OT-Who's being punished @5am- DS or me

[Mrs D]

DS4 got all TV taken away today. I made the threat the other day not believing I'd have to follow through. But today I had to follow through. Now, since the time change my kids are taking turns waking up at 5am. I have been putting on cartoons giving them a cup of milk and dry cereal and catching a few Z's on the sofa. Sometimes I just come on the DIS boards with a large cup of coffee.

So what do I do tomorrow morning? Since I did wake up at 5am this morning I am about to fall over and can't think straight. I have NO idea what on earth we are going to do after I pour my EXTRA large cup of coffee.

Please give me some suggestions or support. I know this is going to be harder on me than him, but I am hoping it's for the best in more than one way.

I can't wait to see your expert advise in the morning!

 

[SnowandMittens]

It's just one day... have him pick up toys or something. If you don't follow through with this, he's just going to test boundries.

 

[The Hendies]

My first thought is that if TV was taken away, you entertaining him could have one of two effects... #1 He has you jumping through hoops and he doesn't learn to occupy himself when he has to. #2 You two actually realize that being together is more fun than watching TV!! Good Luck!

 

[Poohbug]

5 AM ??!??

My kids know better than to get up at that time, even with the time change. Mommy is not happy at that time.

You have to stick to your guns. Make him lay in bed and look at books-maybe he will fall asleep and get back on schedule. I have made it a point to have quiet times. When it is quiet time, you don't have to sleep but you must be quiet. Keeps me sane.

 

[StephMK]

LOL, well next time I think you'll remember to find a punishment that doesn't hurt you as well! I've done that too & later though, aw #$*$^, why did I say that??

I agree you need to stick to it and I also wouldn't make it a fun playtime together either. He can look at books, do puzzles, etc. during that time. Just let him know what ever he plays with he will pick up at the end of the time.

Good luck & get that pot going early!!

 

[brymolmom]

DEFINITELY stick to your threat! Now is the time no matter how hard it is.

I can feel your pain with the early riser thing. DD has ALWAYS been an early riser. Even as a baby she was NEVER one to sleep for 12 hours a night. It was common until she started going to school for her to wake in the 5's - usually closer to 5:30 - 5:45. And I have hated daylight savings (either direction) since she was born.

Now she usually wakes closer to 6:30, and she just turned 6 - so there is hope for you. 6:45 is a 'perfect' time to wake up on babysitter morning days - so I'm not too upset with that time. It would be perfect if she would sleep in an hour more on weekends, but I know that will not happen.

On the up side - the kids go to bed at 8:00pm, and many kids that don't wake that early stay up way later - so at least I get some quiet time at night.

At my house - it's been more complicated than just the 'stay quiet in your room' rule. DH is a very early riser too and is USUALLY up making some quiet noise by 5:00 - 5:30 - so it is more difficult to initiate the stay in your room - it's sleep time rule when someone is obviously up. If that wasn't the case - by the time she was 4, I would have put a 'stay quietly in your room until this time' rule - and follow-through with it. Whether to reward for following it or punish for not - your choice. I would have LOVED to be able to do that years ago.

As for the immediate future - tomorrow, I would sit down and tell him that he has to play with something quietly - set up a coloring book and crayons and tell him that you don't want to hear him until the first number on the clock says 7.

Stay strong!!

 

[badblackpug]

You've got to follow through with the punishment, if you don't all your credibility will be lost. With more than 1 child, though, you can't punish the non-offender, so I would tell your son that he needs to stay in his room if your other child wants to watch TV. I agree that I would not make it fun for him by playing with him or entertaining him.

As for the early rising thing...do your kids know their numbers? If so, put a digital clock in their room and tell them they have to stay in their room and be quiet until the clock says XX:XX. If they don't know their numbers set an alarm and tell them they have to stay quietly in their room until the alarm goes off.

 

[kkmcan]

We used this same punishment before and it hurts me more than it hurts my ds! But we do follow thru and tell him he may read or play quietly in his room until it's time to eat breakfast and get ready.

He hates it so much that his usual routine has been disturbed but he knows that I'll do it so it's pretty effective now that he knows what will happen.

 

[aidtrismommy]

Does he take a nap? What time is bedtime? My son is three and no longer takes a nap even though he is tired by dinner time. I know if he falls asleep, he won't be tired until 10 pm and then he will also wake up at 6 or so. I withold naps, unless it is a weekend, and put him to bed at 8:15 at the latest. He sleeps until 7:30 ish. So maybe re-evaluate his schedule, and while tucking him in at bedtime, remind him that there is no tv in the morning and he will have to play quietly in his room until you wake up or something. Put a pile of books on his bed or something. Good luck.

 

[happymommy]

My kids aren't allowed to watch tv during the week anyway, so this wouldn't be a threat in our house (had to take away all commercial tv and only use videos for years when they were young like your son).

I would not let him get out of bed until the time that you want - I agree, let him look at books or something. Sure makes it suck for him, to wake up early and have nothing to "entertain" him. It isn't your job to entertain him at all.

Just my opinion, but I don't think tv on a school morning would ever work for us. They need to eat breakfast, get dressed, get their teeth brushed, etc. They could get caught up in something, and want just a few more minutes...

 

[dizneechic]

Just wanted to add a little tip I did for my early riser (and have since done with the rest of my kids). We went to Target and picked out a cheap wall clock (analog so it has the big numbers on it) for his room. I put stickers on the 12 & 7 and told him he can't come out of his room until it is 7:00, or both of the black lines (hands on the clock) were pointing at the stickers. If he got up and the lines weren't pointing there he had to play in his room quietly (he only had books and soft blocks at the time), but as soon as they pointed at the stickers he could come get me (he was 4 at the time). We eventually added a digital clock too and wrote 7:00 since that's what we had downstairs so he was familiar with that type of clock as well. Anyhow, It worked like a charm and both of my boys went into kindergarten being able to tell time on a digital and analog clock (and I get to sleep until 7 every morning!).

 

[wmharley]

Just wanted to add a little tip I did for my early riser (and have since done with the rest of my kids). We went to Target and picked out a cheap wall clock (analog so it has the big numbers on it) for his room. I put stickers on the 12 & 7 and told him he can't come out of his room until it is 7:00, or both of the black lines (hands on the clock) were pointing at the stickers. If he got up and the lines weren't pointing there he had to play in his room quietly (he only had books and soft blocks at the time), but as soon as they pointed at the stickers he could come get me (he was 4 at the time). We eventually added a digital clock too and wrote 7:00 since that's what we had downstairs so he was familiar with that type of clock as well. Anyhow, It worked like a charm and both of my boys went into kindergarten being able to tell time on a digital and analog clock (and I get to sleep until 7 every morning!).

i do a similar to my DD5.. I let her watch cartoons in the morning when I go to work, and the DW is sleeping. I tell her exactly what shows are coming on, and after X show or after the movie (if she picks one to watch), she can go in to get mommy, UNLESS, mommy calls her first.

She's very good in not going in. Worst is 60min, but usually its 30-45 minutes max.

The times we've taken TV away, we tel her to go in her room and do something else, which she does. Also, if she's up too early, I tell her she has to stay in bed for X time, which she also does.

 

[allyphoe]

DS4 got all TV taken away today.
since the time change my kids are taking turns waking up at 5am.

"Here's your milk and cereal. When you're done, put the dishes in the sink and go play quietly in your room. I'm going back to bed." Alternatively, "Go play quietly in your room. I'm going back to bed."

DD6 lost all television, computer, and electronic games (for not doing her homework, not paying attention, and backtalking) Mon-Thurs for an indefinite amount of time. (That would be the "until you're responsible enough to resist their temptation" indefinite amount of time.) Plenty of whining, but it's not like she doesn't have other amusements available to her.

 

[Mrs D]

Thanks all for the kind words and helpful suggestions. The good news is it was DD2 who woke up at 5am today, so she came into bed with me to watch one cartoon until we got up to get a cup of milk! When DS woke up at 6:15 and came downstairs he pointed at the TV and I told him No this is your consequence for your choice (the bad behavior). I haven't heard another work about it! We're going to do 3 days of positive behavior then you may have 1 show a day again followed with another 4 days of positive behavior and you may have 2 shows a day. I am going to do my best to leave it at that amount.

Once we cross this hurdle we'll try moving the wake up time back.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My 2 standby's for my DS were coloring books and crayons and his toy cars/trucks. Those would keep him busy for a good hour sometimes more when he was 4 years old.

He thought it was funny to run his cars/trucks over me while I was half asleep on the couch. I would get so tired (I was pregnant then) that I wouldn't even stir.