plan on starting at 9am. I am well rested and so is my son. If 8 works for your family go for it!!!

[HoneyFernDotOrg]

Strike while the iron is hot! If you have a house of morning people, work with that!!

[Mommee & Baba]

If y'all get up early enough, no.

 

I liked letting my dc sleep until they were finished sleeping, which, happily, was usually around 7:30-8 and not 9 or 10. :001_smile: We were usually ready to go by 9.

 

This is how I feel too. This year I'd like to have them up earlier, which means to bed sooner!

[lovelaughs_times_three]

She's 6? Early to bed, early to rise :D

 

In 6 more years, it would be hopeless.

 

:lol: Love this! Of course, I have a 12 year old!

 

I agree with the PP that the earlier we get started, the better our school day, and actually our entire day, go. My problem is matching up my good intentions with my own personality. I am a late-night-owl and so is one of my dc. I have good intentions, but when that alarm rings, and I know I could sleep longer if I really wanted to......well.....let's just say, it doesn't always go as planned.

 

*sigh*

[Pamela H in Texas]

For years, we got up and going SUPER early. Our goal was to have the bulk of the schooling done by 8am!

There were things we did after that and some "homework," but our main schooling was done early.

 

What *we* found was that not only did school go better earlier, it went faster.

What would take 5 hours if you start at 9am takes 3 hours if you start at 5am.

[NanceXToo]

It would be too early for us to start on a regular basis but now and then on certain days where we were going to some sort of field trip or outing that would have us out of the house for hours, I have been known to once in a while wake her up earlier to get some stuff "out of the way" before we left.

[Mommy22alyns]

For most, it is not too early. For some, it is.;)

 

 

:iagree::D

[elegantlion]

:iagree::D

 

:iagree: If it works, go for it. Personally, we'd have mutiny if we tried to start at that time. Ds and I are not morning people. We start at 10.

 

I do think it's important to recognize your weaknesses. If starting school after you've been out of the house for the day is an issue, it's wise to try and get it done before leaving.

[jujsky]

For most, it is not too early. For some, it is.;)

 

:iagree: I know that would be too early for me, but I do want to try to start by 9:00 this year, if I can scrape myself out of bed and get moving. We have the same amount of activities, but a tougher course-load with both kids starting 3rd grade and taking on a foreign language for the first time.

[BamaTanya]

Dh leaves for work by 6:30 most mornings, so early is better for us.

 

Good luck!

[love2travel]

We start at 8:00. My dd would start earlier but I need a few cups of joe to get going in the morning. Sometimes she'll get started on some reading or another assignment that doesn't require my attention.

[JennyD]

This past year (K) we started at around 7 and were done by 8:30 or so, including music practice. This year I think I'm going to try and get a quick workout in before DH leaves the house and then we'll do school during the baby's morning nap, so it will be slightly later, but not much. Late morning activities would be just ideal for us, but I haven't found anything yet.

[HiddenJewel]

If we don't start by 8:30, our day does not flow near as well. We have 2 high schoolers and a 2nd grader.

[CatMomof3]

I start with my oldest by 7am. That is the only time I can sit down with her and really get things going. So no 8am is not to early.

[6packofun]

I don't think it matters what time you *begin*, only what time you allow the kid to stop. I think one can stop too early and one can definitely go on WAY too long.

 

Overscheduling: the best way to kill a love of learning, IMO.

[rafiki]

.

[Joyofsixreboot]

We start at 8:00. The kids often get their books and start before I'm ready. Their theory is the sooner they are done the better. Try it and see if it works for your family.

[MissKNG]

We start at 8am every morning with breakfast and our Bible story. We run on a schedule and it really works out well.

[HiddenJewel]

I don't think it matters what time you *begin*, only what time you allow the kid to stop. I think one can stop too early and one can definitely go on WAY too long.

 

Overscheduling: the best way to kill a love of learning, IMO.

 

In our house it makes a huge difference what time we start.

[gingersmom]

Take advantage of it while your children are young.

 

My 12 year old used to be up before the sun. Now he is sound asleep at 9am.

[Desert Rat]

8am for us, too. Although I think we're going to start earlier next year, at least at the beginning. I've got a lot to accomplish before work in the afternoon!

[Susan in TN]

We start at 8am. Everyone is gettin up around 6:30, except ds who gets up at 6am to practice his bass. Family breakfast/devotion at 7, clean-up and chores at 7:30, start lessons at 8 or shortly thereafter.

 

My K'er is done by 9:30/10, and it would be much earlier but she's following her 1st grade brother around because they do things together (with me).

[Mom22ns]

My ds starts at 6:00, dd starts at 7:30. 8:00 sounds late to me. Only you can really answer if it's too late for your family though.

[m0mmaBuck]

We don't start school until 9:00 for 3 reasons: 1) I go to the gym from 6-8 a.m. most mornings and like to shower/get dressed/have breakfast before starting school; 2) DH leaves for work around 9:00 a.m. and having him out of the house is best for school; and 3) DS doesn't seem to be able to focus prior to 9:00 a.m.

 

However, if 8:00 a.m. works for you, I'd say go for it. Just be carefully about overscheduling. Free time is like gold around here.

[2cents]

We start between 7 and 7:30 here. It is so much better to get things done early in our house because we like to have more time in the afternoon. We have wake-up kitties that make sure we are up early to feed them - better than an alarm clock. Can't hit snooze with that furry pack on a mission. :001_smile:

[6packofun]

The time that *you* begin matters to *you*, of course. I'm only saying that no one else can tell another family what time is right to start. The OP was asking opinions and I'm thinking our ideas don't matter too much if it's working for her. :) We've been cruising along fine beginning at 9 a.m. or even later for 13 years now, but I wouldn't suggest it for anyone else. lol

Edited July 21, 2011 by 6packofun
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[NittanyJen]

My kids get themselves up when they wake up. If they wake up before I do, fine. They know where the cereal and milk and orange juice are. I also leave their lists of school tasks for the day (prioritized) out and any special paper or supplies the night before, and after breakfast, they'll start on their own until I get up/shower/get my chai (see my "So what do we do all day? blog post).

 

They know not to tackle chemistry or anything dangerous, or subjects where they need my direct help first thing in the morning, but every day they have 30/45 min of independent reading, and they love to cuddle up and do that first thing in the morning, then move on to other independent work until I'm downstairs.

 

At 7 and 10, they do pretty well-- and since they wake up on their own by 5:30 or 6, I'm glad they can be a bit independent!

[snickelfritz]

How early do you normally get up? More importantly, how early do you normally go to bed? And would it be easy to change?

 

We are late to bed people. That makes us late to rise people. So, an 8:00 start time would require a complete rearrangement of our life. Doable, for us, for a short while. Then we end up running errands late. Or dh watches a late soccer or football game (or American Idol) with the girls.....and we're back to being late people.

 

My oldest is going to school next year. Which requires an 8:05 start time. I've already told dh no weeknight tv for the kids. We will have to adjust to being early people.:tongue_smilie: