Anyone have tips on getting a teen out of bed?

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flutterbee

Guest
School starts tomorrow. High school starts at 7:30, which means we have to leave the house by 7:15 if I take easy child to school or he catches the bus at 6:50. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/sleep.gif

First of all, this kills me every year because as my mom always told me, "There's a place on this earth for people like you and it's called third shift." IOW, I am NOT a morning person. Neither is easy child. Nor is he a light sleeper. You could walk a marching band through his room and he'd just roll over. :rolleyes: No idea where he gets THAT from. :angel:

So, any ideas on how to get a teenager out of bed? In the past it's taken close to an hour or more every. single. day. I'm so over that. He has an alarm. He either doesn't hear it or shuts it off without waking up.
 


Natural consequences. Alarm clock, across the room. If that does not get him up, he misses the bus. He is late for school. Guess he walks. Then he is tardy.

Guarantee you that it won't happen too many times.
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
I will sleep through or turn off my alarm in my sleep too.
Have no suggestions other than make sure it's not the radio on, because I will sleep through the radio.

Maybe, since he is a easy child, you can talk him into going to bed a little earlier (laughing....I still don't go to bed until around 1:00).

I hope you can get him up in time.
 
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flutterbee

Guest
Oh, it will. He got ISS (In School Suspension) for being late and after that with the threat of truancy charges he was still late.
 

nvts

Active Member
Carol Leifer is a great comic. She said her Dad used to tip toe into her room with 2 flashlights, shine them in her eyes and scream "Look out! Truck!!". :rofl:

I don't know if it would work, but it would be funny as hell to try!!! :smile:

Beth
 

everywoman

Well-Known Member
My grandfather used to stand in the hall and sing "You gotta get up, you gotta get up, you gotta get up in the morning" at the top of his lungs. It was so annoying we all got up just so he would stop.

with pcdaughter I would call her cell phone about an hour before she needed to get up. I would take a shower and call again. I would get dressed and then...

Now she lives by herself and gets up with no problem when she wants to!
 

mstang67chic

Going Green
When I was having a lot of problems getting difficult child up in the mornings, I went with the water method also. I had a spray bottle that I filled with water and told him ahead of time that if I had problems, I would use it. He didn't believe me. So the next time he didn't get up, his feet happened to be sticking out of the covers and I sprayed them. (cold water of course) He was up out of that bed in a flash and in my face yelling at me. I just took a step back, raised the spray bottle and sprayed him dead on in the face. Shut him right up and I had a ball. Walked out of his room giggling like a loon. :rofl:
 
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flutterbee

Guest
OMG!!! You guys are hillarious!!!

I'm definitely going to use the water bottle. I have to try the flashlights just once. That one's just too good to pass up.

My mom has always been a morning person. My brother and I have never been morning people. Ever. She used to come into our rooms every morning, whisk the curtains back, singing, "Oh, What a beautiful morning!", at the top of her lungs. I still have nightmares. :rofl:
 

jamrobmic

New Member
My mom's a morning person, too. She tells us she sleeps in on the weekends-she gets up at 6:00 instead of 5:00 :smile: husband is, too-he gets up at 3:30 every morning to have some alone time :coffee: He doesn't like it if difficult child or I encroach on his "alone time." I told him not to worry-I don't even want to know there is a 3:30 a.m.

They make an alarm clock called a Screaming Meanie that might help:

http://www.activeforever.com/p-1656-scre...CFRcbWAodiBpnDg

You can get them at truck stops. We got one for difficult child when he (briefly) moved to his own apartment, but I don't think he used it. I feel for you. difficult child is extremely hard to wake up. He's not even coherent at that time of day, let alone try and get him up and off to school or work.
 
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flutterbee

Guest
A couple of years ago, they showed on the news a prototype of an alarm clock made by MIT students. It had wheels and when you hit the snooze it rolled off whatever it was on and hid. That's what he needs.

Thanks for that link. I'll check it out.

I'm not very coherent in the mornings either. easy child and I don't talk much til we've been up at least an hour...not very pleasant people to be around when we first wake up...so it makes it interesting when I'm trying to wake him.
 
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guest3

Guest
I threw our guinea pig on my difficult child I this morning, it didn't work though, the piggy was chewing on his nose and he still did not budge, probably because he came in at 3am!
 

Marguerite

Active Member
I love the alarm clack that ran away and hid - I want one!

We use the water method. A mist spray bottle filled with water and set on jet works best. A jet in the face is effective but a jet on the body works better. Best of all - if you can get to the foot end of the bed and send a jet of water right up the INSIDE of the pyjama leg. It's very hard to go back to sleep when you feel wet and clammy. Scoring a dead hit on the family jewels with a jet of cold water from the INSIDE is the ultimate aim - THAT will get him out of bed, fast. Make sure your line of retreat is clear.

And the other one, from M*A*S*H - dipping his hand in lukewarm water while he's sound asleep - it MAY work but you may also have to change the sheets... and if he wakes enough to catch you at it, he should then be awake enough to get up.

One more thing to consider - you need to be VERY sensitive to adolescent males who are reluctant to leave their bedclothes while in the presence of a female relative. You COULD offer them a cold spoon...

Marg
 
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flutterbee

Guest
You're right, Marg, about being reluctant to leave the bed. And I do consider that, thanks for reminding me. He just needs to be sitting up. Then, at least, there's a 50/50 chance he'll stay awake. Otherwise, it's a 100% chance he's going back to sleep.

I am definitely going to use the water bottle. We actually have it out to spritz GFGcat when he's getting carried away with the kitten and easy child spritzed me with it the other day. Payback time....

Actually, though, I HAVE to try the flashlight thing just once. That is hysterical. I told difficult child about it (for all her issues, getting her up has never been one of them) and she wants me to wake her so she can watch. :rofl: easy child will probably get mad, but he'll get over it. Meanwhile, I'll be having a grand time! :smile:
 

meowbunny

New Member
I am a firm believer that mornings should not exist -- ever, for any reason! That being said my mother tried the cold water method on me. It was the only time I ever came up swinging and I truly was more asleep than awake. She finally found a method that worked -- she stood in my doorway and banged a pot. If I managed to fall back asleep, the mattress was pulled off the bed with me in it. (It probably helped that I weighed 85 pounds soaking wet.)
 

loricbme

New Member
Heather -

Are we twins separated at birth? That is EXACTLY what my mom used to do to get me out of bed. And might I add she was a terrbile singer. It's imbedded in my brain. I don't have these issues with my difficult child, but it's nice to know I've got a little ammo just in case. :smile:
 

busywend

Well-Known Member
I tried replying to this last night but could not.

I think having a cute little chicky at his locker will do it. Give him some time. One day he will jump out of bed and run to school and you will be left scratching your head.

See if you can hire a girl to ask him to walk her to school or carrying her books!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
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Kjs

Guest
ooohhhh, If I did any of those things there would be one big fight in the morning. Gee, last year by the time I got him to school we were both in tears. He does not like to get up, then is super crabby, then we fight.

This year I am giving someone else a ride...he BETTER get up.

(they will drive on the days I will be at work)
 

SRL

Active Member
My oldest is only 14 so I hesistate to speak up, but so far having something positive to look forward to in the morning has helped at our house with all the kids.

This morning was the first day of school and I made Belgian waffles (with whipped cream on top) and we're reading HP-Goblet of Fire. My kids like our family hot breakfast/reading time and they don't want to miss out.

I reserve the right to eat these words at any time in the future. ;-)
 

meowbunny

New Member
One thing I would suggest is to stay away from each other once you get him up. My mother would stay in her bedroom while I got ready for school. (I was not a nice person when I had to get up before my body felt it should.) Let him get himself ready. He's old enough. I'd just get him up and then let him fend for himself until it is time to go.

My daughter is also a non-morning person. Worse yet, she's incredibly grumpy until she truly wakes up. Unless I absolutely have to, there is no way I'm going to be in the same room with her until she is fully awake and functioning. When she was in high school the rule was she was out of the house and on her way to school at 15 minutes before school started and, no, I didn't care if she was fully dressed, if her makeup was half on, if she didn't have your homework. She would have to suffer the consequences if not getting herself fully ready and I did not have to suffer through the battles because I was nagging her.
 
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