how to help a kid wake up in the morning

So, my 12 year old sleeps like a rock. I mean, seriously. She has her phone alarm set to sound like.... I don't know... like crazy loud alert/warning tones. Scared the crap out of me when I first heard it! She sleeps with her phone on her pillow, right next to her head. I have walked in there to find her basically sleeping with her head ON her phone, with the alarm going off... and she still doesn't wake up. She has also tried using loud metal music. The only one waking up is probably my poor neighbor. Sigh. I have to call her like eight different times in the morning before she gets her eyes to stay open.

Help. I don't want to raise a dependent kid. At 12, I was responsible for getting myself up and ready for school. I can barely get this kid out of bed by five minutes to 7 am most mornings (bus comes at 7:10-7:15)! And it's not for lack of trying. Her alarm (and I) start at 5:45 a.m.! It was originally 6:30 am, then we moved it to 6:15 a.m. to try to get her more time to wake up. Then we moved it to 6:00 a.m., and now we are at 5:45 a.m. all in an attempt to give her more time to get up and moving before she has to be out the door. Nothing is helping.

And it doesn't seem like she is doing it on purpose. I've thought to ask her pediatrician, but not sure what that will accomplish?

I am just at my wits end. I need more time in the mornings to get my 4 yo DS ready (and myself!), and most of my morning is spent going in to try and wake her up.

how to help a kid wake up in the morning

I would take the phone away at a set time. She is probably not getting enough sleep at all because I guarantee she is on it all night if she is falling asleep with it on her head. That is especially dangerous...phone radiation on or next to head all night? I would nix that fast.

how to help a kid wake up in the morning

I had the same issue with my son. Like Bargain Mama said take the phone,tablet whatever other electronics she has away by 9:00. I allow reading or tv till 10:00ish. Within a week he was sleeping better and had little trouble getting up and dressed by 6:30.

Re: how to help a kid wake up in the morning

I agree with taking away the phone. My son would be up all night if it was in his room and never wake up in the morning

Re: how to help a kid wake up in the morning

Maybe she is not having enough hours of sleep. DS is 11 and he would be very tired in the morning not wanting to get up if he goes to sleep late. I agree with taking the phone out. As a rule here we charge his phone outside. It would be very tempting for my DS ti have the phone and play games or do other stuff.

Re: how to help a kid wake up in the morning

I agree she needs more sleep. And shouldn't be sleeping with her phone. I think take it away at least an hour before bed time & she needs to go to sleep earlier.
When I was about that age I had to same problem (no phone but I'd stay up late doing homework.. NERD I know lol...) and I was constantly exhausted, would fall asleep everywhere & it was impossible to wake me up. I wish someone made me go to sleep earlier.

how to help a kid wake up in the morning

Thanks all! I agree that she probably needs more sleep. How to actually get her to sleep, though, still eludes me.

She does not use her phone past 8:00 pm - we have an app that shuts off most of her phone functions at that time. She charges her phone in her room and she uses it for the alarm function. I will pick up a regular alarm clock next time I'm at Target and will try that.

She definitely has a hard time falling asleep. She will often complain of generalized anxiety and/or racing thoughts at bedtime. The anxiety, she usually can't explain. It's not any one thing that is on her mind; often, it is seemingly nothing at all.

She has tried yoga before bed to help relax her mind and it worked great... she fell asleep much more readily. Unfortunately, even after 9 hours of sleep, she was still a rock in the morning!

I will try the regular alarm clock in case it's something with the phone actually physically being in her room that is causing an issue. It never occurred to me that the phone could be causing her a problem since she can't actively use it for much. But maybe just having it nearby is enough to make her think about it or something. Thanks for the suggestions!

Re: how to help a kid wake up in the morning

What is the app you use to shut down her apps?

Re: how to help a kid wake up in the morning