SAHMs - Do You Set Your Alarm?

[fionas]

OK, DD1 is 3 and DD2 is a month old (just spent five mins faffing around trying to change my sig and can't work it out. Sigh).

Things are going well but one thing I know makes me feel really out of control is if I don't shower or dress early in the day. I then feel like I'm chasing my tail all day.

DP is currently home but returns to work next week and when he does, he works shifts. That means he leaves home around 5am(ish) so is not around for breakfast and the morning routine so I can't ask him to watch the girls while I hop in the shower.

I'm thinking that maybe instead of just trying to stay in bed until either DD1 or DD2 wakes up, maybe I should set the alarm so I can shower, dress and maybe, gasp, even have a cuppa before my day with them starts.

Or I could shower the night before and put my clothes out for the next day.

[Taurean]

Sounds like a good idea to me. I have done it a few times for the exact reasons you've mentioned. I've also been known to cancel the alarm part way through a 'rough' night, LOL

I think I'll definitely do it once I have two kids on the scene. I like to feel like I have some sort of control at least some of the time!

[Just Me]

I have switched my shower to before bedtime at night. I get covered in puke and food and anything else the kids rub on me as well as changing dirty nappies all day long and I looove showering before bed even though I always showered in the morning before I had kids. I just wash my face when I get up in the morning now.

Neither DH or I set an alarm. DH's work is pretty flexible and there is no-one to jump down his throat if he doesn't get there on time. He also has office staff to hold the fort until he gets in. Our kids usually get us up on routine by 7am. If we sleep in, then we sleep in. It is hard to feel remorseful about DH being late for work when we got a sleep in. It doesn't happen very often but I don't mind when it does.

I need to be dressed, have eaten breakfast and brushed my teeth, done my hair before DH leaves for work in the morning. I just feel like I am chasing my tail all day if I don't. I also feel pretty gross and I am embarrassed if anyone comes to the door while I am in my PJs. Getting dressed is a really good way for me to start the day and makes me feel human. I feel prepared for so much more if I am dressed first thing in the day - I can go out if I need to and it is not a struggle to dress myself and the kids. Dh and I both dress the kids together in the morning before he goes to work as well and I make their morning teas, lunch and afternoon tea and have it in the fridge. It really only takes us an hour to get up, get dressed and ready for the day but it makes an amazing difference to my day to put in that effort first thing in the morning.

Also with having food all made, if I need to go out without much notice, I can pack the nappy bag in a couple of minutes by just pulling stuff out of the fridge. It also helps with feeding kids if they sleep at different times, otherwise I feel like I am making separate food for them all day and I hate making lunch 3 times over.

Anyway, that was a very long winded way to answer your question

[*EJ*]

I have been setting my alarm the last few months, especially if i know we have to be out at a reasonable time. I too have been having my shower of an evening because it's just too hard to shower not knowing where the boys are or what they are doing. I know exactly what you mean about chasing your tail if you're not up, ready (shower or dressed) before the little ones. For me those days are just 'don't attempt a single thing days' and maybe even just stay in our pj's all day.

Give it a go you may find it works well for you too

ETA: It's sometimes worth taking half an hour less in sleep just to enjoy that first cuppa in peace... Which is what i'm doing right now

[baby09]

For the past month I have been setting the alarm so I can get up, exercise, dress and have a cup of tea before DD wakes up. I am a morning person and find that if I can have my hour or so to myself first thing then I am a lot happier during the day and less stressed which rubs off on DD.

If we have had a rough night or DD is in bed with us then I cancel the alarm.

Good luck in finding something that works for you - it has taken me awhile to get into my own routine

[Shanti]

We co-sleep. DD IS our alarm......

[*Belle*]

Have tried so many times to do this, BUT the girls always wake up they hear little noises, and HELLO! so much for a cuppa or 5mins to me before the morning starts! so I dont even try anymore LOL

[OceanPrincess]

... It's sometimes worth taking half an hour less in sleep just to enjoy that first cuppa in peace... Which is what i'm doing right now

Wash your mouth out with soap!!!! Just kidding. Hopefully one day I'll be able to make a comment like that...!

I'm not into alarm setting at the moment - once DS is into a bit more of a routine, maybe I'll think about it.

[Olive]

i only ever set it if i have to be out early in the morning, other wise the girls are out alarm clock, DH only sets his if he has an early start at work.
when DD2 was little, id just shower when she slept, when she dropped down to one sleep i moved from showing in the ensuite tothe main bathroom as she cant get into trouble in there!

[*Infinity*]

Fi, I understand what you mean. I feel like a zombie if I haven't showered in the morning too. And DP is an early worker too. I have to fit an express in as well in the morning before DS wakes, and have to be up, ready & respectable enough to get down to hossy to see DD too. So I get up when DP does or if it needs to be earlier then I do set an alarm. Usually I beat DS awake, sometimes I don't if he wakes early. Then some days I'll be up at 5:30am like today, and DS will sleep until 8am.

[Visitor7]

No way! I sleep as much as possible lol. I sit down for a cuppa when the girls are having their brekkie. Fortunately they don't like to have brekkie as soon as they wake, so it gives me a little time to wake up before starting the day.

[mbear]

Im a SAHM...and i set my alarm MOn - Fri fro 7am....only because i have DD#1 at school. My advice, you will be setting your alarm for the next 10-15 yrs whilst kids at school, enjoy it whilst you dont have too !!!!!

ETA - my girls were ALL late risers, as was i before school days.....i used to get DD#1 to kindy at 1030am ..the transistion to school days and getting up at 7am did not effect anyone.....

[rhyb]

My kids are my alarm DDs are quietly stirring now while DS is watching toy story and eating his brekky. Poor kid got woken up by DF slamming the door on the way to the work

[~Hestia~]

I have tried doing this but everytime DS starts a regular wake up time he changes it! He is currently starting the day by 6am at the LATEST! So I just can't bring myself to set an alarm for earlier than that.
I would love to half 30 mins peace & quiet to enjoy my coffee though...

[Glamourcide]

The DDs are my alarm clock :/ I always gripe about never finding time to shower and get myself organised for the day on weekdays (weekends are easier as DH can watch them while I go have a shower and put some makeup on), but I know an alarm clock doesn't work for me as I just ignore it until the kids are awake anyway lol, I'm slovenly

I think as the weather warms up it'll get easier for me to get out of bed before the kids do, so yeah, in summer I'll definitely be working on that. Right now they're jumping on the trampoline while I sit here in my pj's, still waking up (and it's 9:30!)... shocking

[Vixstar]

Alarm. What the????? lol

DH's alarm goes off at 5.45am. Usually one if not both kids get up with him and he gets their breakfast ready (after his shower so before then the kids just play or he might put the tv on for them)as he gets his ready. I get up at about 6.30am and make DH's lunch, a coffee and watch the news. My kids are pretty good and will watch tv whilst I have a shower - which I am about to do. They also let me go back to bed which I did this morning for an hour after getting woken up at 5am by DS#2 who could not breathe through his nose.

I have leanrt to deal with the not having a shower thing. I just pull my hair back, wash face, brush teeth, deoderant up and get on with it. Most days I shower but some days I don't get a chance or think bugger it - give me more sleep. lol

I like to sleep these days. Obvious??? lol

xxxx

[ss_storm]

I only set an alarm if I have somewhere to be in the morning, like an appointment at 10am. These days DD is usually in our bed by morning so I couldn't get up if I wanted to and alarm would wake her, but I'd prefer for her to sleep as long as she needs to. After her waking in her own cot at 5.30am this morning I was worried that was going to be our start to the day, but thankfully she went back to sleep in our bed until 9am! Means I'll get nothing done today and we'll be all out of whack with such a late start though. Maybe when she starts sleeping all night in her cot I'll set one for about 7am. I get soooo annoyed with DF when he sets his phone alarm for 6am for no reason because he never gets up anyway, and then hits snooze on it for the next hour or until I yell at him to turn the *&%# thing off!

[MummaSue]

We co-sleep. DD IS our alarm......

:yeahthat:

LOL

I actually have a shower in the evenings, and set my clothes out for the next day. I find that works better for me now, I feel nice and relaxed before hopping into bed. I can also have a nice long shower because DH is home and can deal with missy moo so I kind of treat it like "me" time.