What are some good ways to wake up kids who are difficult to wake up?

Question

I'm not a parent, but I'm interested in hearing about some methods that some of you who do have kids have used in such situations.

When my sister and I were kids, if we wouldn't get up and going when we were supposed to, Mom would pull the covers back, sit next to us on the bed and tickle us relentlessly until we agreed to get up.

Answer 1

I've heard of parents turning on the lights and I've also heard of parents literally dumping the kid out of the bed...just lifting up the mattress and rolling them off the bed. Some parents have been more cruel. A friend of mine said her mother used to carry a spray bottle and if she was not out of bed by the 2nd call, her mother would squirt her with water until she was up. My mom used to turn on the light, and she would also pull back the covers and tickle us until my brother peed the bed one time and then that method ended in a hurry. LOL!!!

Answer 2

I absolutely HATED being awakened in the mornings when I was a kid (still do, really). I have a 5 year old, and she's a monster in the mornings on the rare occasions that I have to wake her up. We're obviously not morning people.

I've found that if I get my daughter to bed at the right time, she naturally wakes up on her own at the right time in the mornings - no struggles, no stress, no grumpiness, etc. If she occasionally starts waking up earlier or later than normal, I just adjust her bedtime a little and we're back on track.

Answer 3

I've ALWAYS been a night person. I had to change that when I was required to start working early mornings. I get at least 8 hours of sleep a night and I force myself to follow that schedule without taking any naps during the day. I also found out my body clock works better if I change it by a half hour. For instance, instead of getting up at 6:00 a.m., I get up at 5:30 and I SWEAR this keeps me more alert and awake during the day. It has to do with when I interrupt my sleep/REM/dream cycle. You can find yours by trying to wake up a little earlier or later in the morning. Just make sure you go to bed at the same time every night.

Answer 4

hmm well i never really had a problem waking up so..i was okay with that....as long as i had about 4 alarms set...lol....but see my parents got me a bunch of alarm clocks...and whenever i would have a all nighter..i would set the alarms and put them all around my room...that way they'd all keep ringing untill i actually got up to go turn them off. That always got me up..but a bit grumpy....i really like that tickling idea...except i hate when others wake me up.....i get REALLY grumpy and pissed...the only way i can wake up is with an alarm clock....lol....any other way..it ruins my day sad to say....

=]

Answer 5

We have a rule that the kids have to set their clothes out the day before. They have their own alarm clock that they have to set themselves. We have them get dress the moment the get out of bed shoes included. Then it's bathroom, breakfast and TV if their is any time left. We make them get up one hour before they have to be at the bus stop. Bedtime is the same time every night and no more than an hour off on weekends. If they have trouble getting up then we make them go to bed 30 minutes earlier the next night and wake up 15 minutes earlier the next morning. The key is to have them take responsibility.

If they do not get up after 15 minutes of the alarm going off I physically wake them up. By physical I mean turn the lights on, pulling the covers off and pulling them out of bed. Trust me they learn really quick to wake up!

Answer 6

I will turn the lights on and sit on there bed and just talk to them. Honey its time to get up. They will get up. I always give us enough time to get around and if were running late I will carry them to the living room with cartoons on and give them something to drink. Mine are 41/2 and 3. I am a stay at home mom and we dont always have to be up at a certain time. But I would have to say my 41/2 yr old she wakes up easy and before me. First bird she is up! The younger one is hard some times. I also let sister go in there and give her hugs and wake her up.

Answer 7

I have one child, age 7, that has a hard time getting up in the morning. What I started doing was allowing her to stay up 1/2 later then her younger sister at night with the aggrement that when the alarm went off in the morning she got up and started getting dressed. If she isn't up in the morning when I get up (their alarm is set 10 min earlier then mine to give them a few min to get out and started) and at least starting to get dressed then that night she has to go to bed with her sister. It seemed to work for her so far. When I was a kid my mom would come in tell us to get up and turn on the light. It was terrible to all of a sudden be woken up by being blinded. I got so many headaches from it. Good luck

Answer 8

What worked best for me with my kids was to say something nice to them, like "Wake up pretty blue eyes" They wake up easier and in a nice mood. I still use it with my daughter today and she's an adult.

Answer 9

Ah!! My mom keeps talking to me after I wake up and it drives me crazy and I can't go back to sleep so I wake up and get out of bed.

Answer 10

Yeah - the tickle relentlessly thing does work ... but ... a little less likely to get you kicked in the stomach is simply running your finger around their ears.

They'll probably slap your hand mercilessly, but you're less likely to end up with bruises, and they tend not to be a grumpy for the next hour or so afterwards!