MommyInTraining Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 I have a 5 month old snuggled in with me and it is hard enough for me to make myself get out of bed anyway, much less with a cuddly little Teddy bear next to me (his name is Teddy ;)). So, what do you do in the mornings to force yourself out of bed? Thanks, Terri in WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy loves Bud Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Hmmm, the 7 month old next to me starts pawing at my face and babbling with no volume control. If it weren't for that, I'd still be in bed right now! Really, I let myself sleep as long as I need to if the baby allows it. Right now I need the sleep. If the bigs are up they always have some work waiting for them that they can work on till I get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 I have a 5 month old snuggled in with me and it is hard enough for me to make myself get out of bed anyway, much less with a cuddly little Teddy bear next to me (his name is Teddy ;)). So, what do you do in the mornings to force yourself out of bed? Thanks, Terri in WA I get up at 5. My alarm clock is across the room, with 2 alarms set, 6 minutes apart. If I get back into bed on the first, I'm forced to get back up right away to turn off the 2nd. Usually the first is enough to remind me that if I want to complete any thoughts for the day, I'd better get up and enjoy the peace and quiet before they boys bombard me. I love the hours from 5-7ish :D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 My Golden Retriever starts taking up more and more of the bed until finally I am pushed out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maria/ME Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Well, I find that needing to take a Valium in the morning really motivates me to rise and shine. No, I'm just kidding. It's late and I can't keep the sheer irreverence down. I'm very fortunate in that I have only one, and she's 10. I"m sure than doesn't help you a whole lot, but she draws quietly while I "wake" myself up. She'll talk or chat as I grunt one syllable words, and w/in a 1/2 hr or so we are both ready to hop out of bed and face the day. When she was smaller (like toddler age) I would set out books the night before and she would look at them quietly while I peeled my eyelids open. I am NOT a morning person. At All. Can you tell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizzyBee Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 My dh brings me coffee in bed. When he has to leave early in the morning, it's sooo hard to get out of bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 I am not a morning person by nature ~ although in certain instances (camping, for example), I absolutely love being up before dawn. If there's daylight and I have no serious commitments, mornings work for me. Otherwise, they're not my cuppa. Nonetheless, I get up and get going by applying the mind-over-matter method. For me, it's not about coffee or alarm clocks or whatever. It's just the realization that all over the world, people in dire circumstances don't have the choice to stay in bed another hour. I'm sorry. I know this sounds holier-than-thou and please know that I do not want it to come across that way. It's just my reality. I literally remind myself, each morning, that I am among the most fortunate people in the world. Thinking about the fact that people around the world get up ~ no question ~ and get working lights my fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 I am not a morning person by nature ~ It's just the realization that all over the world, people in dire circumstances don't have the choice to stay in bed another hour. I'm sorry. I know this sounds holier-than-thou and please know that I do not want it to come across that way. It's just my reality. I literally remind myself, each morning, that I am among the most fortunate people in the world. Thinking about the fact that people around the world get up ~ no question ~ and get working lights my fire. Wow. Thanks for that thought. It will really help as I'm having a tough time with the sheer-force-of-will thing. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 I literally remind myself, each morning, that I am among the most fortunate people in the world. I use this logic when telling my dc they need to eat the food on their plate, but it just doesn't help me get out of bed. Currently, my 3 y.o. is my alarm clock "Mom,get up!! I want to eat!" Really, I would love to be a morning person and be the one to wake up my dc instead of the the way around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Heather Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Yelling, " momma, momma, MOMMA WHERE ARE YOU". My 2 year old, he then proceeds to ask, "momma please get me outta here." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyInTraining Posted February 16, 2008 Author Share Posted February 16, 2008 It's just the realization that all over the world, people in dire circumstances don't have the choice to stay in bed another hour. I'm sorry. I know this sounds holier-than-thou and please know that I do not want it to come across that way. It's just my reality. No, I think that sounds like a great motivator! Thanks for sharing. Are you in WA? We are in the Sumner/Bonney Lake area. Terri in WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in Orlando Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 It's just the realization that all over the world, people in dire circumstances don't have the choice to stay in bed another hour. I'm sorry. I know this sounds holier-than-thou and please know that I do not want it to come across that way. It's just my reality. I literally remind myself, each morning, that I am among the most fortunate people in the world. Thinking about the fact that people around the world get up ~ no question ~ and get working lights my fire. WOW. Just wow. I suck. I live to sleep in and I've never once thought about it in those terms. Sleeping in is forever ruined for me. Not blaming you, Colleen, well maybe a bit, because now this is in my head. But, really, it could have been anyone that put this thought in to my head. But ... now what? I get so much done after midnight. I'm, no matter how much sleep I've had, ineffectual, at best, in the morning. So many hours lost. I'm frustrated right now. Nothing seems to be enough (in my mind, not anything else). Waking time. Organic. USA made. Non twaddle books. Not observing stupid holidays. Dressing stylishly. No tv. No cheap stupid toys. Not having kids influenced by friends, tv or anything beyond the classics and having them love it. Ugh . . . I'll never measure up. We do and have been doing what we can. We simply cannot afford organic and I cannot find a local coop that lasts longer than 12 months. The older boys are growing at such a rate and are built so differently that I cannot justify organic or USA made clothing for them right now. The alternative is they turn their jeans into manpris and hope they grown soon. The rest of it ... I don't know. I had a run-in with my 15-yr-old last night and after he went to bed,I looked through TWTM and TWEM for some hope. I didn't find the inspiration I'd found when the boys were younger. So, I'm using poor Colleen's thread as a pity party. I'm tired, I'm burnt out and I can't meet up with all the non-homeschooling-related standards. I think it's just hit me that in 3-4 years, my older boys will be on their own (or digging a basement) and that's most likely it. They'll visit because some girl tells them they should visit. I hope this isn't the case, but I'm bracing myself. The boys are so tough to deal with right now, with the mood swings and anger and everything else teenage. And all three of them are being teenage at the same time. I'm just at the end of my rope. I would like nothing more than to run away to an island. Really. I'm worn down (emotionally and physcially) to a frazzle. Not to mention that for the first time in 18 years Mike is home every single evening. He gets home in time to really argue and spar with the boys. Just typing this makes me cry. Combine that all with PMS and I'm left with the bad of all of it and then they leave. Maybe it would all have been different if I'd been getting up earlier? (GO ahead, send chocolate or ignore this ... I'm just kind of ferklepmty this evening.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godpoetry Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 If by some chance I do not wake up on my own, I always have my three year old to remind me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Oh, Amy. My heart goes out to you. My boy is only ten--but I can see where we're headed once he doesn't necessarily want to please Mom anymore. If you're late nights are YOUR time then there's no reason--at all--to give them up. That's when I'm at my best, too (obviously. Our schedule is waaaay out of whack at the moment--but it doesn't mean I should give up my own down-time at the very time when it serves me best. Though it would be good to get up at least an hour before the kids.) Don't put so much preassure on yourself. It's OK. Do what you can--reasonably--and leave the rest. What makes us so fortunate is the fact that we have choices--it can be overwhelming--but it also means you can just do whatever you need. Sounds like you need to go have a quiet coffee somewhere. Arguing and sparring in the evenings is very stressful. Can you just go to a coffee shop and read a book? Or the library? Hang in there kiddo. I wish we could have a coffee in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 The only thing that gets me out of bed is my understanding that teaching my boys is my job: I chose it, and it's my responsibility. My boys are older though, so it's not so hard for me to get the sleep I need. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Okay, Amy, don't go all verklempt on me. If you suck, the rest of us are a lost cause. You enjoy sleeping in? Go for it, my friend! I don't. Can't stand it, in fact; even on vacation, sleeping in feels to me like lost time. Heck, sleeping ~ period ~ feels like lost time to me. But I'm strange ~ as Crissy so kindly agreed in another thread. (Which is why I'm not sharing my Warre's Warrior port with her.:p) What is this "Nothing seems to be enough, I'll never measure up" mantra? Are things like eating organic, buying local, getting up earlier, turning off the tv, reading classics only, yada yada yada important to you? If so, do what you can (as you have been); if not, don't worry about it. I know you know that. I rrealize you were letting it all hang out because life's hard right now. (((Amy))) But you know what? I don't want to be guilt-tripped because I encourage people to buy local/natural/organic. (And I know that wasn't your intent; just how it feels on the receiving end.) I asbolutely love being able to answer questions here about organics, etc. I don't have a single friend in my day-to-day life who gives a rat's ass about the subject. Forget about "never enough". Ninety-eight percent of what I care about is considered "over the top" by 98% of the people I know and love. So I just go about my business, doing what I can about what matters to me, and talking about it on occasion in my little virtual world. The last thing I want to do is bother people (especially cool people like you) in the process. I'm sorry things are hard, Amy. I'm not seeing a whole heckuvva lotta light at the end of the tunnel here, either...in fact, the tunnel itself is looking way too long right now. I count on you to assure me it'll be okay. So do your job, woman!;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLHCO Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 If my brain actually functioned in the morning to put such a thought together. Even if I could do something to ensure I made such a clear thought in a morning it wouldn't last more than one or two. I don't know how well I can help the lack of morning clarity but such things are good to remember during the day when we go about our responsibilities. I believe it was Charlotte Mason that discusses training the will of a child? I don't think I ever did and boy is it hard as an adult. However, the struggle to do so is mandatory so I just keep plugging away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tami Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 when I wake up every morning, the first thing I do is breathe a prayer of thanks to God for another day and I think of 10 things to be thankful for. I hope it doesn't sound trite or too Pollyainna-ish, but it really gets me in the right frame of mind! I have been doing it several years now - and it energizes me and brings me joy from the moment I awaken. I enjoy seeing my husband off with a cup of coffee and getting my chores doine before awakening dd at 7:39. If my chores get done early, I will generally have late afternoon FREE time. That prospect also helps me get me up and get my chrores done early. I don't enjoy the loss of productivity that comes with sleeping in. It makes me feel behind and cranky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Wisc Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Unless I have a reason to stay in bed (sick, up late too many nights in a row, vacation/holiday), I'm in charge of getting the world turning. If I don't get up, the family starts the day late...and it all goes down hill from there! If I get up before the family does, then I have time to meditate, drink a cup of tea, exercise, shower, check the boards...things that I like doing in the silence of my home. I check the night sky, stoke the stove and invite the barn cats to come in and warm themselves by the stove. I have a few moments of peace before the day begins. I can plan my day and make sure I schedule in the tasks that must be done so that the whole day runs more smoothly. Thinking about trying to do "catch up" all day just because I stayed in bed motivates me. Sometimes I get up just because it is my responsibility to do so. Right now I have a Lenten candle that reminds me that I have responsibilities--to eat well, exercise, stay on schedule, minimize time on the boards...This is part of my "spiritual worship". I am led to rise and be cheery each day because it is the work that I have been given to do. I remind myself that there are a lot of tasks out there that would be much more of a hardship than getting out of bed on time! Time to go--the house cleaning is calling (very loudly). :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in Orlando Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 I know you know that. I rrealize you were letting it all hang out because life's hard right now. (((Amy))) But you know what? I don't want to be guilt-tripped because I encourage people to buy local/natural/organic. (And I know that wasn't your intent; just how it feels on the receiving end.) I asbolutely love being able to answer questions here about organics, etc. I don't have a single friend in my day-to-day life who gives a rat's ass about the subject. Forget about "never enough". Ninety-eight percent of what I care about is considered "over the top" by 98% of the people I know and love. So I just go about my business, doing what I can about what matters to me, and talking about it on occasion in my little virtual world. The last thing I want to do is bother people (especially cool people like you) in the process. I'm sorry things are hard, Amy. I'm not seeing a whole heckuvva lotta light at the end of the tunnel here, either...in fact, the tunnel itself is looking way too long right now. I count on you to assure me it'll be okay. So do your job, woman!;) Ugh - not trying to guilt trip you at all Colleen. For years 4-5 hours of sleep was all I needed or wanted. Lately, sleeping in is my means of "escape." This week has been overwhelming for some reason. I love having boys, can't imagine anything else, but it's weird to live in a house where I simply do not understand their motivation or their interests. I feel like an alien a lot of days. The rest of the stuff, well, that's just all stuff floating around in my head all that time and it's getting crowded in there lately. I'm pretty sure it will be ok for me and you and everyone else. Just some nights are tougher than others, kwim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Drink lots and lots of water so I HAVE to get up. Usually it's not too hard, but since we've been keeping our house at 61 24/7, it's not been easy to get out of that warm cosy bed and layer up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenschooler Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 I have a 5 month old snuggled in with me and it is hard enough for me to make myself get out of bed anyway, much less with a cuddly little Teddy bear next to me (his name is Teddy ;)). If I had a cuddly little 5 month old in bed with me, I guarantee you I wouldn't get up. I'm having major baby envy right now! If I'm tired, or was up late the night before, I don't make myself get up early. Sometimes I have to stay up late to decompress, especially if I had to go out the night before. There are a certain number of 'decompression hours' I require at night, after the kids are in bed, and I simply can't go to sleep without them. If we were home the night before and everything was fairly routine, I need about 3-4 hours. If I had to go out, that jumps to more like 4-5 hours. I've also found that there is no reason to get up early if I'm tired. I'll have gotten up early, but nothing good will come of it. I'll be crankier than usual, and it will end up being one of those days - the kind we want to go back in time and redo. I won't feel like doing much of anything, so it won't be productive, either. An extra hour or two of sleep in the morning will ensure we have a normal day, I'm in a good enough mood, and can put forth a little energy. The main thing that gets me out of bed is the fact that there is no coffee in bed. I think my caffeine level being depleted is what really wakes me up. Honestly, I think if you're having to use multiple alarm clocks or really drag yourself out of bed, you're not getting enough sleep. So many people are extremely sleep-deprived (don't get me started on the sleep deprivation of children). Get all the rest you need. After all, you have to keep your milk supply up, right? So sleep is even more essential for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janna Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Ok, this just kills me. I am left with more questions than answers after reading what you do, LOL! So, um, what do you do between 5-7am? Ok, what do you do that keeps you awake between those hours? I have tried getting up well before the kids before. But I am so tired (this was pre-pregnancy too!) after being up for say, 30 min, that I'm either back to bed or dragging the whole rest of the day. Since being pg, I have had a few times of forcing myself to get up and go to the gym at 5:30 am before dh leaves for work, and I usually have an energy spurt so that I'm very much awake when I get home. But by the time the kids get up (anywhere between 8:30 and 9:30), I am so shot, LOL. So do you nap during the day? I mean, honestly, what do you do to keep you going - with joy? That last part is a little harder to answer, isn't it? LOL.... I'm fascinated. In awe. Almost bowing down before you, Judolops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 We have three cats. Tangie likes to sit next to my head and paw at me until I pet her, then get up and feed her. She generally does this right around 7:00 or so. Another cat, Mittens, will then also want petting, and bump me from the other side. Our third cat, Grey, sleeps with DS, and is the only cat I've ever known that loves to sleep in. Sometimes she doesn't even get up when DS does! Just a warm, curled ball of fur in the middle of the bed. Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 WOW. (GO ahead, send chocolate or ignore this ... I'm just kind of ferklepmty this evening.) Sending chocolate and ((HUGS))) your way, my dear!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Nothing. We all slept until we were finished sleeping on most days. On special days, such as Sundays when we'd be going to church and had to leave earlier, I just got my fanny up when it was time, and then woke the dc :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 My morning typically starts with the cat poking my face with his paw. You can almost hear him say, "Mommy, are you up, are you up, are you up?" Poke, poke, poke. He gets tossed off the bed and I then remember that I have a toddler coming over and I need to make sure the house is tidy for her arrival. I don't want her mother to see me unshowered, so I shower, dress, get coffee going and voila! The day has begun! Also, another motivation is that my back will start to ache if I lie in bed for long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 It's really the only time to connect before the day sort of explodes into taking care of the energetic needs of 5 kids. :) I love coffee, I love talking with DH. I love that it's so simple of a thing I can do to tell him I love him. Sappy, I know. But it makes me feel good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 at all!!! However, I love the mornings after I am up. But, I do not have enough discipline to do what Colleen does. In fact, at 5:30 I couldn't care one whit about people in the world. :-) But, I have asked my husband to kick me out of bed if necessary (in reality all he has to do is wake me up because I know he'll follow through) so that I can get my rear out of bed. For me, it is that moment of making myself get out of bed that is the hardest....no matter how much I want to do it. I told my dh the other day that you would think after 40 years I would have mastered the simple task of waking up, but it is still hard for me. Every morning. But I do it because the rewards are great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 I have a 5 month old snuggled in with me and it is hard enough for me to make myself get out of bed anyway, much less with a cuddly little Teddy bear next to me (his name is Teddy ;)). Knowing that I will be alone and undisturbed and not able to hear or respond to screaming for 10 minutes in a prickly hot shower used to get me up every morning. Now that we only have a bathtub (ugh), I mostly find excuses to stay in bed. Having a 5mo sounds like a good excuse to me. You can get up when he's six months old. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennifersLost Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 is going to tell you how cushy my life is right now, LOL. My alarm goes off (on school days), I generally need to pee, so I get up and as my feet hit the cold floor I tell myself "Jennifer - this is the hardest thing you'll do today." And about 99% of the time, unless I have a dentist or gyn appointment - I'm right! So I stay up and get to it. On weekends...I sleep until I'm ready to get up. The kids are perfectly trained to get up, feed themselves and entertain themselves until I'm up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. H. Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 I posted back on the schedule thread a couple of days ago that I get up around 5:00, and you asked me how I did it. When I had a snuggly five-month-old to cuddle and nurse in the mornings, I didn't. Simple as that. I stayed in bed a little longer and cuddled with that sweet fuzzy-headed baby every morning. I knew she would be our last baby, and I haven't looked back once and wished I had gotten up at 5 all those mornings. She's 1 now, and often still asleep and doesn't need me at 5 in the morning, so I get up for dh. He has hypoglycemia and must eat before his feet hit the floor, so he gets breakfast in bed. Now, before you all gasp in amazement, that usually entails a bowl of grits or oatmeal and a glass of milk, it takes me 5 min. to make it, and I can have my cup of coffee and sit in the bed chatting with dh while he eats. It's not a big fancy breakfast served up on a tray every morning, lol. My mother hates that I do this for my dh, but it's not a big deal, and doesn't take as much effort as it seems like, but dh likes to tell people at work that he gets breakfast in bed every morning. While dh is in the shower I am starting laundry, emptying the dishwasher, and making his sack lunch for work. By the time he leaves, I am awake enough to stay up and do other things, but that first getting out of bed is the hardest thing. Don't beat yourself up for wanting to snuggle a baby instead of getting up. I would worry about you if you would rather get up than stay in bed with him. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 But I'm strange ~ as Crissy so kindly agreed in another thread. (Which is why I'm not sharing my Warre's Warrior port with her.:p) Oh, but not in a BAD way.:o Just...um... Oh, heck. I better go buy my own bottle.:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWSJ Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 My two children start jumping and yelling. They won't stop unless I get up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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