The Morning Struggle: Waking Kids for School is a Challenge

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On weekends and during vacations, my children seem to have an unspoken competition with the cheerful birds outside to see who can wake up the earliest. They spring from their beds at the crack of dawn, bursting with energy as if they’ve been sleeping on springs infused with espresso. The concept of “sleeping in” is foreign to them—unless it involves lounging in the living room or setting up camp in a makeshift tent somewhere other than their beds.

However, when school days roll around, that vibrant morning enthusiasm disappears. Instead of bouncing out of bed, they lay dormant, drooling into their pillows, as if those flimsy mattresses have cast a spell of deep slumber. I know that the next twenty minutes will be some of the most stressful of my day because, honestly, waking them up is the absolute worst.

The early hours are often the only moments of peace in my home, where silence reigns without the usual bickering or the distracting beeping of gadgets. Interrupting that tranquility feels fundamentally wrong, like crashing a symphony with an air horn or applying mustard to dessert.

From their infancy, I’ve bent over backwards to keep them asleep—whether it’s tackling delivery personnel to prevent doorbell rings or using a slew of shushing sounds that could fill a hot air balloon. Naturally, trying to wake them up after years of preserving their slumber feels counterintuitive.

I start with cheerful tactics, opening curtains to let in golden sunlight, hoping they’ll emerge from their dreamland like the sun at dawn. “Good morning!” I sing, channeling my inner Mary Poppins. I pat their arms and offer gentle nudges, but I’m met with resistance—motionless lumps in bed that seem impervious to my attempts.

When sweet methods fail, I escalate to a more commanding tone, turning pats into pokes and cheerful nudges into urgent shoves. “Time to get up!” I declare, but usually only receive a muffled groan or the sound of covers being pulled tighter. Frustration sets in, and I resort to my “mean mom” voice, a blend of drill sergeant and villain: “GET! OUT! OF BED!” By the time their eyes finally flutter open, we’re both glaring at one another, caught in a standoff over the sheets.

To add to the stress, it’s a school morning, and I’m racing against the clock. If I don’t manage to wake them in time, it could lead to a cascade of unfortunate events—like having to throw on a bra and endure the morning drop-off line. That looming dread fuels my determination to drag them out of bed, no matter what.

This is my routine five days a week, a relentless battle that never seems to change. They’re perpetually difficult to rouse on school mornings. Yet, once they finally come around, they’re decent little humans, and the morning routine flows smoothly—until, of course, they start complaining about breakfast options, but at least they’re dressed and ready by then.

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Summary: Waking kids for school can be a daunting task filled with frustration and chaos. The contrast between their weekend energy and school morning lethargy can lead to a stressful start for parents. Despite the challenges of getting them out of bed, once they are awake, the morning routine can flow smoothly—until breakfast complaints arise.