This is a partnered guest post.
Parents know better than anyone that alarm clocks come in many forms: every mom has at one time or another awoken to the sound of a crying baby, an excited toddler or small child crawling under the covers. However, over time, the roles begin to reverse. Parents are the ones waking up early and facing the task of coaxing their little ones out of bed.
A parental alarm clock needs to be effective. Mornings are busy and no one has time to act as a human snooze button, making repeat trips for a snuggle and a gentle “it’s time to get up”. One tried and true alarm technique is tickling. Kids will definitely wake up, usually in a fit of uncontrolled giggles. Starting the day with a laugh is the best possible kind of alarm for parents and kids.
Technology saves the day
For parents who prefer a technological approach, there are a couple of fun apps that can wake you and your children up in a thoughtful way. If you’re of the Android persuasion, an app called ‘Warmly’ is sure to transform the morning routine. This app wakes you up with the sweet sounds of birds chirping and eggs sizzling which begin quietly and eventually get louder, rousing you from bed in a well-rested, peaceful mood. There really is no better way to start the day.
For iPhone users, Japanese company Uniqlo has an app called ‘Wake Up’ that allows you to customize your mornings entirely. Set your time from your current location and each morning the app will inform you of the weather in your area. The home screen changes with the day of the week and the wake–up music reflects different weather conditions so rainy mornings will begin with a distinctive musical association. This app is intuitive, interesting and makes every day unique.
Getting into the routine
When schedules change, it’s important to allow a bit of planning time for the family to adjust to early mornings, especially after a long summer break. Start setting the kid’s alarm clocks gradually earlier the week before their return to school and make sure you have a timely routine for things earlier in the day, such as meal times and their free time for television and video games. If these activities go on too late, it may affect your child’s ability – and willingness! – to go to bed at a reasonable hour.
I set an alarm clock and get everyone up. It wouldn’t happen otherwise. 🙂
Planning your schedule ahead of time is crucial when it comes to back to school time! It is for our family anyways.
I actually haven’t used an alarm clock in over 3 years. I get up early without one… must be old age setting in…lol
I have to set an alarm and my phone to get up now a days. I just don’t want to get out of bed.
I am SOOO downloading tonight I have never thought of an app for waking me up LOL!
My son wakes up early without any prompting- it’s me who needs a new method for waking up!
I used to have to have an alarm clock because we had black out blinds in our bedroom and it was west facing. Now our new home has an east facing bedroom and the blinds let in light, so I’m up pretty early without one!
I have my alarm clock on my nightstand but I haven’t used it as an alarm clock in a few years now, I just use my phone.
I’ve been having aHARD time getting used to the early, back-to-school wake-up time. I use my cell phone (the Samsung Galaxy S3 has a lot of nature alarms).
I have had a hard time getting into back to school mode and have been living off of coffee for the past week. That Wake Up app for iPhone sounds really neat!
I live by my alarm otherwise I would still be sleeping at 10am. Man, I miss sleeping until 10am.
I have to set my phone alarm or else I would sleep until noon.
Our phone use the best alarm ever – we use a ringer haha
These options sound so much better than my loud screaming alarm clock!
I usually start backing up our schedules the week bfore just like you suggested . 🙂
Oh I want to check out that warmly app. I am the one who uses an alarm clock and then I wake up the rest of the group. None of them would wake up with an alarm clock, we’ve tried.
honestly, we didn’t stop the typical bedtime for our girls so going back to school was a piece of cake. Their bedtime isn’t 8 o-clock because it’s necessarily good for waking up in the morning at 7:30am for school, it’s so mommy and daddy don’t go crazy! lol. And, by that time they are already getting cranky and whiny.