Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

to think a 6yr old is too young to be able to get herself ready quickly in the mornings?

39 replies

newfashionedmum · 14/06/2011 21:51

My DP thinks DD messes about too much and I am too laid back with her (a bit true - I take ages to get ready in the mornings - but she takes nonchalance to a whole new level!). He thinks shouting at her when she messes about will teach her to be more considerate of other peoples timetables and that she needs to get a move on. I think she's too young to really learn anything from this and just gets upset.

AIBU to think we should just accept she's young enough to still need lots of help in the morning, and if not are there other ways of making it happen?

OP posts:

cece · 14/06/2011 23:14

I found taking DD to school in her PJ because she wasn't ready a very effective way of getting her and all subsequent children to be ready in the morning on time.

I only had to do it once!

Fifis25StottieCakes · 14/06/2011 23:21

My 9yr old could get herself ready for preschool, tights and everything.
7yr old she can do it she just cant be bothered and i end up doing it. Jjust found out she has sleep apnea and she is shattered on a morning, it takes her ages to get ready. I think she would be like this anyway, she just a laid back kid like her dad

Tortington · 14/06/2011 23:21

shes old enough

ihatecbeebies · 14/06/2011 23:24

I think YABU to think she can't get ready without help, my 4 year old son gets dressed for nursery fine by himself in the morning, I just look out his clothes for him and give him them and he does the rest himself, will wash his face, brush his teeth and get shoes jacket and bag on when we're about to go too himself when I tell him it's time to go.

FunnysInTheGarden · 14/06/2011 23:26

she is old enough. DS1 is 5 and most mornings eats breakfast and gets ready for school with no prompting, while I get ready for work. If I can't hear him clumping around downstairs in his school shoes I will shout 'DS are you ready'? which is usually enough to get him moving! He know that once I have come down we have 2 minutes to get to the car............

NowWhatIsit · 14/06/2011 23:27

This could be my son! He is 6 and gets distracted by ANYTHING - could take him hours if I left him to it. Alternate between hovering, threatening, cajoling, bribery & shouting. I can tell him 10 times with no effect, then shout at him + he gets upset - Often end up dressing him myself out of sheer frustration - If its at the weekend & he wants do something he can be ready in seconds - I know its important they learn to focus, but how do you teach them?????????

Lonnie · 14/06/2011 23:28

you coudl be talking about my 7 year old whom is well able but a bit lazy and daydreamy.. (She can get her- toy- rabbit dressed though laughs) I have learnt to simply call her name every few minutes going have youdone this done that? she is getting bettter

FunnysInTheGarden · 14/06/2011 23:28

oh yes, DS would take hours if I let him, but I have to be quite strict.

seeker · 14/06/2011 23:41

I have a simple solution. Get a timer. Dressed before the timer goes off - then there will be telly, lego, algebra, violin practice - whatever their little hearts desire. Not ready by the time the timer gors off - none of the above and a very grumpy mummy into the bargain. Timers are wonderful things.

QuintessentialShadow · 14/06/2011 23:43

My 5 year old son gets himself ready in the morning.

QuintessentialShadow · 14/06/2011 23:44

Sorry, he is 6 now, but has been since he was 5.

twinklingfairy · 15/06/2011 00:02

ah yes, that makes me think of DD.
I try to make sure that we don't go downstairs until we (me, DD4.5 and DS2.5) are all dressed cos getting dressed downstairs just doesn't work.
Sometimes I will do the getting dressed race with her (I normally lose )
Breakfast
Then I send her up to get the toothbrushes, whilst I get DS shoes on, and I am afraid, we brush our teeth downstairs.
I have discovered that to send her upstairs for, pretty much, anything ends in 5 mins min, lost. Toothbrushing up there seems to take an age! Downstairs it is pretty quick.

MumblingRagDoll · 15/06/2011 00:06

I'm hate it when people loll about and they have to be somewhere...it makes me late! My 6 year old is a natural born loller...got it from DH....I have however managed to instill in her how important it is to get ready fast so that she can have 20 minutes of TV....she is great getting ready because she knows there's no TV unless she's ready!

ChristinaEliopolis · 15/06/2011 00:14

I only dress my two year old - all the others have to sort themselves out.

Clothes are all laid out the night before on the bed in the spare room. They all eat breakfast at the table, then we all traipse upstairs and they line up. I wash their faces and clean their teeth then into the spare room to get dressed.

Three year old dd is usually the fastest as she gets on with it (and no shirt buttons for her to do up!) and seven year old ds is very quick. But six year old dd has to be chivvied along as she will chatter endlessly.

No shouting needed though - she just needs lots of prompting, as did ds last year at the same age.

Flip

1 2