Blues Parents who dread the school-day ritual of rousting their children out of bed in the morning may want to stop playing alarm clock. Getting up and ready for school on time should be a child's responsibility, says Mona Shevlin, an assistant professor from The Catholic University of America. By the time children are 8 years old, they should be getting up by themselves, says Shevlin, an educational psychologist who counsels children and families in her private practice.
Kids have to learn to be accountable.
I find a lot of parents will drive their kids to school because they missed the bus. You have to look at the message that sends to kids. In many cases, children who struggle to rise and shine simply need to go to bed earlier. Or, they simply may not be enthused about going to school. Shevlin agrees with current research indicating adolescents have a physiological drive to sleep later in the mornings than early schedules allow.