Everything I look up suggests the same tips:
Stay organized. Check. Lunch is made, clothes are out, backpack in it's place.
Stay organized. Check. Lunch is made, clothes are out, backpack in it's place.
Put the kids to bed early. Check. They are in bed, by 8:00, lights out.
Wake them up on time. Check. I wake him up an hour and 15 minutes before we have to leave the house.
Give 2 minute warnings. Check. I give 15 minute and 30 minute warnings and then make the warnings more frequent as the time gets closer.
But as the time gets closer and I let him know it's time to do surprising things like brush his teeth and get dressed, the level of frustration in our house increases as George gets upset that he has to be pulled away from his current activity to get ready for school. And simple requests for him to start getting ready blow up into full on temper tantrums. Some days, I feel as if I have to literally drag him out of the house and into the car. You'd think this fussiness of his would carry into school, but the minute we hit the playground and wait in line with his class to enter the building he is a different child, happy to be there and ready to have a good time, transforming into the class comedian.
So how do I ease the level of frustration before I give up one day and he shows up to school in his pajamas, hungry and messy?
I'm desperate.
I guess as my pain-in-the-butt dad would say, if this is the worse I have to deal with, then Life is Good. Check.
I'm desperate.
I guess as my pain-in-the-butt dad would say, if this is the worse I have to deal with, then Life is Good. Check.
oh goodness. totally relate! Of course we homeschool so it's not really the mornings that are the problem, and I don't know if it's a "boy" thing or not, but they get so absorbed in what they're doing, it's really hard to keep them on task! wish I had some helpful advice, but I haven't figured it out either!
ReplyDeleteYour dad is very smart :)
ReplyDeleteI don't have that problem as yet, but I am hoping that my son helps better with our routine. I get up 1hr and a half before we need to leave...Sigh. Maybe we'll get there.
Yes apparently in school they go in to class, say good morning. Knows where to put their booksack, blankets, homework , the whole drill!!! *think mouth on the floor here* but at home, you have to be the drill!
How I wish I could tell you it gets better, Danielle, but with this one I don't know. My 12-year-old acts the same way! I wake her up at 7:30. I fix her breakfast and pack her lunch (just for the record, she doesn't like sandwiches, either!). All she has to do is get up, shower, put on her clothes, eat her breakfast, gather her things and walk out the door. You'd think an hour and 10 minutes would be sufficient, but Nooo! By 8:15 I'm reminding her yet again that her breakfast is getting cold. She comes to the table-hair uncombed, no socks or shoes-around 8:30 when we're supposed to leave at 8:40. Thank God we live 5 minutes from her school or she'd be late every day. She is going to be in for a rude awakening when I start working after the new year and she has to do it all on her own AND get herself to school on time! She catches an attitude with me when I'm yelling at her at 8:45 to COME.ON.RIGHT.NOW.OR.YOU'LL.BE.LATE! (first bell rings at 8:46; tardy bell at 8:55) as if it's now MY fault that she's having to rush to the car with both arms full of books, notebooks (the backpack is empty of course) and untied shoes. Have to side with your dad, though. As frustrating as it is on a daily basis, it could be lots worse...I guess.
ReplyDelete