Early morning starts with children

[Sacmagique75]

When I was a child in the 90s I used to wake up super early. I’d quietly put the tv on and watch live and kicking for hours until my parents emerged, I did not dare open their closed bedroom door before they woke and came out. Which was never before 9am on a weekend. I certainly didn’t barge in, demanding breakfast at 5:30, crying and whinging until they relented. My two young children have always been early risers but now at the ages of 6 and 4 is it too much to ask that they quietly entertain themselves with tv for an hour rather than demand I get out of bed before 6:30?

It’s true in my experience that parents getting up with kids in the very early hours does mark a certain spoiledness in the kids where they are just very inconsiderate because they’ve never been taught about consideration and the world not actually always revolving around them.
Is good to teach some basic human skills of consideration and respect, listening to others etc.
I think kids should always feel able to wake parents up if absolutely needed, emergency or if they’re feeling sad or needing them. Most will be fine watching tv or eating a snack until a more decent hour.
Not even giving them the chance to develop those skills is holding them back.
It can be a very two way exchange of kindness and trust

I was going to say something like this too.

look at what they’re eating! & they need more protein!

my son was a fickle eater! …. & more to the point got bored of it. Do would be hungry.

he pretty much has always (with phases of not!) had milk/dairy at bedtime.
milk/hot chocolate/yogurt now in his teens it’s a pint of milk with berries, banana and protein powder!
if he doesn’t have this about 9/10pm he’s circling the kitchen at 6am. With it he sleeps till 9/10am given half a chance!!

it makes such a difference… he also eats 4/5 meals a day! I reckon about 5000 calories and is muscular and skinny!! So not eating more than he uses.

Try a milky bedtime drink and layout breakfast for the morning ….. even if you call it a first breakfast and they can have porridge later. You’ll need to talk about it in advance and start explaining it!
& even if you get bagged and don’t sleep you need to stand your ground. In time they’ll get used to it!

find an easy to read clock & teach them numbers.

we used a digital clock and had a post it note arrow pointed to the hour! 7 was “up time”. 8 was play time.
we tried a grow clock, but this worked better!

good luck! Just remember to bottle this feeling for when you’re dragging them out of bed 5 mornings a week in a few years time!!

I agree with this. No way I'd have dared burst into my parent's room in the morning! Me and my DB weren't even early risers. I don't regret having a softer more easy going type of parenting though as my DCs are closer to me than I was to my parents.

@PeachyPeachTrees

Not sure how you’ve managed to equate teaching children to be considerate means you’re somehow not “easy going”. Bizarre how you’ve came to that conclusion.

I always knew to leave my mum in peace in bed as she was a nurse and worked long shifts. She wasn’t in bed for an excessively long time and Saturdays usually involved doing something fun with her. Sounds like you were not close to your parents but speak for yourself there. I was close to mine but also respectful.

It is perfectly okay to model to your children that your needs are important. An extra hour in bed on a Saturday as a mother is not asking for the world. They’ll grow up thinking that ultimately it’s okay for them to have needs, and basically just not be a doormat. I know that’s what my own mother modelled for me thankfully.

Allowing your mum to sleep in because she was a shift worker is kind and considerate and should be taught to children. My mum didn't work and my dad did not work at the weekend. I was not allowed to set foot in their bedroom at any time, it was completely out of bounds. There were very strict rules about everything and if I disobeyed I would be beaten. I lived in fear and I am the opposite with my children. They can come in our room when ever they like but are considerate and only come in if they need to. We have rules but are also easy going. Sorry if it sounded like you can't be both.

@PeachyPeachTrees
'Beaten'? Awful 😖

Completely agree with this. This is my children nowadays. They will 100% wake me if they need but just understand that I do need rest (not that much!) and life is nicer for all of us - much more present and not tired for the sake of an hour in bed if they wake up early & they get to watch some silly Tv which I’d be rolling my eyes at lol!
My kids are very laid back and other parents love having them round because they improve the behaviour of their own kids. Chilled happy and contented. Not constantly wanting for others but able to ask for anything they need.