How do you get a preschooler to wait in their room in the morning?

[Anonymous]

I think it's fine to expect kids to entertain themselves for a while before parents get out of bed. I don't think it's "lazy" to want to stay in bed to a certain hour, even 7:30, if that's what makes sense for your sleep and schedule. Some people are just not morning people and will do much better with an extra hour in bed. Even if some of it is spent being awake -- some people need that waking up time to acclimate.

The key is just to provide appropriate activities for the kid. For a preschooler, I'd make sure they had access to some safe, reasonably quiet activities. The yoto player is a good idea (or a tonie box, which might be more approachable for a preschooler). Do they have a play area in their room, or a playroom on the same floor as your bedroom, where they could play? My kid used to get up early and use her play kitchen to play house with her dolls -- she'd make them breakfast and get them ready for school. And then I'd get up and make her breakfast and get her ready for school. It was pretty cute. She used to walk up at like 5am so I had to have some stuff or her to do because no way am I getting out of bed at 5 if I want to be halfway functional during the day.

[Anonymous]

Ours will sometimes stay in her room and play and sometimes come to our room. If it's super early when she comes to our room and there is no chance of her going back to sleep, I'll let her watch my phone for a bit until I'm ready to get up. It will give me another 20 minutes or so to doze and/or wake up enough to get up. Other times I'll just get up with her and make coffee first thing lol

[Anonymous]

He's adapting to daylight savings time, only a few weeks early. So just wait it out for two more weeks, and his 6:45 will be perfect.

[Anonymous]

If you think it's the light then you should try blackout curtains. You can also start explaining that the sun goes up and down different times during different seasons and to believe the wake clock, don't try to figure it out. Those are the things we did with our 3yo and it overall worked well.

Just a thought but is there any way to let him go watch cartoons without your help? I did that at that age. But our kids wouldn't be able to because we only have streaming. Maybe a laptop cued up so he only has to press the spacebar if you trust him. Or certain toys that he likes that are just for morning like sticker books or wonder markers that you leave by his bed at night after he falls asleep so they're there in the morning.

[Anonymous]

Did you give choices for what they can do before the clock changes? Can you leave books by their bed? Puzzles? Other quiet toys? Maybe some toys they like but are only available in the morning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Child locks He can’t leave his room

Why are you treating your child like a prisoner?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Child locks He can’t leave his room

Why are you treating your child like a prisoner?

Not only that, but what if s/he needs to use the toilet upon waking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:7:30 is really late. What time are they waking up? How long are you expecting them to stay in their room after waking? Do they have black out shades?

For context, I successfully used the okay to wake clock to get my 3 year old to stay in his room until 6. I can't imagine getting to sleep until 7:30.

+1. Everyone I know who has their kids use the wake clock is so their kid isn't getting up before 6a. 7:30a is absolutely unrealistic for many kids. If they are 4 they should be able to leave their rooms. Why not show them what they can do as an activity before you get your lazy self out of bed.

[Anonymous]

7:30 would be asking too much of ours. 6:30 is more realistic. The sun is our okay to wake clock, basically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Child locks He can’t leave his room

Why are you treating your child like a prisoner?

Not only that, but what if s/he needs to use the toilet upon waking?

He’s in a diaper for nighttime.

[Anonymous]

Could people give advice without calling someone who gets out of bed at 7:30 am lazy? That's a perfectly normal time to get up. Yes, some kids get up earlier and you have to figure it out -- get up with them, provide them with an activity, etc. But that doesn't mean a parent is lazy for staying in bed until 7:30.

I would just love to cease this narrative that it is "lazy" to sleep or rest or not jump up to accommodate every other person in your life. It is toxic. The parent who gets up at 7:30am might be going to bed at midnight because they have to work after their kids go to bed, or because that's when they prep lunches and do kid-related admin, or because they have a high stress job and they use evenings to do a hobby, connect with their partner, or relax with a book or TV in order to decompress.

There is nothing wrong with getting out of bed at 7:30. Many people don't have to leave the house until 8:30 in order to get to school/work on time, and an hour is plenty of time to get ready.

[Anonymous]

7:30 is way too much to ask of them. 6:30 is more reasonable. Wake up and be a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could people give advice without calling someone who gets out of bed at 7:30 am lazy? That's a perfectly normal time to get up. Yes, some kids get up earlier and you have to figure it out -- get up with them, provide them with an activity, etc. But that doesn't mean a parent is lazy for staying in bed until 7:30.

I would just love to cease this narrative that it is "lazy" to sleep or rest or not jump up to accommodate every other person in your life. It is toxic. The parent who gets up at 7:30am might be going to bed at midnight because they have to work after their kids go to bed, or because that's when they prep lunches and do kid-related admin, or because they have a high stress job and they use evenings to do a hobby, connect with their partner, or relax with a book or TV in order to decompress.

There is nothing wrong with getting out of bed at 7:30. Many people don't have to leave the house until 8:30 in order to get to school/work on time, and an hour is plenty of time to get ready.

Agreed. Also, we’re talking about a 4 year old, not a baby! At 4, they can absolutely play independently until a parent wakes up. It’s actually good for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could people give advice without calling someone who gets out of bed at 7:30 am lazy? That's a perfectly normal time to get up. Yes, some kids get up earlier and you have to figure it out -- get up with them, provide them with an activity, etc. But that doesn't mean a parent is lazy for staying in bed until 7:30.

I would just love to cease this narrative that it is "lazy" to sleep or rest or not jump up to accommodate every other person in your life. It is toxic. The parent who gets up at 7:30am might be going to bed at midnight because they have to work after their kids go to bed, or because that's when they prep lunches and do kid-related admin, or because they have a high stress job and they use evenings to do a hobby, connect with their partner, or relax with a book or TV in order to decompress.

There is nothing wrong with getting out of bed at 7:30. Many people don't have to leave the house until 8:30 in order to get to school/work on time, and an hour is plenty of time to get ready.

Agreed. Also, we’re talking about a 4 year old, not a baby! At 4, they can absolutely play independently until a parent wakes up. It’s actually good for them.

Yes it's lazy if your kid isn't ready. WTF. Get up.


"Many people don't have to leave the house until 8:30 in order to get to school/work on time, and an hour is plenty of time to get ready" Not according to the many on DCUM who cannot figure out how to get out the door. Your kids will get older, you will be up HOURS before them at some point. Get up with your non-teens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could people give advice without calling someone who gets out of bed at 7:30 am lazy? That's a perfectly normal time to get up. Yes, some kids get up earlier and you have to figure it out -- get up with them, provide them with an activity, etc. But that doesn't mean a parent is lazy for staying in bed until 7:30.

I would just love to cease this narrative that it is "lazy" to sleep or rest or not jump up to accommodate every other person in your life. It is toxic. The parent who gets up at 7:30am might be going to bed at midnight because they have to work after their kids go to bed, or because that's when they prep lunches and do kid-related admin, or because they have a high stress job and they use evenings to do a hobby, connect with their partner, or relax with a book or TV in order to decompress.

There is nothing wrong with getting out of bed at 7:30. Many people don't have to leave the house until 8:30 in order to get to school/work on time, and an hour is plenty of time to get ready.

Not the kids' problem.