Do you have an early riser? I do.....or I did, anyway :) Leila used to be up every morning at 6:15. Didn't matter if she fell asleep the night before at 7:00pm or midnight - she was up until 6:15 like clockwork. Ugh. So we got her this awesome clock.
You set the time that it's "OK to wake" and (the idea is) your kiddo comes out once the clock glows. I set it for 7:00am, explained it all to Leila and had high hopes. Fast forward to the next morning at 6:15 - Leila is in my bedroom, non-glowing clock in hand. "Mama, my clock isn't glowing." I tell her that she needs to wait for it to glow, so go back in your room and try to fall back asleep until it glows. She goes back to bed with her clock. I fall back asleep. (Yelling from across the hall) "Maaaaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaa! My clock still isn't glowing!!" I look at the clock - 6:23. It felt like so much longer than eight minutes. I go back to Leila's room, and tells her she needs to please be quiet, so she doesn't wake her sister and wait for her clock to glow. I go back to my room, and fall back asleep. There's a little tap on my shoulder. "I think my clock isn't working, because it still won't glow." I look at the clock. 6:31. Ugh. I give up. I tell Leila to hop in bed and watch a cartoon so I can sleep until Gianna wakes up.
So, flash forward a few days. Pretty much the same thing happens every morning. I decide that something needs to change, so I rack my brain, and come up with a bribe. Leila got the V-Reader for Christmas....
She absolutely loves it, and plays with it all the time. So, I made up this little chart for Leila:
The deal is that Leila has to wait for her clock to glow without getting out of bed, or making any noise. She gets a smiley face every morning that she does so, and once she's waited in bed for 14 mornings in a row she gets to pick out a new game for her V-Reader. I've never really done any bribes with Leila before, so I wasn't sure how it would work, but (knock on wood!) it has worked like a charm. I've even gotten sneaky, and adjusted the clock to glow at 7:15 and when that worked for a few days I set it to glow at 7:30. Leila is sleeping until it glows and we will be picking out her new game in a few days!
Now, no I don't plan on bribing her for every little thing, but for this tired mama a bribe in this situation was just what the doctor ordered!
You set the time that it's "OK to wake" and (the idea is) your kiddo comes out once the clock glows. I set it for 7:00am, explained it all to Leila and had high hopes. Fast forward to the next morning at 6:15 - Leila is in my bedroom, non-glowing clock in hand. "Mama, my clock isn't glowing." I tell her that she needs to wait for it to glow, so go back in your room and try to fall back asleep until it glows. She goes back to bed with her clock. I fall back asleep. (Yelling from across the hall) "Maaaaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaa! My clock still isn't glowing!!" I look at the clock - 6:23. It felt like so much longer than eight minutes. I go back to Leila's room, and tells her she needs to please be quiet, so she doesn't wake her sister and wait for her clock to glow. I go back to my room, and fall back asleep. There's a little tap on my shoulder. "I think my clock isn't working, because it still won't glow." I look at the clock. 6:31. Ugh. I give up. I tell Leila to hop in bed and watch a cartoon so I can sleep until Gianna wakes up.
So, flash forward a few days. Pretty much the same thing happens every morning. I decide that something needs to change, so I rack my brain, and come up with a bribe. Leila got the V-Reader for Christmas....
Now, no I don't plan on bribing her for every little thing, but for this tired mama a bribe in this situation was just what the doctor ordered!
That's an awesome little clock! I love it! If only it worked with cats and dogs!
ReplyDeletegreat idea!
ReplyDeletehaha! that's awesome! i too am not above bribery and sometimes find it works far better than a "straightforward" method!
ReplyDeleteenjoy your beauty sleep!
Good for you!! 6:15, is SO early especially now that it is still dark! :(
ReplyDeleteI have two early risers. And Mama loves her sleep. I need to try that clock.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty cool clock, I haven't ever seen that one. I have been thinking about getting the sun/moon clock because I hate it when the suns comes up in the summer time at 6am and I do NOT want to be awake at that time. My kids do not typically wake before the sun.
ReplyDeleteOh honey... that's not bribing, it's positive reinforcement!! hehe!!! Go with that!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, by the way! Might have to get one for my early riser!
I just ordered that!
ReplyDeleteand will you email me a chart?
ReplyDeletelmao!!! "my clock still isnt glowing!!!!!" im dying.
ReplyDeleteyou and i are far too much alike. im all for some bribery...especially to get some extra sleep! im sure ill be there very soon!
what a great idea! we are struggling here too...my little guy is just over two, so don't think he'd understand the glowing concept yet-but you better believe we are trying this later this year!! xo
ReplyDelete