s/o At what age were your kids able to get started in the mornings without you...?

[cottonmama]

...so that you could sleep in?

 

Did it just evolve to that naturally or did it require some training?

 

:bigear:

[Starr]

Are you kidding? I can sleep in but I never would assume school work would make much progress. :D Dd is motivated for her college classes.

[GTJo1996]

Thanks a lot. I've never contemplated that before. Now I'm wondering why my 7yr old DD can start the tv and get her cereal but not grab her math workbook and get started.:)

[dragons in the flower bed]

Do you mean get started on schoolwork while I slept in? They're not there yet.

 

Do you mean get breakfast, get dressed and washed? They could do that at four years old. The only training was a consistent routine that was kid-friendly enough for them to mimic it independently. It became a habit and they naturally went through it with or without me.

[Rhonda in TX]

...so that you could sleep in?

 

Did it just evolve to that naturally or did it require some training?

 

:bigear:

 

DD is naturally motivated to get started on school work so she can finish early. She'll get up early and do things she doesn't need to do with me. She's been doing that for a couple of years. So, about 11 or so? DS, on the other hand, will probably never do this. I wouldn't feel right about requiring that they get started without me. It's completely their choice.

 

I'm not a late sleeper, however. I prefer to get up early and have everybody else sleep late. I love a quiet house in the morning!

 

Oh, wait. Are you talking about getting dressed/getting their own breakfast? They've been capable of doing that for at least 5 years or so. No real training, other than learning how to use things like the toaster. They started on their own.

Edited September 26, 2011 by Rhonda in TX
misunderstood point of question?

[gingersmom]

Training? Not sure about that. The puppy is in obedience class, maybe they have room for a 12 year old.

 

There is zero chance of my 12 year old getting started without me. He has a hard enough time with me at the moment.

[MamaT]

Two out of my six would begin their schoolwork without me if they were up first. They did this by about 3rd grade. The other four? They would NEVER, even up to 12th grade, get started if I wasn't up to get them going.

[jcgonczi]

As long as it is very clear what should be done, both my 9yo (4th grade) and 6yo (K) can and will get started without me. They for about 30 minutes without my presence. After that their attention wanders if I am not there. Not to mention that is pretty much all the work my 6yo had that he can do independently since he is still learning to read.

 

It can be done. It just takes training. Like talking about it every night before bed and making it easy by having the work ready for them.

[Nakia]

I am a completely horrid person before 8:30. My girls usually get up and start playing around 7:30. I can hear them, but I just don't want to join them, lol. They usually eat cereal during that time too. They've been doing that for a while.

 

As far as schoolwork...nope, no one thinks of that.

 

 

Two out of my six would begin their schoolwork without me if they were up first. They did this by about 3rd grade. The other four? They would NEVER, even up to 12th grade, get started if I wasn't up to get them going.

 

I'm trying to decide which of your kids belong in which group...I'm pretty sure I know!

[mrs.m]

DD11 started doing that this year.

 

The boys (9 and 6) are another story.

[cottonmama]

Oh, sorry I wasn't clear... what I mean is started with ANYTHING except coming in my room and saying "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" lol

 

I'm trying to see if my 3yo will go to her room and color or play with legos for a half hour or so before I get up. She's pretty good during the day, but she seems to be more needy in the mornings.

 

But there was a thread a while back where someone asked "if your kids get up before you do, what does your schedule look like?" A few moms said their kids did schoolwork before they got up, but most of them said their kids just played or got breakfast independently, and school started when Mom got up. I'm looking for something like that, and I just wondered how much longer I'm in for. ;-) Or if there's something I can do to make it happen.

[LindaOz]

Well, mine will all get up and do 'something' - some will just play. Some will shower, dress, do schoolwork, organize the kitchen and breakfast, clean etc before I show my face. I'm not a late sleeper usually, but being pregnant makes me a bit more tired in the mornings sometimes.

 

I really find that it depends on the personality of the child, although you can work on training them one step at a time. Ds7 is learning to get up, get dressed, and unpack the dishwasher before breakfast. Then, he'll come and tell me that he's done :).

[Karen in CO]

Do you mean get started on schoolwork while I slept in? They're not there yet.

 

Do you mean get breakfast, get dressed and washed? They could do that at four years old. The only training was a consistent routine that was kid-friendly enough for them to mimic it independently. It became a habit and they naturally went through it with or without me.

:iagree:

 

However, everyday that I am able, I still get up with them or before them. It is a wonderful memory from my childhood that I'm trying to give to my children. My mother was up before me everyday. She was waiting in the kitchen with a smile for me and a warm breakfast. In my imperfect world, I still greet them with a "Good Morning" and a hug every morning when they get up.

 

If you're talking about schoolwork, my youngest has gotten up before me to start on her work without me when she was feeling like surprising me with how big she is, but I'd never want that to be the normal for our day.

[mrs.m]

Oh, sorry I wasn't clear... what I mean is started with ANYTHING except coming in my room and saying "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" lol

 

I'm trying to see if my 3yo will go to her room and color or play with legos for a half hour or so before I get up. She's pretty good during the day, but she seems to be more needy in the mornings.

 

But there was a thread a while back where someone asked "if your kids get up before you do, what does your schedule look like?" A few moms said their kids did schoolwork before they got up, but most of them said their kids just played or got breakfast independently, and school started when Mom got up. I'm looking for something like that, and I just wondered how much longer I'm in for. ;-) Or if there's something I can do to make it happen.

 

For my DD who was the first born it was about 5. For my boys it was a bit younger because DD would make them a bowl of cereal and they play well together. I sleep a late a I want now. The boys don't wake me because they know that school or chores will start. ;)

[texasmama]

My kids can now do this, but this is partially due to the fact that the boys help my 5 yo dd some. It took training, and I didn't sleep in for years. For about a year now, the boys will turn on the TV and watch quietly while we sleep. I cannot overemphasize the time and effort that this took to accomplish. For years, we were up at the crack of dawn with a baby/toddler or two or three.

[Alenee]

My kids have been getting themselves dressed and eating breakfast on their own since my oldest dd was about 7yo. As she's gotten older, the other two have come along a little faster. My youngest, now 7yo, gets herself ready, including doing her own hair, lets out the chickens, and makes her own breakfast. I think part of it was survival mode..."Mom's *stilllll* asleep." Part of it has been personality though, too.

 

My oldest would probably begin her school work if I wanted to sleep in, however I've come to the conclusion that I really can get up early. I just need to make sure I have plenty of time to wake-up before I have to do anything, so I don't plan on requiring that any of the kids gets started on their work w/o me.

 

If you want to start them on a routine, I'm sure it could happen. Just make sure they understand what you expect and have the tools to accomplish it.

[Tarreymere]

For mine it seems to really be about the routine. I am usually up before them, but on the odd day that I'm not they go about the usual routine and are very, very quiet. They even do schoolwork. They grin at me when I get up and offer to make me breakfast. I get the feeling that they feel like they are pulling one over on me when I wake up late and find everything going on as usual. I'm not sure how that mindset developed, however. I do have some naturally bossy kids (especially the seven year old who was probably a dictator in a former life) who seem to run the show, so maybe they are the instigators and are trying to show me that they can do the job as well as me or better.

[TranquilMind]

...so that you could sleep in?

 

Did it just evolve to that naturally or did it require some training?

 

:bigear:

I'm a night person and my kids learned EARLY to let me sleep. They were the kind of kids who didn't get into anything so I didn't have to worry about them. They enjoyed this early playtime before Mom made them do school.

 

Now, my son is 12 and handles all of his own schoolwork and scheduling for the outside classes he is taking two days a week. He often gets up and works before I am up. My daughter is in school now but did her work on her schedule from maybe 10 or 11 on.

[Momling]

This year is the first year I haven't needed to wake kids up and nag them to get started.

 

My 9 yr old will get up and dressed and cleaned and eat breakfast.

My 7 yr old will get up and eat breakfast and then ask if she can watch TV (at which point, I say... after you get dressed and are all ready to start your day).

 

But they don't yet start their work... they just get ready on their own.

Edited September 26, 2011 by Momling

[higginszoo]

Mine are 13, 12, 10 and 6. They CAN get up and get started without me (I was working shelters for the wildfires at night and needed to sleep in a few weeks ago). But in reality, while they were up and dressed and had fed themselves, unless there was something that they wanted to do later that they knew school had to be done in order for them to participate, the school part didn't happen. I do have them on fairly independent things this year (ok, for the little one, it's a Costco workbook, but she's happy with it). They CAN do it on their own. Reality is, they don't usually choose to do so yet.

[Mommy22alyns]

Gosh, definitely not school without me! I guess maybe they were 4 and 6 when they could get their own cereal and turn the TV on without burning the house down. I used to pre-pour their cups of milk, but now Becca can pour on her own for both. I guess it just sort of evolved.

[EppieJ]

Ds is not a terribly motivated student, but on our "weekend days" (Mon/Sat) he's usually pretty quick to get his Kumon math and piano practice done (the only requirements for those days) because he knows there's no computer or tv until they're completed! Just needs the proper motivation, I guess. Wish it worked that well the rest of the week!

[Farrar]

To get up without me and start the day? a very early 4 yo. I would leave out juice, they got their own cereal and knew they could watch two shows off their Tivo list then come get me.

 

To start school? Good grief... I'll check back in a few years... or a decade... and let you know.

[Ria]

Never.

 

I take my job as mom seriously, enough that I wouldn't sleep in. Even now, with teens in public school, I am up, showered, and downstairs at 5:45 am so I can make sure they eat and say goodbye. When homeschooling I was always up before them.

 

Ah, I see from reading further what your situation is: "Oh, sorry I wasn't clear... what I mean is started with ANYTHING except coming in my room and saying "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" lol

 

I'm trying to see if my 3yo will go to her room and color or play with legos for a half hour or so before I get up. She's pretty good during the day, but she seems to be more needy in the mornings."

 

I still say you are the mom and need to get up. Sorry. :)

[Nakia]

I don't think there's a mom on this thread or this board who doesn't take her job seriously. To insinuate otherwise, over an issue such as this, is insulting.

[littleWMN]

I don't think there's a mom on this thread or this board who doesn't take her job seriously. To insinuate otherwise, over an issue such as this, is insulting.

 

:iagree:

[Mommyof4ks]

My dd started at 11, but my boys will likely be much older before they reach such a point.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I don't think there's a mom on this thread or this board who doesn't take her job seriously. To insinuate otherwise, over an issue such as this, is insulting.

 

Yes, this.

 

Parenting single-handedly while dh is deployed is me taking my parenting role seriously.

 

Parenting during a major family illness while shuttling back and forth between two states made me a person who took it seriously.

 

Working while juggling dh's deployments and other military obligations was also me taking it seriously.

 

My children pouring cereal and milk for each other does not take away from my level of seriousness with which I take my parenting duties. :001_huh:

 

But, ya know, there will ALWAYS be someone who thinks that because I didn't do it their way....I was wrong.

 

So be it, bless their hearts. ;)

[Grover]

I accidentally slept in the other day (DH went to work very early and I fell asleep again). DS came and woke me up about 9 with his AAS because he'd finished all of his music, maths, writing and reading and wanted needed me to do that spelling. I was stunned! I don't expect it will last as he gets older, but I live in hope ;)

[orangearrow]

Never.

 

I take my job as mom seriously, enough that I wouldn't sleep in. E

 

I still say you are the mom and need to get up. Sorry. :)

 

*snort* Yeah. Okay. To each her own. :001_rolleyes: I'm too busy not taking my job seriously to care.... :smilielol5:

 

 

-----

To the OP: My kids have gotten up on their own for years. When they were younger, they had a mental list of what they could, and couldn't do, without asking mom. They are self-sufficient and I'm extremely proud of that fact.

 

Now that they're older (and it's been this way for at least 2 years now) they start on their school work. Their routine is: they get up, brush teeth, wash up, get breakfast, brush teeth again (lol), start school work. There are some subjects that are repetitive (geography, spelling, handwriting) that they don't need me to explain - other subjects we discuss the night before.

 

It did take training (just walking them through the routine several times)... but it wasn't difficult. One of mine is a natural early bird, the others get up around 7:30 when their alarms go off. They hit the pavement running and get things started.

Edited September 27, 2011 by orangearrow

[Katy]

In my family? No way. But then again, the dogs start whining to go out 10 minutes before our alarm goes off.

 

I have a friend who got her daughter a digital clock. She put cardboard over the minutes with the number 7. When the hour matches the number on the card, she can leave her room. Before that, she must stay in her room. She can sleep, read, or play quietly with toys if she wants. I think she considers this no different than teaching her daughter manners. She was 3 or 4 when she started that.

[Lizzie in Ma]

If I didn't get up several hours before my kids I would go insane.

But if you mean can they get up and get going by themselves, very early on, 4 ish?

[Rhonda in TX]

I have friends whose kids know from an early age that they are not allowed to leave their room until the clock says a specific time. (digital clock that they can read the numbers) In their case, it was 6:30, so it's not like they were requiring them to stay in their room all morning. :) Maybe you could try something like that?