We screwed up son's b-day morning -- ideas?

[DisneyBeagle]

This is the DIS. You don't have to ASK to GET!

Exactly. It's like a free gift with purchase.

 

[shortbun]

I get all of what you said. My son is 15. But-a shake? Are you getting him presents for his birthday? How about giving him one to open? I duhknow, I don't think my son would think a shake was anything special. And-I second having him start setting an alarm clock but I would not mention it when I picked him up today...maybe in a few days or add an alarm clock to his birthday gifts and don't say a word.

Teens don't ask for much. The early morning wake up must have been important, I mean what 15 yo wants to get up earlier than necessary? Perhaps someone was making a big deal of his birthday at school this morning and you made him miss it?

 

[erincon23]

gosh, thanks for the free parenting advice! Yeah, I knew that was going to come up, about him waking himself up -- he sleeps through every alarm he's ever had. Believe me, we've tried -- for right now, it's easier this way.

Darsa -- happy bd to your daughter!

I was just looking for something small since we screwed up this morning (shortbun and Hannathy -- I'm pretty sure you had it right -- friends and "that girl" involved, I bet) -- he already got his big present and I'm picking up Call of Duty for him (with other birthday money) this morning (but Java, good call! that's exactly what he wants). We're already planning to go out to dinner to celebrate, so I just wanted one small extra something. I think the shake will be it. Thanks all!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I don't see what the big deal is about OP waking up her son? I'm the first one up in the morning. I get out of the shower, wake of DD so she can go to the bathroom, then wake up DH so he can get in the shower. We've got three people and one bathroom in the morning. This schedule keeps everyone moving and on time.

Happy Birthday to your son (and Darsa's daughter). My DD will be 15 in about 2 weeks, so I guess we're all heading down the teen path together.

As for something special, I would pick up the shake and apologize. Just a simple, "Hey sorry about this morning. I know it didn't start out the way you would have liked, but sometimes these things happen. Hope you had a great day anyway." A simple acknowledgement that he asked you to do something for him and you didn't. I think we would all expect the same from our kids, regardless of why it didn't go the way it should have. Maybe you could let him be in control of the TV or pick what to have for dinner tonight. That's stuff I would do anyway.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

Maybe he would deal better with things that didn't go his way if he was responsible for them-why do YOU need to be the one to wake him up??? It wasn't YOUR fault he didn't get up early, it was HIS fault. He isn't 5.

 

[pennymom]

My kids are much younger, but I always go in their room when they are sleeping the night before their birthdays and put their new age on the closet door in crepe paper (VERY big!). They love it and look forward to it every year.

Happy Birthday to your DS!

 

[elgerber]

I agree, parenting advice wasn't what she wanted, and I don't care if she wakes her son up. I wake my daughter up. Not because she can't, but because I like too. She has an alarm clock, and if she needs to, she uses it.
As far as the treat, I think a shake or something when you pick him up, is a sweet idea. I agree though, that I wouldn't tie it to this morning, just a special birthday treat.

 

[C.Ann]

This is the DIS. You don't have to ASK to GET!

gosh, thanks for the free parenting advice!

Aren't you sorry you mentioned that now? I think I was the first one that responded to your thread (or close to it) and thought, "Oops! This is not going to go well.............................."

Enjoy the birthday celebration with your son when he gets home later on..

 

[robinb]

gosh, thanks for the free parenting advice! Yeah, I knew that was going to come up, about him waking himself up -- he sleeps through every alarm he's ever had. Believe me, we've tried -- for right now, it's easier this way.

I am in the process of buying an alarm for my DD which will also charge her iPod. One of the ones I saw on Amazon had an attachment that went under the pillow and it SHAKES the kid awake: http://www.amazon.com/iLuv-iMM153BLK-Alarm-Clock-Shaker/dp/B002AZ3D3E/ref=pd_luc_sim_01_01_t_lh .

 

[wvjules]

Maybe he would deal better with things that didn't go his way if he was responsible for them-why do YOU need to be the one to wake him up??? It wasn't YOUR fault he didn't get up early, it was HIS fault. He isn't 5.

But it was her fault. Alarm or not, her and DH said they would do something and they didn't.

I would pick him up and ask him what he wanted, starbucks, blizzard, etc then take him there for it. Apologize for what happened this morning and move on.

Some days my DD gets up on her own and on others nothing could wake her. We can hear her alarm in our room through 2 closed doors and she sleeps right through it. That's when I have to get up to go wake her. I see it as part of being a teenager.

 

[Robinrs]

My kids are much younger, but I always go in their room when they are sleeping the night before their birthdays and put their new age on the closet door in crepe paper (VERY big!). They love it and look forward to it every year.

Happy Birthday to your DS!

This is so cute.... I'm just picturing me trying this on my son who is about to turn 18...

 

[nmmom95]

This is the DIS. You don't have to ASK to GET!

That actually made me lol!

 

[SandrA9810]

I have to say, I was not one to wake up by an alarm clock. I could shut them off in my sleep, and keep on sleeping. Phone calls?? didn't phase me a bit. Some one would have to wake me up about 3 or 4 times before I'd actually get out of bed.
Of course I'm a little better about it now, and I try not to turn my alarm off in my sleep.

I'd find a way to get a cute balloon animal or just some balloons and toss them in his room or bring them with you in the car. Balloons have a way of making any one smile.

 

[luvsJack]

dd bought ds an alarm clock that yells at him to get up. It will yell a line from the Godfather or Scarface (along with machine gun fire) and several other movies. And its made to be thrown. Throwing it will set the snooze.

It didn't work. Woke everyone ELSE up but not ds!

DD's phone gets us all awake. Its some voice screaming GET UP!!! over and over and then says quietly "please". Scared me to death the first time she set it, I thougt someone was at the window yelling at us!!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

When DD was younger she had a Spongebob Squarepants alarm clock that would go off blaring the theme song. She slept right through while I came running through the house to shut it off.

 

[erincon23]

Update -- well, no need for the shake... got a call from the school nurse at about 11:30 that DS was sitting in the office in a lot of pain -- they did yoga in his Ancient Civilizations class, and he's been having problems with his knee, and kneeling down caused a burst of HUGE pain. I ended up taking him to the urgent care -- turns out he has bursitis or tendinitis (dr said it's hard to tell which it is, but they're treated the same), so he's out of gym for 10 days and is having a bit of trouble walking around. Turns out it was a girl that he was planning to meet before school, but he's already made new plans to meet her tomorrow before school, so that ended up ok. He's forgiven us for this morning.

(alarm clocks -- my DS18 bought himself an alarm clock for college that yells at you to get up in all kinds of different voices -- "the godfather," a Scottish accent, etc., and shakes. He says it works pretty well -- he's been getting up for his classes, at least. I may have to try it for DS15.)

 

[Hannathy]

Thanks for the update and glad he is ok with this morning and I'll take my bow now for nailing it!

Sorry about his knee tho. And a big plus for the girl that she is willing to change plans so yeah for her also and a good sign.

 

[luvsJack]

Update -- well, no need for the shake... got a call from the school nurse at about 11:30 that DS was sitting in the office in a lot of pain -- they did yoga in his Ancient Civilizations class, and he's been having problems with his knee, and kneeling down caused a burst of HUGE pain. I ended up taking him to the urgent care -- turns out he has bursitis or tendinitis (dr said it's hard to tell which it is, but they're treated the same), so he's out of gym for 10 days and is having a bit of trouble walking around. Turns out it was a girl that he was planning to meet before school, but he's already made new plans to meet her tomorrow before school, so that ended up ok. He's forgiven us for this morning.

(alarm clocks -- my DS18 bought himself an alarm clock for college that yells at you to get up in all kinds of different voices -- "the godfather," a Scottish accent, etc., and shakes. He says it works pretty well -- he's been getting up for his classes, at least. I may have to try it for DS15.)

sounds a bit like the one dd gave ds. His was "made for throwing" too. Got it at WalMart.

Sorry he is having the pain, glad he and the girl worked it out. Hope the rest of his b-day goes better.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Update -- well, no need for the shake... got a call from the school nurse at about 11:30 that DS was sitting in the office in a lot of pain -- they did yoga in his Ancient Civilizations class, and he's been having problems with his knee, and kneeling down caused a burst of HUGE pain. I ended up taking him to the urgent care -- turns out he has bursitis or tendinitis (dr said it's hard to tell which it is, but they're treated the same), so he's out of gym for 10 days and is having a bit of trouble walking around. Turns out it was a girl that he was planning to meet before school, but he's already made new plans to meet her tomorrow before school, so that ended up ok. He's forgiven us for this morning.

(alarm clocks -- my DS18 bought himself an alarm clock for college that yells at you to get up in all kinds of different voices -- "the godfather," a Scottish accent, etc., and shakes. He says it works pretty well -- he's been getting up for his classes, at least. I may have to try it for DS15.)

10 days of no gym?!?! That'd be the best present ever in my house!!

sorry he's hurting though. Glad he was able to rework time to hang out with his friends.