definition of insanity??

Question

if repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity,,
would I be considered insane for waking up my kids at 6 am every morning for school?? every morning i have to go into their rooms 5 or 6 times and I expect to see them dressed and ready to go,,but they never are ,,,but i did expect them to be,,,does this qualify me for being insane????

Answer 1

insane is a legal term, not a psyciatric term
having unrealistic expectations can lead to mental illness for you and for your children
it's like going to a hardware store for bread and wine.

go into their room once or give them an alarm clock. if they don't get up and be ready on time give them consequences, but don't get upset. it'll be hard to see them miss school, to which there will be natural consequences, but also, if they are late for school give them additional consequences like grounding them or making them have a time out for as long as they were late.
if you have to provide them with a ride to school and they aren't old enough to stay home alone, pick them up and put them in the car and let them go to school in their pajamas. They'll learn to be on time.
It's a heartbreaker, but if they don't start waking themselves up in the morning they'll be twenty five years old and still living at home because they can't keep a job.

Answer 2

That's merely a colloquial "definition" of insanity, and is not representative of mental illness.

Were you hallucinating on your way up the stairs to get the kids, or if you were persistent in the belief that your children were actually aliens, THAT might be a different story.

As things stand, you are hopeful that both routine and maturity will eventually win out, and that your kidlets will rise on their own and not give you (as much) grief.

Hang in there,
~M~

p.s. If your kids are early jr. high aged or older, here's how to solve that problem: don't. Inform your children the night before that there will be no more multiple wake ups.

Breakfast will be served at x:xx. If you're not there: no breakfast (hint: contrary to popular belief, missing a day or two of breakfast will not kill or educationally handicap your child - it will make him remember, however, that a fully belly feels better until lunch time than an empty one). If you miss the bus - you'll have to walk (no rides to school).

If you take them to school , tell them your car leaves at x:xx. If you're not in the car, you'll have to face the consequences. THEN ALLOW THEM TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES. That may mean an unexcused absence from school. Will this permanently harm them? Heavens no. Will it make a permanent impression on their little psyche's that one is responsible for getting to work/school on time? Yup. Sure will.

Allow them to be late a few times. ALLOW them to experience the natural consequences of behaving irresponsibly. A few tardy marks or tummy grumblings before lunch won't harm them in the long run, but I guarantee a trip to the principal and calls home to mother will have your little angels up and rolling on time in less than 2 weeks.

Answer 3

No, because there is a changing variable in this situation. That is, your children's maturity, and their own body chemistry. It's changing them every day.
One of these days it will change the part of them that gets them up on time. Stick with it. All you can do is continue to show them what's expected of them. They'll get it eventually.

Answer 4

You are well on your way. How old are these 'kids'?

Have consequences for their actions.
Allow them the consequences of their actions.
Stop over-living. That is, stop doing their living FOR them. Let them do their OWN living.

Answer 5

Why have kids then if your going to complain, one could ask.
No, your not insane.

Answer 6

Definitely go with what Michele is saying, it works, and don't feel sorry for them, they are running you ragged.

Answer 7

insanity is mental instability! So ask your self are you mentally unstable?