What Time Do Your Kids Wake up for School?

Updated on September 05, 2014
L.G. asks from San Antonio, TX
36 answers

My kid's school starts at 7:45. I wake them up at seven and give them ten minutes for breakfast, ten minutes to get dressed, and ten minutes for hair and teeth brushing. They are out the door at 7:30, then I can relax. I feel if I can get through 30 minutes of hecticness the better than to prolong the process and get them as much sleep as possible. Just curious whether I'm on target.

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

T.N.

answers from Albany on

I get up at 5:15, kids up by 5:55, out the door by 6:55. My youngest is a senior this year. I will not miss this!

:)

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

7-7:30 and school starts at 9:15 but we try to be there by 9. My kid needs time to wake up, but SD used to roll out of bed at 6:10 to catch a 6:45 bus.

2 moms found this helpful

⊱.⊰.

answers from Spokane on

We leave the house at 6:45 to catch the bus at 6:50. I don't get them up until 6:15. They both eat breakfast at school though, so that helps.

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.O.

answers from New York on

7:10. School starts at 7:50. We're out the door at 7:40. Within that half an hour, we get dressed, brush teeth, eat breakfast, do a backpack check, lose 6 all-important items, find 4, and decide to live without the other 2. I also, inevitably, deliver a big lecture about how there's no time to play videogames / play non-video games / search for books and/or toys that have been missing since 2009 / "invent" new technology / write fan-fiction / run around the house in a state of chaos. Which is to say, we're clearly not model citizens in the morning department.

8 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.♣.

answers from Springfield on

Wow! Many of you move fast in the morning! I get my kids up at 6:30, and the bus comes between 7:25 & 7:30. If they're not out the door at 7:20, I start to get nervous :-)

It does take my kids almost an hour, but I'm ok with that. You gotta do what works!

2 moms found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Dallas on

My boys wake themselves up. Our oldest is in the 11th grade and school starts at 8:00. He usually wakes up at about 7:00 and leaves at about 7:35. Our youngest is in the 5th grade and school starts at 8:30. He's an early bird. He usually wakes up at about 7:15 and has all the time in the world to do whatever suits him. I teach school and head out at about 7:30, so my husband takes our youngest to school. He says that our youngest is always ready really early.

2 moms found this helpful

C.V.

answers from Columbia on

0630. They get themselves up, dressed, etc., out the door at 0700 to go catch the bus.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.M.

answers from Orlando on

I used to do that w my daughter. She LOVES HER SLEEP. But she is not a morning person. Rushing in the morning would make both of our mornings terrible. So, (she actually started this on her own a couple of years ago) - she is in 7th grade now, she started this in the 5th grade. She sets her alarm for like 2 hours before she has to leave. Even though technically she is getting less sleep, she can lay in bed, watch TV, take a shower, get BACK in bed, watch tv and just take her time getting ready and be slow poke. She is soooooooooooo much happier and her mornings are so much easier for her. So proud of her for doing this on her own!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.T.

answers from New York on

About 7:30 for 8:10 or 8:15 departure. School starts at 8:30. A half hour is tight for them but they could do it. Typcally my younger is up way early and watches tv. Seems like the extra 5 or 10 min lost sleep is worth it bc for us, a half hour means the need for total focus and that can lead to some crankiness.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

7:30 for an 8:24 am bus time (bus comes anywhere between 8:25 and 8:35. They get to school by 8:40. School starts at 9. He could probably get up at 7:40 and not be rushed.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

We leave for school at 845, my boys are up by 730. But they unload the dishwasher in the mornings in addiction for getting ready for school, and usually have a little bit of time to watch a cartoon before we have to go.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.G.

answers from San Juan on

My kids start school at 9 am however take the bus about an hour earlier. One is up by 6:30 the other I don't get up until 7. That gives them more than enough time(80 & 50 mins respectively)to get dressed, eat, brush hair and teeth and make it to the bus stop.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.B.

answers from Beaumont on

I give mine 45 minutes. I, for one, HATE wild mornings so it's worth them losing a few minutes of sleep so they can get up semi-slow and not be too hurried.

1 mom found this helpful

J.S.

answers from St. Louis on

6:00, one leaves at 6:40 and the other 7:30.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Our kids get on the bus around 7:20am. They get up sometimes at 7am. My hubby gets them up and off to the bus. They eat breakfast at school.

I think you get them up when they need to be up.

1 mom found this helpful

J.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

High school starts at 8:20. My daughter gets up around 7:00 and leaves the house about 8:00 each morning. If she's just wearing sweats and a pony, she gets up about 7:30.

My son used to get up about 7:45 and leave a little after 8:00

1 mom found this helpful

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

When they were younger it took us about an hour from wake up until out the door.
My last kid at home is a HS sophomore and she (of course) sleeps as long as possible, so now it's about 40 minutes from wake up until out the door. And that's just getting ready, she doesn't eat anything until her first break at school, after second period.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.C.

answers from Chattanooga on

My DD's class starts at 8, and it's a 15 minute drive.

I wake her up around 7:10, and we leave at 7:40... But she eats breakfast at school (she is in pre-k, so they go down as a class to eat together.) so I don't have to get breakfast in her. Just wake up, brush teeth, get dressed, do hair, love on Daddy, then off to school. :)

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.B.

answers from Boston on

High school starts at 7:30. Husband leaves at 7:10 and gives the kids a ride there (which is ridiculous because the school is on our street but whatever). Daughter gets up between 5:30 and 6 because she won't leave the house without perfect hair and a fully made up face. Son gets up at 6:30, just enough time to tame his hair in the shower, dress and leave.

Elementary school starts at 8:25. Kids get up at 7 and we leave at 8 for the walk to school.

I'm impressed that yours can be ready to go in 30 minutes. That would never happen here.

1 mom found this helpful

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

My younger son starts school at 9:00am. He generally gets up between 7:30am and 8:00am (he wakes on his own). He eats breakfast and gets dressed and still has time to play. He only has a five minute walk to school, so he often goes early to play on the playground. My older son starts school at 9:00am, but has extra-curricular activities at 7:45 or 8:00am three days a week. When he starts at 9:00am he gets up on his own around 8:00am, eats, dresses and walk 10 minutes to school. When he goes in early I have to wake him at around 7:00am so he gets out the door in time. Both boys bath/shower at night.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.R.

answers from Dallas on

Right now my carpool picks up at 7:10 so I get the kids up at 6:30 which seems to be plenty of time as long as my daughter doesn't want to curl her hair.

Starting next week they have cross country before school so carpool will pick up at 6:00. I plan to have them sleep in their running clothes and wake them up at 5:45, we're just going to have to figure out how to get up and out the door in 15 minutes! I'll send breakfast for them to eat after practice. Daughter's hair will just have to be in a ponytail for the next couple of months, lol.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

my kids start at 845. we have to leave at 810 so I get them up at 7. Some days they get ready fast and some days they need errr more encouragement. The funny thing is on non school days (weekends, summer, holidays) they get themselves up at 6 or 630. For my kids tv is a distraction so they dont get it unless they are ready early on school days. So I guess on those non school days thats what gets them going.

C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

my kids buss comes at 7:30am so they get up at 6:30. They are not early risers in the morning. In the summer they slept in everyday until 9-10am.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.W.

answers from San Francisco on

9th grader wakes up at 6 am by his alarm. He attends a religion class in the morning from 6:40-7:30 then school starts at 8.

7th grader wakes up at 6:15am to her alarm then heads out at 7 on her bike. School starts at 7:30.

3rd grader wakes up at 7:30 by me if he is not already up. His school starts at 8:30. We bike or drive to school depending on what our afternoon looks like. Sometimes we need to get home ASAP so we drive.

The youngest is the only one I have to help with time management.

I don't know if you are on target. Everyone needs to do what is best for their own family. I personally said no to carpools this year so we could just worry about or own family and schedule.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.K.

answers from Wausau on

My kids go to bed at 9:30p. The alarm goes off at 6:15, although sometimes we wake up naturally around 6. They leave the house to walk to school at 7:15. Class starts at 7:45.

Backpacks and such are waiting at the door from the day before. Clothes are picked out the night before and they dress right away upon waking. Eat breakfast, wash up. They are usually ready to go in 30 minutes too, but without the time constraints or pressure to hurry. Then they have the rest of the time to just relax before leaving.

Hectic mornings are not good for anyone in this house. On the occasional times where we'd forget to set the alarm and woke up late, the rush puts us all in a bad mood and sets the tone for the kids to have a rough day at school.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

"On target" is whatever works for you. If you don't feel too rushed and don't feel like the kids have too much extra time in the morning, then what you're doing is fine.

Our school starts at 8:10; we leave at 7:50 and walk. My son usually gets up at 6:45. I'll wake him if he's not up by 7:00 so he has enough time to eat and get ready. I try to have breakfast on the table by 6:50. My daughter isn't in school yet, but does have to come with me to drop my son. She's usually up early too, but I will let her sleep as late as 7:20 or even 7:30 since she can eat breakfast in the stroller and go in her PJs.

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

Mommy,.

I have a freshman in high school. School starts at 0705. He is out the door for the bus at 0630, to school by 0645.

My middle school child is out the door at 0725 - school starts at 0800.

My Freshman wakes up at 0545, shower, breakfast, out the door....we're adjusting his schedule to wake up at 0600 as he's not taking 45 minutes to get ready. Bed is 2130 to 2200 (9:30 to 10PM) for both.

The night before clothes are set out. Homework is put in backpacks and ready to walk out the door. THere is NO RUSH in our house in the morning - I DO NOT like to start my day like that.

Lunches - if they choose to bring instead of buy - are made the night before as well.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.G.

answers from San Diego on

My freshman gets up around 5am and is out the door at 6am to get to the bus by 6:10am. My 3rd grader is up at 7am for breakfast and to get ready then we leave by 8:15am so that I can drop her at school on my way to work. Even with the hour & 15 min. we are sometimes rushing out the door.

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

My boys are in elementary school. They leave for the bus at 8, school starts at 8:40.
My older boy, 6th grade (12), gets up on his own. I wake up my 3rd grader (8 years old) at 7:15. If for some reason my 12 year old isn't up I will get him up as well.
45 minutes for some breakfast, morning poop, dressed, hair, teeth, and getting their bag ready.
Then my 3 year old wakes up!
L.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.W.

answers from Portland on

Everyone has to do what works for them.

In our household, I'm up at six with my husband, cup of tea, wake Kiddo up at 6:45 or so. Some time to snuggle and for him to wake, breakfast for about a half hour (cereal, chatting, go dress and make bed, then eggs and toast).... he does his last things around 8 (brush teeth, wash face, use the bathroom)we leave at 8:10 for school, leisurely walk and school starts at 8:45.

If we did just a half hour, we'd be too rushed. I like mornings to be relaxed so he can go to school and be fresh and focused.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.H.

answers from Chicago on

My hubby gets them up by, 7:00-7:10 and they leave at 7:55 to get the bus. This gives them time to wake up, get dressed and eat.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.B.

answers from San Francisco on

I wake up the kids at 7am
7-7:30 breakfast with TV (amazing how the grumbling stops with TV on)
7:30 TV off
7:30-8am get ready, free choice.
8am we're out the door.

Breakfast, Get Ready, Free Choice.

Morning use to be a nightmare trying to get them up, but if you turn the TV on, they willingly come out of there rooms! 5yr and 8 yr.

S.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.B.

answers from San Francisco on

I get them up at 7:00 and we leave at 7:40. I don't monitor how long they are doing something, but when it's time to go, it's time to go even if that means putting on shoes in the car. They get ready pretty quickly though because they can watch cartoons once they are ready to walk out the door. TV usually comes on around 7:25.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.T.

answers from Rochester on

My kids start school at 9:10 (which seems really late to me). I get them up at 7:30. We try to be done with breakfast and be dressed by 8:15 and done with bathroom things by 8:30. We leave the house by 8:45 at the very latest so they have time to play on the playground before school. We have a 15-20 min drive to school. I make lunches and snacks and pack backpacks while they eat and get dressed.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.M.

answers from Kansas City on

Boys up at 6:40...out the door at 7:20...school starts at 7:40 (we only live a mile away).

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

My kids get up 35 minutes before the bus comes.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions