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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to expect 6 year old and 4.5 year old

48 replies

wildmutt · 28/11/2010 11:47

to be quiet and amuse themselves on a Sunday morning until at least 7.30am?

Last night I told them both that if they wake early in the morning they must go back to their bedrooms and play or read quietly until mummy and daddy are ready to wake up. So 5.50am both wake up and call for me and come in to our room. I send them back out - they come back in make lots of noise, jump on the bed. This goes on til I finally get up very grumpy at 7.30am. It's been a horrible morning with me shouting at them and constantly nagging about every little thing.

They have always been early risers and I keep telling them there is no need to get up so early on the weekends. I think I'm really hacked off today as struggling with a horrible cold. It was the same thing Saturday morning and that was after me and dh had been out on a very rare late night. It's got to the stage now where we really can't be bothered to socialise any more as we know there's fa chance of any sort of lie in.

OP posts:

harvalp · 28/11/2010 11:51

You could always get them to make you breakfast in bed. I've seen it on the TV ads...

seeker · 28/11/2010 11:54

This is what TV is for.

It is also something that happens when you are a parent. It won't go on for long.

redskyatnight · 28/11/2010 11:58

Well at the risk of annoying you, my DC are the same ages and manage this. Actually we've told them they don't need to get us up till at least 8am (unless real emergency).

They are allowed to watch TV/play on the Wii/play with whatever they want. We tell them it is a treat :)

ModreB · 28/11/2010 12:28

What I used to do was have an alarm clock in the DC bedroom, and tell them that unless it was an emergency, NOT to come into our room until the alarm went off. Then set it for the time that you think is reasonable.

BangingNoise · 28/11/2010 12:29

YANBU. We've always been lucky with DS as far as morning are concerned. This morning he was woken by the dogs barking at 9am.

Lonnie · 28/11/2010 12:31

No YANBU but it looks like you need to have a talk with them about what you expect them to do.

Dont say play quietly in your room explain to them what sort of games.. like

"You may play in your room without getting loud with A B C"

You are to stay in your room until the clock rings (will need an alarm clock) or mummy and daddy comes to get you.

star charts might work too if they are insentive towards that?

but if you say " stay in your room and play" they simply not get how to do that so basically teach them.

Anniegetyourgun · 28/11/2010 12:31

What a shame it's no longer legal to gag and bind children to their beds with rusty chains. Someone told me the other day it's never been legal to saw their legs off - I think it's a great shame and maybe the government wants to look at things like that with a view to reducing red tape.

fel1x · 28/11/2010 12:32

How about one of those gro clocks that the moon changes to a sun at the programmed time?

Tell them that when the sun comes up they can come in to you, if they can stay quiet and play in their rooms until then they can have a treat when you get up - and make the treat whatever will appeal! nutella on pancakes or extra half hour of TV etc

My 2 are 5 and 2 and they come in to me in the morning but I can whisper that 'its still night time. Mummy is getting up in half an hour. You can go back to bed or if you are very quiet you can go downstairs and put the TV on'
Of course they always choose TV!

Goingspare · 28/11/2010 12:33

Telly. We didn't have it on at all on school nights when they were younger, so they couldn't wait for the weekend mornings.

Goingspare · 28/11/2010 12:33

school days, even.

DamselInDisgrace · 28/11/2010 12:34

This is definitely what tv is for!

My parents used to 'let' me watch whatever tv I wanted to on Sunday mornings. I thought it was great. Now I realise they were reaping even greater rewards from my Sunday morning tv watching.

Iwishiwasasleep · 28/11/2010 12:35

It's torture isn't it. DH has a lie-in on Saturdays and I have a lie-in on Sundays. I look forward to it all week! Would this work for you?

Niecie · 28/11/2010 12:39

YABU to expect them to know when 7.30am is. A lot of children can't tell the time at 6yrs let alone 4.5yrs. An alarm is a good idea.

But YANBU to be throughly fed up with it. I would agree though that the TV is a wonderful thing and to let them watch that, or play a DVE or play computer games until you are ready to get up. Mine were capable of doing that at that age. Leave them a drink as well if it will help to keep them away!

I would also negotiate a lie-in once and a while. You let DH lie in one weekend and he does the same for you the next and that way you get some time off even if it isn't every weekend.

mumbar · 28/11/2010 12:43

I've told my DS morning time is 7am , he now waits in his room etc until then, altho weekdays I'm up at 6.30am. On a weekend if he's awake 7am on the dot he comes in and announces its morning time . Oh well I did tell him that. . Best thing about it though is that when I've not woken up on a weekday DS will get me up at 7am so I don't oversleep.

And yes TV, free range remote control time.

colditz · 28/11/2010 12:46

I used to leave breakfast cereal set up in bowls downstairs, and let them watch tv

mitochondria · 28/11/2010 12:47

Mine are the same age. Annoyingly, we have to wake them at 7.30 in the week. Even more annoyingly, when it's my turn for a lie in they sleep late (8 yesterday). When it's my turn to get up they're up early (6.45 this morning).

Have trained eldest (nearly 6) to stay in his room until 7. That's still pretty early. Youngest does respond to "it's not time to get up yet" but lies in bed singing loudly and bashing things against the wall.

Keeping them separate works well.

Onetoomanycornettos · 28/11/2010 12:48

It's not unreasonable to ask them to keep out til 7.30, but it is unreasonable to expect them to do creative play and quiet jigsaws. Either they bounce about a lot making a noise, or they watch telly or switch the computer on. I let mine do what they like for that period of time, that's the fun of going downstairs early...

Onetoomanycornettos · 28/11/2010 12:49

And also you are ill, and were hungover the day before. I cannot see a better justification for a Disney DVD than this, really.

Original poster

wildmutt · 28/11/2010 13:04

I think I'm just feeling sorry for myself and wondering why my children seem more needy and hyper than anyone elses

We've tried alarm clocks before but I think because we've been too soft they have got used to one of us getting up with them so the other gets some sleep. They won't go downstairs without us otherwise I'd be very happy for them to sit watching tv. What's the best way to get them downstairs on their own?

OP posts:

cece · 28/11/2010 13:05

Since about the age of three mine have been allowed downstairs to watch TV. They were also allowed to help themselves to breakfast of dry cereal.

colditz · 28/11/2010 13:08

The best way to get them to go downstairs on their own is to leave a bag of chocolate brioche down there, and tell them about it.

ChippingIn · 28/11/2010 13:14

You are allowed to feel sorry for yourself!!

Go for Colditz plan for enticing them downstairs

Tell them firmly that you do not want to be woken up by them at the weekend, that they can each play quietly in their own room until you go and get them or they can go downstairs, have breakfast & watch tv - up to them...

They are old enough to start doing this - but it may take a few weeks for them to do it properly, but don't reward them by getting up with them if they aren't doing it and I would also say that if they wake you up they will go to bed earlier at night as you are too tired to have them up so late Carrot & stick!

blueshoes · 28/11/2010 13:17

Let them stay up later on Friday and Saturday nights. You might find they won't wake as early.

My 2, around that age, are not up before 8am, earliest 7:30 on weekends.

oldraver · 28/11/2010 13:25

Get a Glo Clock or I think there is a bunny one. It doesn't have an alwrm that will wake them but changes from night to day at your chosen time. It takes a little reinforcement to say that unless its an emergency you are NOT to be woken till then

DS has the ITNG one and he isnt supposed to wke me till Daisy is up

BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree · 28/11/2010 13:26

agree with seeker - TV is your saviour.

If they can't work it yet (unlikely I reckon for a 6yr old ) leave it so that they just need to switch it on and it's on the relevant channel

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