I wake up each kid with lots of kisses and hugs and cheerfully nudge them out of bed chirping, "Rise and shine! It's time to start a glorious new day!" The children pop up out of bed, tell me how much they love me and are looking forward to their new day. They get themselves ready while dancing to music I have playing through the computer downstairs; I continue getting ready, and I drop them off at their school at the earliest possible time (7:35) so I can get to work by 8:30.
How most mornings *actually* go:
6:00 a.m.. is my first attempt to gently wake up kids who very crankily say, "Nooooo. I'm not ready to get up." (Keep in mind, this is nearly always after 9-10 hours of sleep.) Or, sometimes, they simply pretend not to hear me at all.
6:30: attempt 2, I begin to beg. "C'mon guys, please. You have to get up, or you won't have enough time to eat breakfast."
7:00: final attempt, I start to get annoyed and launch into a voice that apparently Gabe hates because he likes to whine, "Mom, please don't use THAT voice" to which I curtly respond, "And I don't like it when you whine like a baby. If you don't get up right now, you will be late for school. Let's go, Gabe. On the double!"
The entire morning, I hear myself hollering prompts down the stairs like, "Are your shoes on?" "Is your bowl in the sink?" "Did you brush your teeth?" "Is your jacket on?" "Do you have your backpack?" "C'mon guys, we're gonna be late. I need you to move a little faster." Gabe has advanced to expert level with ignoring everything I ask. Sofia still dutifully answers my questions.
This morning, I reminded them both that if they don't like me asking these questions, there's a checklist on the bulletin board that they helped make. Achievement-oriented Sofia loves checking each item off the list. Gabe has no interest whatsoever in the list.
We are often racing the clock to get the kids to school before the bell rings at 7:50, and I am lucky to get to work by 8:30.
Yeah, Saturday and Sunday mornings are DEFINITELY my favorite mornings of the week!!! :D On the weekends, we all sleep in, no one is cranky and I don't have to feel like a nag. :)
2 comments:
Boy, I remember those days! Funny, though, Eli told me, when he was in about 3rd or 4th grade, that if I'd make him a waffle and put it on his face, he'd get up. Just for kicks, I tried it one morning, and it worked. Haha! He was a goofball. Love you all!
Maybe if you try the music trick - with a bit of Nine Inch Nails (music ONLY, no lyrics, obviously!!) screaming guitar riffs you'd all be running around like mad things. :)
Bah hah hah! Kidding. Obviously this is the advice of someone with no children. Feel free to ignore me completely! ;)
Post a Comment