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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Getting up as a parent

84 replies

parentpanic · 31/12/2021 09:17

Aibu to wonder what time you get up to be with your children in the morning if they are of primary age (ie don't need constant supervision) and how long you leave them to play on their own before you get up with them?

OP posts:
GTAlogic · 31/12/2021 09:20

Mine are 9 & 10. They get up at 8 (or after) on a non-school morning. Dh gets up at around 9, occasionally 10. I get up at around midday.

Isthatthebestyoucando · 31/12/2021 09:23

I don’t hurry but my 9 year old knows he is allowed to come and see me if he wants to. Every now and again he will, but usually he’s happy to play.

CreamFirstThenJamOnTop · 31/12/2021 09:23

One of us gets up at 7.30 to get DS ready for nursery and gets home by 8 at the other is getting up.

DD entertains herself until 8 when we’re both up and prompt her to get dressed. We’ll have breakfast together when we’re all up.

We’re lucky in that we both wfh most days and we live next to dd school. So no issues with commute or school run.

KCee30 · 31/12/2021 09:25

I get up before my kids. Because often the mornings before they wake up is the only alone time I get. Means I have to be up at 6am but I'll take it 😅 not a fan of lying in though and my dc have sen so can't be left alone when awake so I cherish the hours peace I have in the morning 😅

Thatsplentyjack · 31/12/2021 09:25

Just whenever I wake up (have a baby now though) but we live in a small bungalow and when they used to be up, they would come back and forward to talk to me and I would get up and get them breakfast etc.

CreamFirstThenJamOnTop · 31/12/2021 09:26

On weekends and holidays, dd wakes about 6.30 and DS about 8….. he is happy to sit in our bed for a cuddle and watch tv and she’ll play in her room.
We’ll dose and have a coffee in bed and get up by 10 latest.

Caterina99 · 31/12/2021 09:29

Mine are 4 and 6. They get up between 7 and 7.30 on a school day (and every day) and go downstairs and watch tv/play. I get up around 7.30 on a school day and get us ready, but a weekend and holiday sometimes DH will get up early and sometimes we will both lie in til 8.30/9ish. Kids get too hungry by then so one of us will get up to get them breakfast

Blinkingheckythump · 31/12/2021 09:30

Omg I'm so glad for this thread. I was feeling a bit like the only family who don't get up as soon as the kids are.
Non school days, I get up whenever the baby wakes for the day, usually 9-10am and my partner a bit later (he stays up late with the baby so I get a bit of solid sleep). School days kids usually need waking up, of course it's a different matter when there isn't school 🙄

EatAllDay · 31/12/2021 09:31

@GTAlogic

Mine are 9 & 10. They get up at 8 (or after) on a non-school morning. Dh gets up at around 9, occasionally 10. I get up at around midday.
I’m like you! Love it 😊
Treaclepie19 · 31/12/2021 09:35

Ours are 1 and 6. The one year old often sleeps until 7 but the 6 year old is up by 6. He's allowed to get up and play or watch something on a tablet or whatever at 6 in his room or in with us until the 1 year old is up and we all go get breakfast together.

shouldistop · 31/12/2021 09:38

My eldest is 5 and we'd always get up with him. We have a 1yo too so it's a moot point.
I wouldn't want 5yo sitting by himself in the morning as that's rotten for him.
Maybe when the kids are 5 & 9 and can keep each other company but tbh we just go to bed early if we're tired. One of us would only have a lie in if we're sick or have had a late night out in which case the other parent gets up with the kids.

NothingIsWrong · 31/12/2021 09:41

Youngest is 9 here and still gets up everyday about 5.30am. DH gets up 7ish and I usually about 8ish. That's on days when we aren't doing anything.

School days we are all out the door by 7.30

TheVolturi · 31/12/2021 09:42

@GTAlogic

Mine are 9 & 10. They get up at 8 (or after) on a non-school morning. Dh gets up at around 9, occasionally 10. I get up at around midday.
I haven't got up at midday since I was about 14!! Isn't that a huge waste of the day?
Gardeningtipsneeded · 31/12/2021 09:48

DS5 gets up at 7, comes for a cuddle then goes downstairs, he normally helps himself to a brioche and a cup of milk - DS10 will get up whenever. We get up anywhere between 8-10! DS10 normally brings us a cuppa about 0930 if we aren’t up. Normally have activities to go to so up well before then but we have had a couple of lovely lie ins this holiday!

Schooldays one of us is up by 7 at latest with DS5.

GTAlogic · 31/12/2021 09:49

I haven't got up at midday since I was about 14!! Isn't that a huge waste of the day? No. I stay up later instead. Everything I need to do during the day gets done but in the afternoon and evening instead of the morning.

I'm up early today because dc2 had a friend stay over last night and they were making a racket so I had to shush them. I now have a banging headache!

GinGinItsAWonderfulThing · 31/12/2021 09:51

If it wasn’t for the dog needing a wee I’d get up later! Still in bed now though, nipped down for a brew and to let dog out. Eldest is still asleep, youngest has just learnt to lie in this holiday, so he’s only been up about half an hour.

HoseMeDownWithHollyWater · 31/12/2021 09:57

I'm usually awake before my son (5), but if I've had a bad night with the baby, he will happily go back in his room to watch tv for a bit.

Mol1628 · 31/12/2021 10:10

Mine get up about 6/6:30. They are 7 and 9. The 9 year old makes toast or cereal for them both.
I have to get up to let the dog out for a wee about 6am but I go back to bed till 9 when I can. They’re happy downstairs playing or watching tv, they come and get me if they need anything.

dynamitegirl · 31/12/2021 10:10

Weekdays, I am always the first up.
Mornings are quite hectic so it's mainly breakfast and getting ready for school. We've simply never had the TV on on weekday mornings. Weekends is the complete opposite - from the age of about 7 & 5, we've let them come downstairs and watch TV from
7am until they go to sport or, if no sport, 9am.

AnneLovesGilbert · 31/12/2021 10:12

DD is 2, so younger. One of us gets up with her around 8, when DH is off work like now the other lies around till 10ish. It’s grand.

Latte40 · 31/12/2021 10:17

Since both WFH, DH does mornings on the weekdays so I can get up and ready at my leisure and pace- this is after 14 years of doing it single handedly so it's actually amazing. Weekends is everyone up and ready for 9/10. Our 8 year old still gets up first thing but watches the with his breakfast and doesn't need supervision as such.

Holidays, we keep it relaxed for as long as possible and the elder 2 now appreciate a lie in so it can be midday before everyone is up.

I definitely get more time chilling upstairs than ever and I'm grateful for the peace!

Flickflak · 31/12/2021 10:19

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Atla · 31/12/2021 10:30

Get up at 7 during the week/school days. Kids usually wake naturally around 8-8.30. DH is an earlier riser than me - today he got up at 9. I'm just having a cup of tea in bed.

Atla · 31/12/2021 10:31

Kids are 9,8 and 5. They come in to us if they want anything.

felulageller · 31/12/2021 10:43

Op- what time do you get up if you have primary aged DC's?

Most posters- I get up early with my pre school DC's!!

AHH so frustrating!

Mine are older, can do their own breakfast/ TV. I get up when I want. If they want something they can come and get me. Weekend/ holiday mornings in bed are some of the only peace I get!