Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Perfecting the Morning Routine

Great News OTGmom! I'm so glad you are doing a lights out, and I hope it works great.

I allowed DS13 to stay up an extra half hour last night, until 11, when his normal bedtime is 10pm, and his normal 'special treat' is 10:30. He was SUCH a grouch this morning!

I'm really looking forward to that 10pm sleep tonight.
Smiles,
Grinity

I hope the sleep works for you. My sons (aged 7) are very sensitive to amount of sleep. They seem to need an inordinate amount of time to wind down. Their lights-out is at 9pm (wake at 6) but in order to make that do-able for them, they need to be in PJs and reading a solid hour before then. It is getting more and more difficult. I've also suggested to them to be choosy about what they read and to choose something that helps them get drowsy rather than things that result in fits of giggles.

They are also very attached to breakfast, so they need to be dressed and be ready before then. They aren't allowed computer time before school, but are not allowed to play the piano until after their backpacks are packed and everything is ready to go.

The one other thing I have to keep an eye on, is weekend sleep-ins. If they sleep in, they have a hard time going to sleep on time, so the lights-out applies to weekends as well as week-days, with only a small bit of extra lee-way.

I hope your changes work well for you.

That's wonderful to hear kids playing the piano before school.

I have always like my son's idea of having time to do something of his own before his school day. He often does some legos before school. But now that the weather is cooler, he like to wrap up in a blanket and lay on the heat vent with a book. He calls it Venting.

Ahhh yes. We also usually have a fleece blanket wrapped boy on the couch for a while on many mornings. No vents for him, but he will use a heated beanbag sometimes.