What is the best way to get a nine year old out of bed and to be awake in the morning?

Question

I am open to any suggestion like cold marbles, and nerf guns

I am just the babysitter in the morning and I do not control his bed time

I have to get him to a day camp at 8:30 and I start waking him at 7:30

Answer 1

Get a squirt bottle and put cold water in it. That'll get 'em. I've used a bicycle horn in the past, too - one of those loud annoying ones with the black rubber bulb and the spiral metal horn. Just keep honking that and jumping around singing some stupid "wake up" song. Maybe steal the covers, too. You've just got be an annoying nuisance and let them know it's not gonna stop 'till they get up.

Answer 2

Find out his favorite breakfast and make it. Let him know your expectations and that there will be consequences if he does not respect them. If he still doesnt wake up in time let there be natural consequences for example he has to go to day camp in his pajamas without breakfast. I took a course on that and tried it and it worked great. 9 yr olds are starting to be concerned about what others think about them and their appearance to some extent so when he gets teased about his jammies maybe he'll think twice. I also got my son a cool, but cheap-o alrm clock that looks like a baseball helmet from his favorite team. I taught him how to set it. He doesnt always use it but its an incentive. Or just rip the blankets and sheets off and turn all the lights on.

Answer 3

I'ts very hard if you can't monitor bedtime. Poor kid is probably not getting enough snooze time.

I can think of lots of inhumane ways to wake him up--ice water, air horn, etc.

You've probably tried enticing him with his favorite breakfast, or a promised treat--like candy. Maybe you can promise if he gets up you'll take him swimming later on.

We put our son's alarm clock across the room. No one else will turn it off, so he has to get it if he wants the shrieking to stop.

Dad plays army sergeant sometimes, "Joel, get out of bed! Joel, get out of bed!..." until he finally responds.

Personally, I'd get a big package of rubber bands. Maybe he'll get into the spirit of things and you can chase each other about having a rubber band war.

My son resents getting up on time, so we let him set the alarm clock for early, and then go back to sleep. Another clock wakes him up in 30 minutes or so.
Good luck!

Answer 4

Since you are the sitter, ask the parents for advice. When my son was the same age my husband and I took a class for foster parents. The instructor answered my question regarding the same issue by telling us to buy him an alarm clock and showing him how to use it. Once his alarm went off he had five minutes to be down stairs. When that didn't happen I took a 6oz. tumbler of ice water upstairs and poured it on him. Believe me he got up quickly. The rule was once I had the water in the cup, he got the water thrown on him. It only took 3 days to break him of not getting up.

You would need mom and dad's permission to do this, though.

Answer 5

I have the same problem with my kids in the morning. I usually turn the light on and try and get them up that way. When it doesn't work, I either squirt them with a water bottle or tell them they won't eat breakfast. I sat down with my kids, one of whom is nine and told them that if they don't get up on time then we all run late. I make them get up, get dressed down to their shoes, do their hair and make sure they have everything they need for the day. The last things they do are, eat and brush their teeth. If there is no time to eat, they will remember this. It has only happened once to my kids. When I try and wake them up in the morning, I remind them that if they don't get up now, they won't get to eat breakfast. I know it seems really harsh, but trust me it only takes once. If all else fails, talk to their parent and see if they can get them to bed earlier for you. Explain to them the trouble that your are having. Good luck.

Answer 6

At his age he should be responsible for getting his own butt out of bed and awake in the morning. If he has to go to school and he isn't ready shove him out the door anyway. I actually sent my daughter to school in her pajamas once because she wouldn't get out of bed. As a working single mom I lose money if I'm late for work and I would have been late for work had I fussed with her about getting ready. So she got on the bus and went to school in her Pjs. I called the school and they laughed about it and kept her all day. Funny thing is she was NEVER late getting up after that.

Answer 7

Have a set bed time each night. Reduce the time by 1/2 hour each night if they have a problem getting up in the morning.
Be consistant.
Non school days they can sleep in longer so they can be up later at night.

Answer 8

I used to tell mine if he didn't get up he would have to go to bed a half hour earlier that night. I would keep increasing it by 30 minutes until he could get out of bed without being tired. It pretty much cured the problem.

Answer 9

Try starting to wake him like at 7:15. Ask him what kinds of things he likes to do. Try to use that towards waking him up in the morning.

Answer 10

Even when my mom sent me to bed earlier I didn't care I still wanted to stay in bed the next morning. My mom would get cold glass of water and she would give me three chances on the third chance she would pour water on me if I wasn't up.
Needless to say before she got to the b/r on the third chance I was up getting dressed. I forgot to mention she would put the glass of water in freezer so it was extra cold.