The stop watch by Tim’s computer is beeping. I know what that means – 11 pm and time to go to bed. My house is quiet and still right now, it’s difficult to leave my cozy spot in front of the computer. Sleep is a good thing, but this house wakes up noisy and active in the morning.
These kids like to start the day with a loud bang!
I have to ask a few questions for you morning people (with children in the home):
Is your house quiet in the morning? How early do you have to get up in order to be ALONE?
My oldest two boys are early risers. In order to enjoy the stillness of a quiet house BEFORE they get up, I would have to be out of bed by 5:30 or 6 am. Ouch! That just doesn’t seem right.
Give me the hours between 10 and midnight anytime! We won’t even go into how often I am up PAST midnight.
Ahem. But not tonight. Not anymore because I’m a reformed Night Owl. I am a good mother who gets enough sleep and wakes up cheerful and ready for the day.
Lack of sleep = Depressed Kathy
I have found this to be true over and over again. When I get low on sleep life appears gloomier and gloomier. My perspective turns negative and I’m overwhelmed by life.
How can such a small thing as sleep be so important?
Sarah and David are buddies!
Has anybody noticed yet that this blog is really about nothing at all and the longer I sit around writing it, the more I am delaying actually going to bed.
Did I mention I am a Night Owl with serious Denial Issues?
Night!
Kathy
Project 366 – Day 40
You make me laugh.
Do you have a quiet spot you could go to? Your boys are old enough to leave you alone; maybe you could just get up when they do but refuse to talk to them.
I’ve had different seasons, but it seems like if I TRY to get up long before they do (5:45 or 6:00-UGH), it wakes them up too early. So right now I get up when they do (6:45) and have time to myself a little later in the day. Not ideal for me, but neither is getting up at 5:45. YUCK.
Alone? Quiet? Nope, doesn’t happen at my house. Children are up by 6:30-7:00 A.M. Husband and I are up by 5ish, but husband is not known for being quiet in the morning. He is trying…for my sake so I can try to have some uninterrupted personal devotions.
I’ve always HAD to be up before the kids or I can’t function. I need the head-start, like in a race, because they’re young and energetic and I’m … well I’m not. These days I’m up at 6:00. I wake reluctant kids at 8:00. We find they sleep later in the teen years-yay! But like Cindy says, give the precious little ones a time at which they “may” speak to you, but not before. Would that help? When I run short of sleep and get grumpy, I believe in NAPS. Put an older child in charge and disappear, with a timer if necessary, for even 30 minutes… aah the bliss.
Oh, you don’t really ant to know the answer to this question, Kathy! I’m up between 5:30 and 6:00. This is really tough when I get to bed past 10:00. I can read in bed a short while after that, but a VERY short while! Gerren is up at 7:00, and Landon is up between 7:15 and 7:30. They both know that they may NOT make noise or bother Mom until 8:00. Chase gets up at 8:00 only if I remember to call her. Carys is up between 8:15 and 8:45, thank you, Lord! She is the one that you can’t really tell, “Don’t interrupt Mommy until 8:00! It’s her quiet time.” LOL!
I’m a morning person, but so is the baby, so she is usually waking up when I do anyway. She can entertain herself for short periods so that I can have quiet time. She’s doing well playing by herself, so although it’s not “alone” time, it is time when I can read and pray.
Since you are a night person like my hubby, I would guess that later in the day is a better time for quiet time anyway. All I can say is, don’t try to fit into someone else’s mold. Find time when it works for you and your family. And if they see you making it a priority, they’ll follow suit!
Delurking to say….
I am a night owl also. My best time of day is 10pm, and I do my best housework (except vacuuming and loud chores) between 11pm and midnight. And, I LOVE the quiet time after the kids (and sometimes hubby) have gone off to bed. HOWEVER, I am also a person who needs her rest. Since 2 of my 4 kids have to be up and ready for school in the morning, I have to get up waaay earlier than I would like to. I wonder how life would look if I would actually go to bed by 10 or 11 and get 7-8 hours of sleep?? Might I be a nicer, more patient mommy? Might I have more energy for tasks throughout the day? Might I feel like less of a sloth? Hmmm….. I think I may be a night owl in need of reforming.
I enjoy your blog!
I’ll join you… I’m in denial right now too : )
Kathy, it is very tough being a night owl and I can understand your pain.
My guys know they can not bother momma before 8am. They are usually awake between 7 and 7:30. They are allowed to go to the bathroom, but they have to go back to their rooms. They can quietly read or play with their stuffed animals or do something very quiet.
I do not like a lot of morning noise (can you tell). The Littles used to be horrendous in the morning…loud, screaming, fighting, ugh…I hated mornings when they first came home. They are learning to be much quieter and calmer in the morning.
I need a lot of sleep and try and have lights out by midnight (I don’t always make it) and up at 7am. The kids stay upstairs until 8am which gives me time before the race begins. Bessie often gives them their breakfast, so I can head back upstairs, get dressed, make beds and gather laundry. This gives me a little extra time by myself.
I have always dreamed of getting up at 5am everyday, long quiet time, exercise and all that, but I find that will probably never happen and I try and be content with what I am able to manage.