what do you do in the mornings with pre-schoolers?

[driedapricots]

I've 2 under 4 & dread the early mornings as the hours between waking up & going out (at a civilised hour) just seem to drag & I'm usually still half asleep so can't face anything that requires too much effort... This morning I've mostly wiped noses & bums whilst encouraging much tv consumption.... What do you do to occupy the little ones?

I am currently in bed watching the news. DS2 (age 2) is chattering in his cot beside me. DS1 is down the hall watching TV. This is pretty much our morning until I get up! Then I begin a round of educational/improving/stimulating/affirming activities with them.

This morning that means library (for them) Starbucks (for me!).

If it's a nursery morning (3 days a week) the morning is scheduled to the minute to get one child and 2 adults out the door on time.

The other two mornings we see Daddy off to work and then laze around watching TV or reading books or what have you until 9ish when we head out for the morning. At the minute he is watching the end of Toy Story 2 while we have a snuggle and I drink my coffee. He's 2.10, BTW.

If DS gets up before 7 then he comes into our bed, usually wants some milk, but then wriggles too much so I get frustrated and roll over. If I'm lucky, he goes to sleep. If not, he makes frustrated whining noises and tries to get to my boob. At which point I shout because I am still asleep and not really functioning yet and DP usually positions himself between us and tries to explain in a calmer voice than me "Mummy is still sleeping, if you want to stay here you need to lie still. Or you can go and play in your bedroom or go and watch TV." Sometimes this works, sometimes it results in him being removed downstairs and screaming while I feel shit that he ends up effectively being punished for waking up early. Need to sort this out really. It's just been happening recently since it's been lighter in the mornings.

If it's between 7 and 7.30 then I am usually more awake and so I bribe him because Thomas is on Milkshake at 7.30, so I say "Quick! Go and see if Thomas is on!" and he does.

I then get up at 7.30 (in theory) but sometimes drag it out a bit.

Try to get DS dressed before 8, and eating breakfast, in front of the TV. I use TV because when X programme ends, (depending on channel) he knows it's time to go and I keep reminding him of this, it's easier than trying to tell him the time.

At around 8.30 TV goes off and we blearily go around finding shoes, coats, bookbag etc. Somehow try to leave the house by 9. (Usually leave by 8.45, to be fair.) Get to nursery (2 minute walk) between 8.45 and 9 and I drop him off and then either go home and collapse in relief, or head off to work.

I am not a morning person. At the weekends, we do the same but without the deadline on TV, and leaving.

What Tee said, with a baby added to the mix.

We wake up at 7am and leave the house at (ideally) 9.30 but actually about 10 - 10.15. I'm not a morning person so it takes all that time to get up, dressed, showered and breakfasted (breakfast takes 45 mins to an hour, for example). 2.3 y.o. DS just has to entertain himself when I'm not getting him ready. I wish someone could teach me how to get up & out faster!

Ok, so no one has dc who wake @ 6am?! Reassured that milkshake is such an integral part of others mornings!

Oh yes, my son wakes between 6 and 7, usually closer to 6. TV goes on. It's the only way I'd survive!

Honestly, I don't worry about 'screen' time. I think there are so many worse things he could be doing and I know he gets plenty of other activity.

Anything for an easy life is my battle cry.

Telly.

My 2 are older now., but our mornings always started 6-630. I used to read books in bed to him until time to go down for weetabix,then dressed, teeth. Used to put tv on @830,but not until basically ready to leave the house. Then I would clear up until 930 ish when we went out.

Also dh would have him/them between 7and730 whilst I showered and dressed this made a huge difference

Yes, DP used to get home from work at 7 and take charge while I got dressed, woke up without harassment etc.

both boy's (almost 4 years and 6 months) up about 6. we watch tv till 7, i get ready at 6.45 if its a Pre-school day. sometimes dh will dress one of them before he goes to work at 7, dress the other one, bottle for Ds2, tea for me whilst bottle cools, Ds1 breakfast, ds2 breakfast. have to leave house 8.30 on the dot. on non Pre-school day's similar except we don't get dressed till 9, Ds2 nap's at 9 so i usually have a nice bath (Ds1 starts school in September so guess that's the end me my relaxed mornings)

I won't come downstairs until 7am, so DS (16m) can roam about upstairs playing with toys and filling up the loo with tampons etc until then. No tv until after breakfast is cleared away. Aim to get us both dressed and ready by 9am but often need another cup of tea to get out of the door. We have the TV on but switch between kids' tv and news so I don't get driven completely mad.

Ours get up at 6:30 on a good day then play until breakfast whilst dh and I get up and dressed in shifts. When we eat breakfast depends no whether it is a school day for ds1 somewhere between 7 and 8:30. Then more playing until we go and do something.

I save tv for after lunch when I loose the to crawl round the floor.

That should haven been loose the will to crawl round the floor. Sorry.

Dc's up between 6.30 & 7,into my bed for cbeebies, downstairs between 7.45 & 8, breakfast, washing on, dishwasher emptied while they watch cbeebies, or play. Get ready to leaveby 9.20 whether cm, preschool, or day out. Dcs are 2y 2m & 3yr 10m

Oh, dh works nights so sometimes home before we leave and sometimes not

Mine get up at 4.30/5ish and we pootle around till breakfast at 6, then it's showers for parents, daddy leaves at 7.10. We don't have tv so that's not an option. There's playdough, paints, general playing. The 2.11 yo helps me put a wash on, or put dry clothes away, the 16 mo amuses himself for a while until it's snacktime at 9ish. One morning a week we go to the children's centre for stay-and-play but mostly we're at home. It works for us.

Does them getting up so early not wear you out?

Octavia you shame me...no TV and a ridiculously early start! wips is that a rhetorical question??!! (Actually, Octavia is probably in bed now..well i would be anyhow!!)

Mine are 2.10 and 6 months. They are awake at 7 - by the time we are all fed, washed, dressed and breakfasted etc it is 9am at least if not later.

DD pootles around a bit while I tidy or do a few necessaries, we go out about 11.

Ha! It was more me wondering why she was letting them get up that early, if my ones tried to get up at that time on a regular basis I'd be putting them back to bed sharpish!!

DS used to get up freakishly early, I'd zombie in front of the computer while he played for a bit, we'd have breakfast, and go back to bed for a nap until 11! :)

Yes, I go to bed about 9.30 - it's a matter of personal survival! Thing is, I know I was an early waker (still am - I'm quite happy to get up at 5.30) and how much I used to resent having to stay in bed until what my parents deemed an acceptable hour (about 7ish) so I don't mind getting up with the DCs. It's only cultural conditioning that tells us 5am is an unreasonably early time - I don't really care.

Im so glad you all have TV in the mornings! I felt like a terrible parent, but I cant just spring out of bed at 7am and start playing. I need at least two coffees and toast before I can even have a shower. And if DS was crawling about under my feet I would not be in the best of moods!

Thank god for babyTV.