3 ways to get your tired tween up in the morning

While many toddlers seem hardwired to wake up at the crack of dawn, preteen children can be difficult to rouse in the morning. Try these 3 strategies for getting your tired tween up in time for school without a struggle.

Most tweens love music, so try swapping out the obnoxious beeping on an alarm for your child's favourite music. Also, factor in time for your tween to hit the snooze button. Set the alarm to go off about 15 to 20 minutes before they actually have to get out of bed. This will give them a chance to ease into the day instead of having to jolt themselves awake in the morning.

This might sound next to impossible, but whether or not they'll admit to it, tweens still do enjoy a few things. Many children this age are experiencing growth spurts, so they're probably hungry in the morning. If you have your tween's favourite breakfast hot and ready to go, it may be enough to tempt them out of bed and into the kitchen. Also, remember that nothing is more important to most preteens than spending time with friends, so if possible try to set up a morning carpool with a close friend. Skipping the bus and riding with friends trumps sleep anytime.

Explain to your tween that you'll call them once in the morning, but after that, it's up to them to get themselves up and ready for school. Since many children this age are craving more autonomy, this approach may appeal to your tween. It may be hard to stick to it when you realize that they stand a chance of missing the bus. However, once they realize that the consequences for sleeping in are serious, chances are they won't let it happen more than once.

Getting your tween up on time in the morning can be challenging and a source of family frustration. However, by planning ahead and adopting an approach suited to your tween's personality, it should be possible to help them start the day off right.