Do you get up before your kids?

[amy]

I usually do, but haven't always done so. Before my husband got a new job he wouldn't have to leave the house until 7:30 so he was able to get Erik (the early riser) in the mornings while I took my time taking a shower. So I would get up when I heard Erik and take a shower and stuff while Randy sat with him and Big Bird.

Enter move. Randy now leaves around 6:30 for work and Erik rarely sleeps past 6:30 or 7:00. But if I don't get up and shower before getting the boys I just can't get it together. Those are the days we watch too much TV and I feel sleepy until after breakfast. If I get up before the kids I can shower, dress, and read my Bible before getting the boys and I feel better when I first see them.

Erik (3) was sleeping until 7:30 so I would get up at 6:30, do my stuff, have coffee, and then come get them. But now he wakes up early and wakes up Andrew (2) so I rarely have time to get ready and have coffee before they wake. I have a hard time reading when I can hear them, and sometimes Erik takes off his diaper, harasses Andrew, etc. Sometimes I poke my head in and give them toys, shut the door, then take a shower. They have a baby-proof handle on the door and are "locked" in there.

So do you get up before your kids? Are you kids able to entertain themselves while you get ready? Mine are still too little.

Life!

[jesspond]

I do. NOT. get up before my kids. Unless for some reason we're GOING somewhere! If we have therapy or something, or on Sundays for church, I get up and then get ready and around and get them/Travis gets them and we get them ready. Otherwise, on normal days I wait until I have to to get up! Which is usually 10:30!

When I hear them, I go get them up and set them up with cups of cereal and fruit and they wander around while I get ready (we have a big bathroom, which is good, cause half the time they're hanging in there with me during this time). After that if I'm needing to finish, or if I shower later, they do tend to be able to play together for the most part, or watch some TV or something. They will definitely watch TV and/or play while I shower and get ready, though they do sometimes wander in and out while I do so. And sometimes they make a huge mess! But we're pretty babyproofed, and they're getting older, so it's not NOT doable now!

As far as doing non-kid-friendly stuff like laundry (whee, pulling clothes out of the basket is FUUUUN!), I usually have plenty of time during nap. They go down about 1 and sleep till 3-4 so it's no stretch.

I know that eventually I'm SO SO going to have to change that routine. After all, eventually we'll have school! But for now it works so well and it goes well with our schedule and Trav and my internal clocks that we can't pass it up!

[Wendi]

My kids get up at 5:45. If it were possible, I totally would! I just can't beat them up. I am hoping I can sooon!