Is Your Child A Morning Person?

Wake Up!  I am a Monrovia resident, and father of three wonderful good natured children who are full of energy, and have plenty to talk about all day long.  My children are students at one of Monrovia's great elementary schools. Problem is; it takes at least 30 minutes to wind up the energy needed for my children to get out of bed, dressed, and ready for school in the morning.  Did I say "school in the morning?" This may not sound funny, or weird to you because my children are up at the crack of dawn, dressed, rooms cleaned, and self-fed on non-school days.  Mind boggling for me, and funny for my wife.

I am currently on injured leave from my job, so I am helping my wife out with morning duties with the children.  I have heard stories from my wife regarding how tough it is to get my children up and ready for school.  My oldest has told me that mommy is just a bundle of nerves, and wakes up stressed out because of her job, and is just taking it out on them in the morning.  My daughter tells me that mommy is mad because her big brother moves slower then a turtle.  Acting as a "typical man" I dismissed anything that was said to me about the trials, and tribulations of mornings in my Monrovia house. I wake up at 4:00 in the morning, start my commute to the Port of L.A. for work, and return back to the "Gem of the Foothills" at 5:30 in the evening.  Buy that time, my attention span is done.

Well, I have been home for about 3 months now, and I tell you I have never been more tired then I am now.  Three months of playing the drill sergeant every school morning has gotten extremely old.  I have tried everything from bribery, to time-outs and it just simply does not work.  My daughter is always crabby in the morning yet she is only 7, my son is not slower then a turtle, he is slower then a snail, and yes my wife is sleeping in, and  laughing inside.  I now have a new perspective on what goes on in my house in the morning, but my question still remains; How do I motivate my children to cooperate in the mornings on school days? 

Monrovians, let's band together and figure out "new" and innovative ways to motivate our "not so morning" little persons.