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Original poster

What age were your kids when they got up alone in the morning?

67 replies

hidinginthenightgarden · 26/10/2018 06:56

DS just turned 6. I could have had an extra half hour in bed if I didn't need to get up with him. I am wondering how long until I get such luxuries? (DD is only 3 so will still have to get up with her but she only just woke).

OP posts:

TheKitchenWitch · 26/10/2018 07:47

I don't think a 2yo can really be relied on to judge whether a situation is safe or not, can they? I would definitely supervise a 2yo on stairs.

My 3yo quite often wants to bring toys downstairs with him, and then I'd rather he doesn't negotiate the stairs on his own.

Clare45BST · 26/10/2018 07:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Girliefriendlikesflowers · 26/10/2018 07:53

When dd was little we lived in a small flat so from about age 3 she would go to the living room and turn the telly on. I could hear her and once the telly was on she wouldn't move anyway!

She is older now 12 and we live in a house, she gets up quietly on a wend, watches a bit of telly and generally sorts herself out - it's bliss!

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Families

TokyoSushi · 26/10/2018 07:56

Mine are 5 & 7, they're bloody noisy but they're downstairs now, totally fine!

DiscoDown · 26/10/2018 07:58

DS aged 7 would be okay to get up by himself (he'd just watch tv) but he wants to be where I am so doesn't. He will occasionally go downstairs and eat breakfast, then come back upstairs to find me (I leave easy things out so he has them if he needs them).

AjasLipstick · 26/10/2018 07:59

What if a toddler choked? The seconds extra that it might take an older child to realise what was happening could mean it's too late.

pinkcardi · 26/10/2018 08:06

My 4 and 2yr old will happily potter about in the morning. Mostly upstairs with me but sometimes downstairs.

They can't yet make breakfast but can eat fruit from the fruit bowl.

I absolutely do not supervise either on the stairs, that wouldn't be possible in our house. I'm happy to let play independently whilst I do other things.

Learning to solve problems yourself and work things out is an important skill. They know they can come to me at any time if they need me.

Thirtyrock39 · 26/10/2018 08:07

I think any day now op for the 6 year old. Mine will get himself downstairs if there's something good on tv. Saying that I still have to make my 12 yo breakfast quite ridiculously so it depends on the child. My middle one ages 10 has been getting herself up dressed and fed for ages but is the most independent by far

vickibee · 26/10/2018 08:10

My Ds is nearly 12 but he has asd and suffers anxiety, does not like being anywhere on his own. It is like having a much younger child

Getoffthetableplease · 26/10/2018 08:11

Eldest was about 3.5 and would get up to play. He would happily turn tv on and get himself cereal at about 4. Now he's 7. 5 and will be up usually after his 2.5 year old brother wakes him up to play. We don't have stairs, and I can hear them wherever they are. I don't know what the difference is between letting them get up alone and letting them play alone later in the day is. Ditto things such as furniture over (strap it to the wall as it should be) and choking (ensure they know to always sit down to eat, for a start), these things could happen in any home any time. I don't want to hover over doing absolutely everything for my children, that's not teaching them anything. Freedom and responsibility within their own home is no bad thing.

Owletterocks · 26/10/2018 08:11

My 5&6 year olds get up on their own for half an hour or so, don’t get breakfast yet and happy to wait half an hour or might get fruit. They have done that for at least about 6 months on a weekend.

pinkcardi · 26/10/2018 08:16

Ajas do you keep your little ones with you at all times? Surely they could choke at any time, it's a risk that you assess. At what age is it safe? Even adults choke.

I often leave mine whilst I do something else, I cannot bring them with me at all times: putting on a wash (the machine isn't in the main house), hanging up washing, getting fire wood from outside, taking the bins out, making beds upstairs whilst she plays downstairs, taking a shower, mopping the kitchen floor....at all these times and many more they are not with me.

Scotinoz · 26/10/2018 08:16

Mine are nearly 5 and 3.5. They can't work the TV, but we do fob them off with iPads on a weekend morning.

And they can roam the house as they wish, although I have caught the younger one on the worktop to reach the biscuits from the top cupboard 😕

Believeitornot · 26/10/2018 08:19

Mine are 9&6 and have sorted their breakfast etc. For st least two years they’ve been capable but in the early days I’d go with them.

sdaisy26 · 26/10/2018 08:20

My 6 & 4 yo have been doing this for quite a while - a year at least. They will either play together in their bedrooms or go downstairs to watch tv. They don’t get their own breakfast but are happy enough without it. I trust them to a) be safe b) yell about it loudly enough if one of them isn’t!

We don’t let them watch tv or use tablets in the week so they are happily quiet and entertain themselves on weekend mornings as they know as soon as we’re up tv & tablets go off!

Flobalob · 26/10/2018 08:20

From about 6. My 8 year old just told me he woke up at 3.30am. He said he's had breakfast, made us all lunch (packed lunch) and tidied his bedroom.

PenguinSaidEverything · 26/10/2018 08:22

I feel like the worst parent ever reading this thread! But the honest answer is that DC1 got up alone at three and watched CBeebies till we got up

BevBrook · 26/10/2018 08:27

My eldest has always woken up at silly o’clock, like any time from 5am, ready to start the day. By the time he was four thankfully he was able to entertain himself in his room with his toys, mostly Lego, for an hour or so. From the age of 7 or so he has got up and read in the front room. We have never allowed screens in the morning partly because if they were able to play on / watch screens I am sure they would get up at 4am if they happened to wake up then and not even try to go back to sleep.
They are 8 and 10and they get up and read or draw. They don’t get their own breakfast although they have occassionally, if I left milk in a jug instead of a massive 6 Pinter they might be able to.

sickmumma · 26/10/2018 08:29

My 3, aged 4,7 and 9 get themselves up. Really once the 4 year old is awake generally we are awake and she will come and watch tv in our room or we will get up as she's a bit young still but the older two are able to do own breakfast if they fancy it but generally will sit and watch tv for 30 mins/an hour until we are fully awake, we don't tend to sleep in anyway 8 is late for us!

OddestSock · 26/10/2018 08:29

Mine are 8 and almost 7. I’d love them to get up on their own but they always call for us in the morning before getting out of bed (I’ve told them many times they can get up before us, they just don’t want to!)

queenbeetofive · 26/10/2018 08:35

My 4 year old gets up goes downstairs to use the bathroom, then gets in my bed with me with her iPad or plays in her room until I get up, 2 year old sleeps in a travel cot and hasn't worked out how to get out of it yet thank god lol but she'll happily just lay there quietly until I'm up

TheBitchOfTheVicar · 26/10/2018 10:58

Probably last summer holidays, so when they were turning 8 and 6 they did it consistently. Older DC is a proper lark, and I am very pleased they don't need me any more at 5am! Mostly is it because they have worked out that they can do all manner of slime-related activities and I shall be none the wiser!

Howhot · 26/10/2018 11:17

DS is 5 and he goes downstairs alone most mornings. He can work the TV better than I can. I'm not keen on him helping himself to breakfast though, i have been known to go down and get him something quick and then sneak back up for half an hour...

PhilomenaDeathsHeadHawkMoth · 26/10/2018 11:21

Not sure. DS2's 7 and gets the tablet and sits in our bedroom window for the WiFi. He tells me when he's hungry and asks permission to put the TV on.

Villanelle123 · 26/10/2018 11:23

Very young. Mine are super independent.

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