How bout……
The Early Bird Gets the
PRISON Term
I just went over and visited Common Chaos Chronicle and she spoke of Bedtime Routines and the problem of getting some of her children to sleep. Read it here.
I am not going to go into my routine at the moment, because as I type RIGHT NOW, I am having the same problem as CCC and my only remedy is a glass of white wine (or two).What I want to bring up is the EARLY MORNING RISERS. And guess what, would you believe, it’s my boys (almost 7, 5 and almost 3 year old that are the trouble).
5.45am to 6.00am would have to be the most rotten time of the day to be woken and especially when you are woken by 3 noisy boys running up and down a hall way, making engine and zooming plane sounds. Rolling a toy truck or car from one end of the hall way to the other or playing soccer. They wake up the whole house hold. (Oh and NEVER when dad is home of a weekend ….WHY of course NOT). And at this time, it’s still dark, cold and not a time to be up.
So what do I do? Probably what most parents with 7 kids would do; storm up the hall, yell and demand….”GET BACK TO BED, it’s still night time” and “GO BACK TO BED until the sun shines”. Then of course, I get the “I’m not tired” answer….so I have told my boys to read or look at some books till it does. This again only lasts for about 2 mins and they are at it again. (perhaps I should get some ear plugs).
My only thought (this evening as I type actually) is, perhaps I could get a kids clock in their bedroom, and tell Boy 7 that when the little hand touches the 7 (his age) you are allowed out of your room. (I am sure I would have to reward them somehow though)…..
So does anyone have any ideas? Oh and before anyone suggests, that I put them in my bed with me you can THINK AGAIN!
I remember seeing a “hall pass” idea somewhere recently, though it was intended for children who tend to get out of bed constantly when they’re supposed to be going to sleep. Anyway, the basic idea was that the child is allowed a certain number of these hall passes for a drink of water or such, but has to turn one each time he gets up. For each night (or series of nights) that he stayed in his room and tried to sleep, he would earn another pass.
I don’t know how well a modified version of this would work in this case, but something like that might be worth a try.
I feel your pain, or should I say groggy headed need more sleep zombie mode. I have four kids 2 boys aged 6 and 4 then 1 girl almost 2, then 1 boy 7 months, and unfortunately our eldest trained us quick smart that rise and shine would, following his arrival, be anywhere between 3am and 5:30am and anything after 6am would now be considered a sleep in. Talk about a rude shock for two new parents, but mainly me as hubby is a plumber and would often be gone to work anywhere between those hours. Sorry I don’t have any tips, even after 6 years of early starts, except to teach them what quiet as a mouse sounds like and hope that they don’t venture into the medicine cabinet while you listen from in bed. I hope that you get some better tips than this though! I could really use some zzz’s.