Adventures in Parenting

“It’s time to get up.”

“Get up now or you’ll be late!”

“GET UP NOW OR I’LL KILL YOU!”

How many times and how many ways do you have to wake your kids up for school?

I used to yell, scream, shake them to get them out of bed for school. I get so frustrated that the rest of my day is ruined.

Then I had an epiphany.

When my son started the 6th grade, he had a difficult time adjusting to middle school. He would come home from school feeling dejected.

What can I do to help him?

I realized that being woken up with screaming and threats probably doesn’t contribute to a happy day for him. If my husband ever did that to me, I would leave him. So why am I doing that to my son?

Now our new and improved waking up routine is much more peaceful and effective. I place a warm damp towel on my son’s face in the morning and greet him kindly.

You might think that a towel on his face feels too comfortable to wake him. You might think that he would just roll over and go back to sleep.

Surprisingly the opposite is true. From what I remember, he has only gone back to sleep once in 6 years that I have used this method. He may linger a little in bed, but he will get up soon after that.

A little gentleness and a few kind words starts the day better for everyone.