A Kind Waker-Upper

I'm not a morning person. I never have been. The shorter I can make my morning (by sleeping in) the better. I very rarely take naps for the simple fact that it feels like I put another morning in my day.

Still, I am the mom, and it's my responsibility to get everyone else out of bed on school days. Compared to some (and by some I mean my husband), I'm really quite a nice waker-upper. I don't come in banging pots together or flipping the light on when it's still dark outside, or utilizing a good bucket of cold water...okay neither does my hubby, but I'm still kinder than him when it comes to getting the kids up.

I gently sit next to them on the bed, then begin to rub their arms or back until signs of life abound. If this takes too long I'll quietly call out their name. Then for a moment or two I'll rock them in my arms or simply give them a hug and give them time to get moving. Nice, huh? Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

So when I've gone to all the trouble of waking them up so gently I don't take kindly to having the first words out of M's mouth being, "No, Mom, no...." I sigh, convince her she really does need to get up and going, and head into the boys' room. There I'm met with impressive moans and groans from J the moment his eyes open and he sees my face. I realize I got dressed in the dark, but you'd think he'd be used to it by now.

B mostly lays there. He refuses to acknowledge all I'm trying to do for him until it's time to head directly to the bathroom. I don't even get a response to my "Good morning." Nothing. I don't know what's worse, being moaned at or ignored. And the 'baby'? To be honest I'm not sure what she wants more, me or the cup of milk I bring to her first thing in the morning. Usually it's milk, then eventually mom.

Here's where irony comes in to play havoc with what's left of the desire to wake my children gently by the time Friday's come and gone: Saturday they're all up earlier than they would have been on a school day...

One of these days I might actually wake 'em all up banging pots together. Just so they can appreciate gentle mom a little more.