I may start requesting turn-down service too.

The snooze alarm is a horrible innovation. Emily already has a love hate relationship with her snooze button. Before Christmas break it had gotten to the point where every morning we raced around like the keystone cops trying to get her to school on time. Emily takes a long time to do things, she always has, and I try not to hurry her, because I think her internal clock deserves respect.

I tried several strategies to get her moving in the morning, and help her manage her time. All to no avail, and sometimes I'd walk in her room to ask her about homework or lunch money, and find her half dressed and passed out on her bed! The morning would end with her yelling at me because I had the audacity to RUSH her, and she hates to be RUSHED! And I would retort that sometimes it's necessary to HURRY and this is one of those times, because the bell is going to ring in 15 minutes, and I'm not signing you in late!

And then one day I woke up and said, "Hey, why is this my problem?" I don't have to go to school. I don't have a problem getting out of bed. I rarely even use my snooze button. Why am I dragging her out of bed like a sack of sleepy potatoes? I decided since it's easy for me to get out of bed, she should be the one to wake me up. So I told her, you're in charge, kid. You know we have to leave the house at 7:00. I will be happy to pack your lunch and drive you to school. I will not be happy to sign you in late, or engage in the epic morning battle we've been having. I'd like a wake up call at 6:45, if you want me to make you breakfast or help you with your hair, wake me up at 6:30.

It's worked really well, because she knows she must get up. She can't depend on me any more as a fail-safe back-up, so, wonder of wonders, she actually gets up and gets ready! And I get an extra hour of sleep!

Comments

[liz]

You are a parenting genius! I love this!

[Kira]

Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

[Kira]

Now I'm trying to figure out how I can use this to get myself out of bed...

[heidi]

Can I be you when I grow up?

[Mrs. Kennedy]

You win.

[lizardek]

OMG you are a genius. Can Emily wake me up, too, please?

[bethany actually]

BRILLIANT. I wish my mom had done this for me! Come to think of it, this is how I do things with my own kids. I don't get up early...I just get up when one of them wakes me up. :-) But we homeschool, so we are rarely in a hurry in the mornings.

[Liz]

Heh, well played!

[el-e-e]

Whoa. That is fabulous!

Also I think the keystone cops reference is perfect for the morning rush (except to me it indicates a happy little MOOD, and I don't think we have THAT going on in our morning rush). I wonder if the next generation will understand it? :)

[Sam]

You are a parenting genius! How smart!

[The Third Rail]

So brilliant! Wish I had thought of this years ago!