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MichelleW
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| Posted: Oct 26 2012 at 11:30am | IP Logged
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I need suggestions! My 15 year old won't get out of bed in the morning when he is called. It takes an hour and a half from the first time I call him until we see his shining face. I call him every 5-15 minutes after that. He has an alarm clock, but that hasn't helped. What do you all do?
He does have trouble falling asleep and we are working on that with his doctor, so I am sure he is tired. But...it really messes with our day.
Thanks!
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Michelle
Mom to 3 (dd 14, ds 15, and ds 16)
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anitamarie
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| Posted: Oct 26 2012 at 11:44am | IP Logged
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We have this problem, also, except on co-op day, then he bounds out of bed on time with no problem. I think it's harder for them to be motivated when it's schoolwork and not something more fun. Plus, the circadian rhythm shifts with some teens and they fall asleep later and then need to sleep later in the morning. We have discussed with our son letting him change his schedule to reflect what his body wants. (for example, lights out at 11 or so, then 9or so hours of sleep, so wake up between 8 and 9 and start his day from there.) So far he has rejected this because he knows it will be difficult for him to accomplish his schoolwork if all the younger kids are done and would be tempting him to be distracted. If he did do this, then I would still expect him to stop working and do his chores at chore time, etc. to be less disruptive to our overall schedule. I would let him adjust his mealtimes somewhat. But he doesn't like the idea of schoolwork from 10-5 or 11-6, so we keep on keeping on with trying to wake him.
First, we make sure he's in bed with no electronics by a reasonable time (in time to get 8-9 hours of sleep). Lights out, no questions. In the morning, I use my chimes to wake him. If that doesn't work, I get out the whistle (think gym teacher/coach whistle). If all else fails, it's ice, ice baby. Boy he hates that. It's a lot of work for us, but right now it's what we have to do. I have thought of instituting a fine for being late to breakfast. "Shut up" went away really fast in our house once it cost him a dollar every time he said to a sibling. (I think it took $2). So we may try that to help with personal responsibility. Good luck!
Anita
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mom2mpr
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| Posted: Oct 26 2012 at 12:19pm | IP Logged
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Much, much empathy here. A friend told me about a recent article in the Wall Street
Journal about this very issue. I haven't read it yet, but she gave me the gist, and essentially we are doing the right things in letting them go to bed later and rise a little later, but it really does mess the day up here...grrrrrrrrr......I'll be watching this thread for other suggestions. I also have a dh who is a nite owl and makes things hard(has for years, doesn't believe in bedtimes-the kids will go to sleep when they are tired--and you are playing with them? think they will EVER get tired of having fun. 
Signed,
A mommy who hasn't had a good nights sleep in almost 15 years!!!
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Anne, married to dh 16 years!, ds,(97), Little One (02), and dd (02).
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 26 2012 at 12:34pm | IP Logged
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ummm frozen marbles in the bed? 
OK, if you can't get up in the morning on time then you have to go to bed as much earlier as you were late getting up.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: Oct 26 2012 at 1:46pm | IP Logged
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I'm with Jodie. When they have trouble getting up, they have to go to bed that much earlier until the perfect bedtime is reached. I have the opposite problem with one son who wakes too early and "can't nap" so I threaten early bedtimes if he doesn't stay in bed long enough (he HATES sleep. It is a waste of time in his book but then he crashes every now and then because his body just needs it.)
If your son has trouble falling asleep, then it's even more important to wake up on time so that when he goes to bed that night he is tired. Sleeping in only helps perpetuate the problem. (I have trouble sleeping so I've been doing some reading on this.)
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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stellamaris
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No great ideas, here, having been through 3 teenage sons already with no consistent success in getting them up early. I just gave up and told them that as long as they got their work done, that was all that was required. The timing of it was up to them. My personal thought is that somewhere around 14 they mysterious switch over to Tokyo time and don't manage to get back on to EST until they get their first job! Often wondered if I ought to send them to Japan for school....
A few more helpful ideas:
1. Limit computer time in the evening. Collect or turn off "screens" at 8 p.m.
2. Resign yourself to going to wake him up at least 3-5 times every day for quite a long while.
3. No caffeinated sodas or drinks, including green/black teas.
4. Can you schedule activities such as music lessons, exercise sessions, or outside classes for the morning hours? Sometimes an outside commitment can get them up and moving.
5. If he can't get his work done (and still sleep in), no special activities until it is finished. This might motivate him to get up earlier to finish his work.
6. Could he get a job outside the home in the morning? At the grocery store or somewhere? Just for a few hours?
He might like the extra cash and having to be at work might be a motivator to get up.
Prayers going up for you!
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to  dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
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setonmom
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| Posted: Oct 26 2012 at 4:11pm | IP Logged
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My son has problems around this same age, along with a lot of daytime sleepiness. I don;t know what time you are getting your son up, but the sleep specialist we took my son to said that since he was homeschooled and didn;t need to be up for school early, to let him sleep from midnight to 8 am, that that was much better for an adolescent.
It sometimes was a lot to work around because he slept so much later than everyone else, but he was happier and better focused.
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Erin
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| Posted: Nov 01 2012 at 12:44am | IP Logged
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Well we started telling our boys if they didn't turn up for prayers and breakfast on time the poor dears needed more sleep so we would help them by sending them to bed earlier but that doesn't help if your son has genuine trouble.
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Topic: Getting Son Out of Bed
