The background is my two boys go to bed at 8.30 p.m. and have their light turned off at 9 p.m. In the morning their alarm goes off at 7.30 a.m. Their underwear, uniform and shoes are laid out in their room. Their breakfast is set out at the table by me while they are getting dressed (so they can decide what they want in the morning). Their school snack and water bottle are on the windowsill by the front door to go into their school bags.
DS2 is six. He gets up when the alarm goes off, comes to see me for a good morning hug. When I tell him he gets dressed (including shoes), goes downstairs, eats his breakfast, brushes his teeth and watches TV for half an hour until it's time to go to school. Then he puts his coat on, puts his snack and bottle in his bag and I do his hair.
DS1 will be 10 in January. Five minutes after his alarm goes off I take the duvet, blanket and pillow off his bed so he can't hide under them. Eventually I bribe, cajole, threaten or use emotional blackmail (e.g. the dog is waiting for a pat from you) until he gets up. He spends 25-50 minutes in various stages of undress until he finally gets downstairs minus his shoes and sometimes without his socks on. He then eats breakfast but it can be difficult to get him to eat much because by this time everyone else is waiting to leave. By the time I get him out of the house I am stressed out and exhausted.
Am I expecting too much of him? I try to make sure he has enough sleep, e.g. same bedtime at the weekends. I get everything ready for him. Short of dragging him out of bed, dressing him myself and feeding him like a baby, I don't see what else I can do to get him ready. I dread to think what it will be like when he goes to high school and has to be on time for the bus.
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AIBU?
To expect my nine-year-old to get ready for school?
35 replies
StuntNun · 17/10/2012 13:23
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Everlong ·
17/10/2012 14:00
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Everlong ·
17/10/2012 14:41
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