Youngest two DC are not 'morning people' and I would like to know how your morning, before school routine goes please?

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I am pretty much at my wits end. At the point where I have realised I hold my breath/grind my teeth in the mornings because DS2 (14) and DD (10) are absolute nightmares. Please can you tell me what your mornings look like before school with your DC so I can see where I am going wrong? I won't write out what I do until I have read a few people's experiences because I don't think after this particular awful morning, that I can take a MN beating about my shoddy parenting and I am at work and don't think crying at my desk is a good look.

(These children then change into my typical, pretty much well behaved, lovely DC once we are in the car on the way to school btw. Literally go from sulky/screaming/refusing zombie behaviour at 7.30am to cheerful 'Love you mum' at 8.15am drop off.) Thanks if you take the time to help me

Don't put yourself down. You're doing the right thing by noticing there's room for improvement and now working out how to do that.

I've got 4 and 1 year old so not much use me telling you how I do mine. I just wanted to say give yourself a break and welldone for being a caring mum.

How about having a think about the stressful bits and seeing if there's something you can do to make those bits easier. Maybe more prep in the evening? Could they be instructed to do more for themselves?

My DD7 and DS4 aren’t morning people either, especially DD. I basically have to nag, moan and bribe her out of bed and out the door. Although it seems to be getting a tiny bit easier. As you say, once they are outside they are a pleasure and annoyingly my daughter then rushes me to school (we can walk) saying ‘we’re going to be late, COME ONNNN’ when I have been saying that for the last hour. I basically have to dress them myself which for the 4 year old I can forgive (expect as he does try) but is really frustrating with the 7 (nearly 8 year old)

Both mine take after their father and need at least an hour to get moving in the morning. We fought and I shouted and buses were missed and an irate mother would then have to drive them to school. Eventually they decided to get up earlier and make mornings better for all.

Maybe you need to give them more time. We wake up at 7:30, I stand over my 11 year old until she stands up. She has to leave at 8:25. I try and get her downstairs for 8:10 so she eat breakfast and do try to explain that if she doesn't and is dashing about at 8:20 she is leaving no time to find something or whatever may go wrong.

The 9 year old leaves at 8:40 so will potter on down once she hears people up and about. So has an hour to get ready.

None of us are morning people and we often have the same. Grumpy at being dragged out of bed but fine once up.
They do get up eventually then it’s a mad rush for them to get ready and out of the door.
Do your dc have phones in their rooms at night? I make mine leave them downstairs before bed to avoid the temptation and hopefully, read instead!

Maybe start waking them up earlier so there's less of a rush around? I open the curtains in their rooms and put the hall lights on etc so they pretty much have to get up - if they don't I just stand next to them until they do!

I try to put loads of stuff out the night before - uniforms on hangers, snacks and water bottles done and in fridge, PE kits next to bags, bags already packed, shoes by the door... then there's less room for errors in the morning when nobody is properly awake.

Could you spur them on a bit by doing some favourite breakfasts? Or them doing it? For instance DS loves pancakes but I've always said there's not time on a school morning - so the other night he made some mixture ip and left it in the fridge, then made himself some the next morning.
Frozen croissants are a bit of a treat as well, or frozen smoothie mixes if you have a blender.

Don't feel crap, teens are notoriously bad at getting out of bed! Is it also possible they're bouncing off each other a bit to moan? So if one stopped and got on with things, the other might follow? If so, perhaps have a sit down chat/bribe your eldest and say you need their help to improve the situation?

Mine get up at 615, we don't leave the house until 815 so they have loads of time to dick about. Earlier to bed so they can get up earlier, will take transition but worth it to reduce stress?

Oh thank you all! You have made me feel so much better.

I too have to literally stand over DS2 saying wake up, get up, I have to put his glasses on his face and put his uniform next to his head! DS1 gets up early and even leaves the big light on and DS2 just snoozes away. They themselves set their bedside alarms to go off at 6.30am (laughably, they are never up before 7), I get up at 6 when DS1 and DP leaves for work, we have to leave the house at 8am for school/my work. I always set out their clothes night before. But it is the length of time between waking up, getting up, getting dressed, coming downstairs to eat that is the problem. The are literally like zombies but slow zombies. And this morning I think if you had filmed me I would have looked like I was going to combust. Neither of them are allowed any tech or TV on in the mornings, because I have had to physically pull them away from the screens and htey go into a stupor. But it is like their brain can not cope with any of it. I can tell they hate getting dressed, they hate eating their breakfast, they hate brushing their teeth/hair, they honestly look like they hate being alive if I am honest!

DS2 is a night owl and his natural bedtime is between 1/2am. As is their dad's. Obviously, school. So we have managed (with the help of melatonin) to get him down to an 11pm bedtime. DD's natural sleep onset is 11. We have got it down to 9pm again with melatonin.

I think even if they got up at 5am they would still dick about until I was grinding my teeth. I like the choosing breakfast idea, I will suggest it tonight!

@octopusrus I am going to do exacttly that and try get DS2 on board. He is very empathetic when he isn't doing his morning zombie so i will appeal to his better nature and tell him how much it is stressing me out. Thank you!