What age did you stop getting up with your kids in the morning for school?

[SydSim]

BFF and I both have 13 year olds (and she has a 12 year old as well) that attend the same school. I called her one morning after I knew the kids left for the bus, and she was still asleep. She sais that she gets up with them sometimes, but they usually just come kiss her before they leave while she's in the bed.

Of course, this got me thinking if I do things differently than everybody else because either me or DH always gets up while she's getting ready for school, even if it's just to sit with her while she's eating the bowl of cereal that she prepared herself. I usually get up after she's showered and dressed and about to go downstairs to eat.

So how do you all handle the mornings with your kids?




p.s. - BFF comes from a culture that encourages very early independence - like 9 year olds cooking dinner for the entire family.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I answered for what my parents did as DD is only 9.

My mom stopped getting up when I was in HS. Dad was always up getting ready for work so he knew whether or not we were up and moving. But we did everything ourselves, got our lunches ready and just screamed up the steps when we were leaving. I preferred it that way as I like my quiet time in the morning. But once I left for college, poor mom was up early as my little Dsis IS NOT a morning person. She ended up driving her to school at least once a week because she would miss the bus.

 

[MushyMushy]

I got up with DS until he graduated and I'll do the same with DD. However, she wakes herself up at 5:30 to primp all morning, so I only get up around 7:00 to keep her company until she leaves.

She doesn't "need" me to get up with her, obviously, since she wakes herself up every morning, but I've always liked seeing the kids off.

 

[PatsGirl]

I made a pledge to get up every school morning with my kids and make them a hot breakfast and have done that for the last 20 years since DS was born. Once they get to be about 12 or 13 they balk at having to eat breakfast before school and I pay more mind to what I make for them and try to give them things they enjoy.

Because I do this each and every morning I don't feel the guilt of being busy after school. There is so much chauffering and activities going on that spending quality time is often difficult once they become teens but I know that I have them hostage each and every morning

 

[golfgal]

I don't know that I get up "with the kids" so much as getting ready the same time as the kids. They are all in high school and if I wasn't getting up for work I don't know that I would be getting up with them now. They are up and out of the house by 6:45 in the morning. I don't wake them up, get them breakfast or anything in the morning. I see nothing wrong with encouraging early independence-especially now when I see high school kids that can't even get their things together for school without help or can't figure out how to sign up for a spot on a bus for a band trip, or basically can't do anything without getting help from mom.

 

[Shmily1]

My mom didn't always get up with us and I hated that so I've made sure that I get up every day with DS19 and DD18. D19 is away at college most of the time now but DD18 lives at home and drives to college but I'm still up with her. I've always made it a point to spend as much time with them as possible so I don't take those few minutes in the morning for granted either. My DB died on his way to HS his senior year and I was the last one to talk to him. I wouldn't trade those few minutes for anything!!

 

[kellyg403]

Mine are all pretty much in hs..my two dd's are sr and jr and believe me they get up at an unGodly hour to do all their showering and primping. DS is a soph and he gets up by himself. Normally I get up with ds who is in 8th grade. My role is just to make sure everyone has their lunches, ate something and is moving out the door in time for the bus. Besides, most days now that they are older is pretty much the only time I see them until dinner time. With all their activities after school and friends sometimes it feels like I have to make the time to talk to them!

Kelly

 

[Pembo]

My mom always was up before us..she is a morning person however. I'm trying to do the same. After being sick for awhile and not being able to get out of bed before the kids left...I'm happy to be up now.

 

[SydSim]

I see nothing wrong with encouraging early independence-especially now when I see high school kids that can't even get their things together for school without help or can't figure out how to sign up for a spot on a bus for a band trip, or basically can't do anything without getting help from mom.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not criticizing her, I was just wondering if I'm the only one that gets up. And I don't help her with stuff - her alarm goes off, she gets showered, dressed and feeds herself and is out the door in time to catch the bus. I keep her company for about half an hour.

I guess I was seeing it as more of a time to spend together - like there's always talk about families eating dinner together each night (now that, we don't do because of our schedules. But we're very close anyway)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am a morning person so I am up. I will ask dd if she wants a hot breakfast and I will make it otherwise she just grabs something on her own.

My 13yodd is a PITA and we are working on her not missing the bus this yr. Last yr. drove her. So far, so good this yr.

My oldest got herself up for the most part. She is a freshman in college now and running late because she said no one sleeps at night.

All that "independence waking up philosophy" was thrown right out the window.

 

[debbi801]

I have to get up, since I'm getting ready to go to work and because I have to drive my high schoolers to school (there isn't door to door bus service for their high school).

But, they each have an alarm that gets them up and they are responsible for getting themselves up, ready, getting breakfast, etc.

When they were in middle school, I would wake them up each morning to make sure they had enough time, but they still got themselves breakfast.

We're still getting our elementary schooler breakfast and helping him get ready each morning.

 

[Tantor]

I am also a morning person, so I'm up with DD (she is in Gr 8)

 

[RunningGirl]

I get up because my mom quit getting up when I hit middle school and I hated being alone in the morning. My kids both get themselves up, make their own breakfast and lunch, pack their own bags. I'm there for hugs and to try to get their day off to a good start.

 

[GoofysGal67]

I'm just dealing with this issue myself! My son just started high school and has to get up at 5:30AM, the first week or so I was up, but now that he's got his routine down I have to admit to hitting the snooze button a few times. My husband is up and working at that time, so I feel a bit better that there is someone to see him off. (DH works at home) I gave up what I call *the breakfast fight* a long time ago. My DS just doesn't like to eat in the morning, no matter what I've tried to force on him, lol. (but I *love* a hot breakfast!)

My little one is in 1st grade and doesn't need to get moving until 7:00AM, but since she needs A LOT of motivation to get out of the house and a walk to the bus stop, I'm right there with her and will be for awhile.


Robin

 

[NHdisneylover]

I get wake my kids mostly becuase we have not managed to buy them alarmclocks since we moved. It is low on the priority list of things to make a trip to the store for and we keep forgetting
I would be up anyway because I drive them to school (they would have to leave almost an hour earleir and get there 30 minutes early if they took the train). DH will have the car out of town in two weeks (usually he iether flies, or when he is working here at home he goes in so much later than the ydo that he is still sleeping when we all elave for school), and I will take the train with them at least for first day of that week because they have not done it in that direction before and it is different than the route home and a bit confusing.
Even if I did not have to drive them I would get up with them just because I enjoy seeing them in the mornings. I often make them breakfast, but they do not expect it and can make their own (and can/did make dinner for the family sometimes by age 9 OP!--it is not a cultural thing for us so far as I know).
When I was a kid my parents woke me up on tehir way out of teh house to go to work. I got myself ready and to the bus. This started around age 8.

 

[mjkacmom]

Maybe it's because I have 5, but dd13 is very independent, always has been. She has her "attic suite," and sets her alarm for 6, gets ready, makes her breakfast, her tea, her lunch (including her lunch cup of coffee), and yes, there have been times when she has left for school, and I didn't even see her (not that I'm not up - I try to get out of bed before 7:30 and she leaves around 7:50 - but our paths don't cross).

 

[eeyore kelly]

my kiddos are in middle and high school. I get up five minutes before they do, make sure that they get out of bed as their alarms go off, and give them a 15 minute and five minute warning when it is time to go out. While they get ready for school, I am either getting ready for a sub job or I am playing on the computer. I don't go out with my high school ds, but I have to go to the bus stop with middle school dd. because one of our neighbors is a bully, which means I need to keep an eye on the nincompoop.

 

[Katy Belle]

I didn't respond to the poll because we aren't there yet. I'm hoping not to eventually be the "adults living at home"choice

My boys are 9,12,14. The oldest is in High School. I still wake him up. He has an alarm, but I like to wake him up. Its just part of my routine. I get up, shower, and wake him up. While he showers I veg on the computer with my Diet Coke. Then he comes down and go up and wake up the other 2 boys. I drive them all to school.

I guess I could see if they drive themselves to school and go really early then perhaps I would stay in bed.

 

[MerMom60_94]

There isn't an option that applies to me so I chose when she is out of high school. I have to get up at 5 in the morning whether DD is getting up or not. She goes to a school that is an hour away and has to be dropped off at for the bus across town so I have to have her out the door around 6. My routine is to get up and put on water for tea, wash my face, and go in and crawl in next to her and rub her back and give her little kisses and a snuggle until she is awake. Yeah, I know, she's in high school. That's as much about me as it is her. I only have one and since she is in high school and very busy and I work and am very busy, those are the 5 minutes we have that we know we can get in a snuggle. I have to enjoy her while I can. Really, though, I think your friend is teaching a good lesson in independence. My DD also has been cooking for the family for a couple of years now. She doesn't do it on a regular basis but will on occassion and she certainly has no problem fixing something for herself if she is hungry. So she is independent in a lot of ways, just not in her morning wake-up routine.

 

[Darsa]

I will never not get up with my kid as long as she's in school and in my house. We love our little bit of time together in the early morning, and she says that I'm much better at doing up her hair than she is. Not to mention, she loves her fried-egg sandwich with mustard that I make her sometimes

Not to mention I have to get up at that time to get ready for work, anyway!