Mornings have become unbearable - help!

[jintygeorge]

Hi there - my DD (4) and DS (2) have become unbearable in the mornings when they first wake up and I just wondered if there were any tips on dealing with children who hate mornings?!!! They take it is turns to have tantrums, cry, wail, stomp and sulk, until they've been up for about 3/4 of an hour and have had breakfast! At weekends we give them bananas as soon as they wake up, which solves the problem, but I could do with some strategies on weekdays!!!! Any suggestions??

If the bananas work at weekends, why not do the same on weekdays?

We don't have time during the week unfortunately. I expect the tantrums are as much to with having to get out the house to go to school/nursery as hunger.

What is happening in the 3/4 hour before they have breakfast? Could they eat breakfast as soon as they get up and see if that helps at all?or throw bananas at them as soon as they wake up?

basically they get up and the tantrums start immediately. As sson as they are out of bed. I then takes forever to get them into the kitchen to have breakfast so they then feel better.

basically they get up and the tantrums start immediately. As soon as they are out of bed. It then takes forever to get them into the kitchen to have breakfast so they then feel better. :-(

How does it take forever to get them into the kitchen? They're really small!

Pick one up, carry it to the kitchen, give it a banana.
Go fetch second one. Carry to kitchen, administer banana.

This is a low blood sugar issue, and ignoring it in favour of getting w3ashed and dressed is not going to make it go away.

Wake them up holding feeding cups or an old fruit shot style bottle (if the older one doesn't like being babied) of squash or dilute fruit juice.
I'm horrible in a morning until I've had a drink, DD2 is sometimes.

Just find non spill vessels of choice, because clearly bad tempered, sleepy DCs are quite happy to spill it every where and make mum's morning more stressful.

We don't do anything before breakfast - the problem I have is getting them to the table! If you think it is low blood sugar that is helpful - I really wasn't sure what the problem was.

'Pick one up, carry it to the kitchen, give it a banana.'

are they eating enough the previous meal?
are they getting enough sleep?
is morning tantrum just a habit?

could you wake DD first, sort her out with food straightaway before attempting to wake up DS?

Could you give them supper before bed - maybe porridge ? Agree with a drink and/or banana on waking.

Not sure what the problem is
Give them bowl of cheerios, no milk, to eat in front of milkshake ( c5)

Thought I'd just say that my 2 DSs are exactly the same as the OPs and it is an absolute nightmare! The admister banana routine does not work with a very grumpy 3 year old first thing in the morning who is determined he will not do anything suggested of him. It does take at least 3/4 hour to an hour just to get them settled down and fed and that's without trying to complete any tasks other than breakfast. It makes my mornings absolute hell and I'm only hoping that they will grow out of it.

I might try the sugary drink thing before they get out of bed, however its normally them waking me up in the morning rather than the other way round - by which time they're already in a grump. It doesn't help that it's genetic - I can't function before my morning cuppa either!

*administer not admister

Thanks cakeandcustard - good to know I'm not the only one with this morning nightmare! I can't get them infront of the TV at the moment! Will try something before they go to bed and be armed with something in the morning by their beds before the writhing and wailing begins...

...I am a morning person (sorry) and have never experienced the am blues...

Get up earlier? Wake up, give bannanas in bed.

No no no no no to telly in the mornings. You will regret it big time. Give them a banana in bed, what's the problem? Or dry cheerios with milk in a lidded cup or something.

banana in the car?

It's never clear why they are SO upset. They just start crying, wailing, writhing around on the floor. After breakfast they are fine but physically getting them to the kitchen to eat takes FOREVER!!!! It is urgent when they wake up, so I think some thing to eat before bed/by their bed is going to be the answer. Something fast acting!

ooohhhh carton of apple juice each, as soon as they wake you up?

You wait til you've got a grumpy 12yo stomping around in the morning.

Same reason - low blood sugar - but much harder to carry into the kitchen.

I agree seems like low blood sugar. When do they last eat in the evenings? Could.you try toast and milk just before bed so they're less hungry when they wake up?

I'll get them a mini fridge each for when reach their teens...

My kids (5&3) still have a (closed) cup of milk each morning, 5 year old doesn't need it so much but 3 year old gulps it down. I make it the night before (soy formula), pop it in the fridge and either dh heats them and puts them outside their bedroom doors or when they come wake me up I (struggle to) leave them in my bed and go get them (and put kettle on for me).
The other aspect is cuddles, if mine don't feel like they've had sufficient cuddle time in the morning then they can be a right PITA to get them to do anything! So the milk and cuddles solves that too.
We choose clothes together the night before and lay them out so there are no clothing decisions to make in the morning (dd can be very obtrusive if I just tell her what to wear).

my 5yo still has a big glass of milk the second she gets up. only then can we progress to washing/dressing/being civil.