I don't know what to do anymore. I feel like I've tried everything. Charts, prizes, motivation, punishments, taking away privileges, bribes, waking up at the crack of dawn, earlier bedtime, making them eat last after they are all ready, etc. Nothing seems to work to get my kids motivated to get ready in the morning.I take full responsibility for not making them independent, but I just don't know how. Short of making them go to school naked! McKenna has been the worst lately so today I told her she'd go to school regardless of how ready she was...and carry through. Now, before you think I haven't tried this tactic before, I have. The problem is that my kids know how to waste the entire morning and distract and fight with each other which causes a VERY stressful morning. But they are AMAZING quick-change artists and can be dressed within 30 seconds if need be in order to not go to school in PJ's. They don't, however, get anything else done, teeth, bed, bags packed, pjs picked-up, etc.
I wake the kids around 7am and we need to start getting in the car at 8:45 and leave at 8:50 (We usually leave late...but this is what we aim for).
This was how our morning went:
This is the time:
This is what McKenna was doing at that time:
That underwear (it's clean) would end up on her head (along with the tights) not her bottom...never did make it to her bum. (Oh, and the heart is my editing so I don't get removed for kiddie porn)This is the unhappy child who managed to get dressed even though it doesn't match. (Mom tried to breathe calmly and ignore the fact that she did not match)
End result: Uncombed hair was a ratty mess, dirty underwear, mismatched clothes, teeth unbrushed, PJ's & dirty socks still on the floor, loss of play date for the day. But we left anyway and weren't late! She was mad and cried about having messy hair, but by the time we arrived at school she seem unaffected by the whole ordeal.
NOW WHAT??!! I am NOT ok with her going to school looking like nobody loves or cares for her. As it is, I feel compelled to go tell her teacher what happened. (Hopefully they'll just assume I was sick or on vacation and Dad got her ready.) Any ideas?? I'm looking for some tried-and-true suggestions that work.
I just want them to be able to get themselves ready, not fight or distract their siblings and to have peace and calm in our home in the mornings. Is that too much to ask for? Ok, so it is, but I can dream, right?
4 comments:
Hmmm. Good efforts on mom's part! But unresponsive cherubs. Hmmm. Another mom told me one day, when you punnish your kids and take away privileges and put up with their wihining, remember, you are also punishing yourself! So who wins? Nobody. :o/
Well, have you thought about video taping everyone and then show them their documentary antics for an after dinner movie? Could be quite interesting. You may win a pulitzer for it! :o)
Sorry, no suggestions. Don't you wish you had a magic wand to wave over them and put them on a shelf for a few minutes! :o)
wow, what a fun filled morning(s) for you! can you figure this out before my kids reach that stage, and let me know how to do it? :)
Have you tried letting the kids pick out their clothes and lay out their things the night before? I remember being little and not listening much to my mom, so good luck!
I hate it when they call your bluffs that way. The other day I was telling Rue to quit doing something in the car or she would walk home and after a time or two she was like, okay, let me out. D'oh!
Not quite sure why I'm going to give you advice when I need some myself :), but you could try the approach of letting them be late for school - letting them take responsibility for themselves. Then they have the teacher to answer to. My girlfriend tried it and eventually the principal had a word with her son about getting to school on time and it WORKED! Just keep reminding yourself that all mum's are in the same boat! I'm so stressed some mornings from telling Hayden to get dressed 500 times that I feel as if my heart is about to jump right out of my chest because it's pumping so hard! I occassionally I have to come home and flop on the couch just to let my heart rate slow down!
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