How do you discipline yourself concerning bedtime for YOU?!

[MommyInTraining]

Hi Ladies,

I have a continuous struggle with going to bed at my set bedtime and especially getting up on time. I just love to sleep in too much and I know the Bible says that we are not to love sleep. Of course, this affects the flow of our days. Can anyone share with me how they have been able to discipline themselves to get up on time in the mornings?

I look forward to hearing your advice!!!

[Daisy]

I'm a morning person but I honestly think that the reason I stay up too late sometimes is simply because I've given in to the technology mind-sucking devices. If I turn off every bit of technology by 8pm, I'm usually asleep by 10pm. I've had an hour or so to read a book, finish up chores, spend a little time on a hobby, etc.

If I stay on the computer or hubby puts on a movie, forget it, I'm up way too late. That's just me though.

[pollo_la]

Yep, technology is what keeps me up too late as well!! Especially the internet...

[StillJulie]

Make your day so full and be so physically exhausted that you fall asleep by 9 or so (even in front of technology). LOL

[lmercon]

Instead of packing my dh's lunch the night before, I wait to pack it in the morning. That forces me out of bed because he needs his lunch. I start the coffee and come back upstairs. I make my bed right away, which keeps me from being tempted to crawl right back in it. I open up the shades to let more light in. By that time, I'm awake. I always get fully ready for the day before I leave my room again. I get dressed and do hair and makeup. I wipe down my bathroom and take a load of laundry downstairs. By that point, my coffee is waiting for me. I sip coffee while I have my devotions and look over school stuff. My ds is allowed out of his room at 8:00. He knows he must dress, make his bed, and tidy his room before coming out in the morning. I give him a cup of OJ, and we start in on school right away. We get few subjects in. Then I get my dd and make breakfast. After breakfast, the kids do the rest of their chores. Then we start back up with school lessons.

Hmmmm.......all you did was ask how to get yourself up in the morning, and I gave you a blow-by-blow of my morning. Well, maybe you can make some use of my unsolicited advice
Laura

[dale1088]

Instead of packing my dh's lunch the night before, I wait to pack it in the morning. That forces me out of bed because he needs his lunch. I start the coffee and come back upstairs. I make my bed right away, which keeps me from being tempted to crawl right back in it. I open up the shades to let more light in. By that time, I'm awake. I always get fully ready for the day before I leave my room again. I get dressed and do hair and makeup. I wipe down my bathroom and take a load of laundry downstairs. By that point, my coffee is waiting for me. I sip coffee while I have my devotions and look over school stuff. My ds is allowed out of his room at 8:00. He knows he must dress, make his bed, and tidy his room before coming out in the morning. I give him a cup of OJ, and we start in on school right away. We get few subjects in. Then I get my dd and make breakfast. After breakfast, the kids do the rest of their chores. Then we start back up with school lessons.

Hmmmm.......all you did was ask how to get yourself up in the morning, and I gave you a blow-by-blow of my morning. Well, maybe you can make some use of my unsolicited advice
Laura

WOW! What a productive morning!!! I wish I could pull that off.

I am not, nor have I ever been, a morning person. I am a self-proclaimed night owl. I take my allergy medication in the evening to help me get sleepy. It also helps me be really sleepy when I hit the sack after dh has been in bed for a while because he is a horrible snorer and if I am not already so ready to pass out, I just won't with his sawing logs. But it's nothing for me to not go to bed until 1 or 2am - especially if I'm into a good book. I would LOVE to be in bed by 11pm every night and that is my goal that I am working towards.

I have been trying to get up by 7am so that I can have my devotion time with a cup or two of coffee before the kids get up around 7:30. They are not morning people either, so they dawdle with breakfast and watching a show to wake up. It's a bad habit. But we still have time to get morning chores done before school starts around 9:30.

I really wish I was more of a morning person. Hair, make-up, shower, bed made, etc all before 8 am would be so wonderful but I can't make it happen!

[lmercon]

I really wish I was more of a morning person. Hair, make-up, shower, bed made, etc all before 8 am would be so wonderful but I can't make it happen!

Trust me, I am NOT a morning person! My natural clock is about midnight to 9 AM. I have to FIGHT myself to get up every morning, but I've learned that I am much better when I do. The first year I hsed, I would finally drag myself out of bed when I heard my kids were up. Most days, I was still in my pjs and my hair in a bun on the top of my naked face well after lunchtime. I never felt very well. I was grumpy and irritated. I really find that if I have some quiet time to myself in the AM to look forward to, it helps me drag my sorry self out of bed. I SO envy my sil who wakes up with birds at 5 AM, has herself ready, exercise done, house tidied, dinner in the crock pot, devotions and coffee time enjoyed....all before 8 AM!

[MommyInTraining]

Thank you all for sharing your tips. I still have to have the discipline to make myself do those things though !

[Shimmer]

I think it helps to think about your perspective of why you want to get up in the morning (at whatever time you need to be). I don't think it has to be discipline in the sense that it's a punishment to get to bed. You deserve a good night's sleep. Your children deserve a mother and teacher that is rested and ready to go. If you've ever read any of Flylady's newsletters or book, she has an interesting perspective on loving yourself.

I do not personally have my bedtime worked out. I spent WAY too much time on the computer day and night. I'm realizing that and trying to fix it. I also spend so much time running around that I never realize that the day is pretty well over before I even try to relax. I could pull all-nighters in college, but at my age, I should really be rethinking that!

[ncmomof5]

Daisy,

Thanks for the tidbit of advice about technology. I think that makes a lot of sense.

Imercon,

I so agree with what you said about needing that quiet time to yourself before you start your day. I, too am a much happier Mom when I am up and ready before the kids.

[MomtoJGJE]

Have 3 out of 4 children be early birds... that'll get ya going... I have to get up around 6 every morning to have a chance to sip at least 3 sips of my coffee in peace and quiet. Then 6:15ish is all hands on deck, except for my baby... my beautiful, early to bed, late to rise wonderful baby

Seriously, I do enjoy my sleep... I would go to bed at 8 pm and not get up until noon if I could. And take a nap to boot!

But I just know that if I'm going to get my peace and quiet in the mornings that I desperately need, then I have to get in bed around 9 or so. 10 is pushing it... especially if I have to get up during the night for any reason. It also helps that my kids are in bed generally before 7:30 so I have a lot of time after they are in bed too.

I also quietly ask my children in the mornings if they could leave me alone until 7:30. Of course I have to ask this about 20 million times all while getting yet another drink or turning on a tv or letting dogs in or out or whatever... but I'm trying to teach them that mommy would like a LONG time to wake up in the mornings...

[jenntracy]

Instead of packing my dh's lunch the night before, I wait to pack it in the morning. That forces me out of bed because he needs his lunch. I start the coffee and come back upstairs. I make my bed right away, which keeps me from being tempted to crawl right back in it. I open up the shades to let more light in. By that time, I'm awake. I always get fully ready for the day before I leave my room again. I get dressed and do hair and makeup. I wipe down my bathroom and take a load of laundry downstairs. By that point, my coffee is waiting for me. I sip coffee while I have my devotions and look over school stuff. My ds is allowed out of his room at 8:00. He knows he must dress, make his bed, and tidy his room before coming out in the morning. I give him a cup of OJ, and we start in on school right away. We get few subjects in. Then I get my dd and make breakfast. After breakfast, the kids do the rest of their chores. Then we start back up with school lessons.

Hmmmm.......all you did was ask how to get yourself up in the morning, and I gave you a blow-by-blow of my morning. Well, maybe you can make some use of my unsolicited advice
Laura

i keep trying to do something like this (or maybe it is a dream) but a 19 month old just doesn't seem to understand when she comes in at 7:00am. We are blessed if it is 7:30am. my kids are usually all up by 7:30am and the 4.5 yr old and almost 6yr old understand to give mommy her devotion time. i keep wondering "how early must i get up" isn't 6:30am good enough? i really like to have my coffee with devotion.

i also get sucked into technology and if my hubby turns on t.v. forget it. i just can't concentrate on anything even if i am not really into the t.v. i keep kicking myself when i stay up too late.i am working on this issue.
Jenn D.

[lmercon]

i keep trying to do something like this (or maybe it is a dream) but a 19 month old just doesn't seem to understand when she comes in at 7:00am.

Well, that makes it tough. I had a crib that had high sides on it, and I kept both of my kids in the crib until after they were 3. I would lay a stack of books in the crib after they were asleep so that they had books in the morning when they woke. They learned to content themselves in there until I came to get them. Once I transitioned them to a bed, they were so used to staying in the bed with books that they didn't even get out of bed until I came in. My dd is 4 and still stays in her bed until I get her up. Once my ds was old enough to recognize an 8 on a digital clock, I allowed him to get up and leave his room then. It has worked really well for us because I can "control" the morning better that way. Every one thinks I was crazy for leaving my kids in the crib that long, but I figured, "why not?"
Laura

[my3sons]

One key thing that helps me get up in the morning is to have the kids have an early bedtime. At 7:30 PM, we all head upstairs, have a short family talk and prayer together. I put toddler to bed and my two oldest may quietly read in their rooms until 9 PM (they can choose to be together or separate). If it gets loud, it's lights out and to bed. They NEVER get loud. They have come to love their room time, and I don't even have to tell them lights out, they just do it at 9:00 PM. This gives me from 8 to 10 PM at night to myself. My dh is often gone or doing his own thing outside, so I look at this as time for me. I am not a night person, so I do go to bed around 10 or so, which helps me get up in the morning. I also agree about the technology comments, and try to limit myself to watching just one favorite t.v. show a week, or maybe 2 if Top Chef and What Not to Wear are both on nights I can watch. I also try to only watch a movie from start to finish, and I try to start it early. My dh can be a channel surfer, and I used to get drawn into the middle of this or that only to wonder where the night had gone. Now, I just avoid getting caught up in it unless I've made the decision to sit down and watch a movie from start to finish for the night. One last tip - a hot bath and a good book. Reading a good book in a really hot bath gets me sleepy and ready for bed. When the bath water has cooled and I am becoming a wrinkle, I put the book away in the bathroom cupboard and go to bed.

In Christ,
Julie