When I was dating RaggedyDad, there were some mornings when he asked me to call him and wake him up. He was in college at the time, and apparently, he and his roommate had such difficulty in the mornings that they set up a computer program called "Wake Me Up" that would set off an extremely loud alarm. Loud enough for security to come and bang on their door. "Wake Me Up" had woken the rest of the floor, but not RaggedyDad and his roommate.
This was incomprehensible to me. And it worried me. Was this an indication that he'd be unable to wake up for a job? For kids? Be irresponsible in general? Be undisciplined in other areas of his life?
In our home, my parents woke up Very Early. They are morning people to the extreme. I've mentioned before that my mother's extensive daily cleaning routine is usually finished at around 5:30 or 6 a.m. My dad is out of the house very early as well. I really can't remember waking up in the morning and finding my parents groggily ambling about in pajamas (like RaggedyDad and I do).
Thankfully, RaggedyDad's shtick was more or less a college thing. His alarm clock is extremely loud and annoying, and it may go off an extra time or two before he actually responds to it, but we have learned to live with it or even tune it out somewhat. He makes it out of the house early and calmly.
While we don't enjoy early morning life the way my parents do, we've come to terms with it. And I do finally agree with my mother about how much more productive it is to be busy in the early morning (although I guess Ezzie will probably comment that that depends on the individual or something).
Pre-kids, I taught 25 miles from home and had to be there by 8:30. But since Ann was born five years ago, I haven't had a pre-9 a.m. destination besides helping everyone at the breakfast table. I've had part-time jobs and she's been in preschool, but nothing started very early or was all that far away.
Next year, Ann's school day will start at 8:15. The bus will come considerably earlier than that. And of course, I'll need to get the boys ready so that I can bring them along to the bus stop.
A friend suggested I leave the younger kids at home with RaggedyDad while I venture out to the bus stop with Ann. "He's gone by then," I told her. My former late-riser, while not quite a Morning Person himself, sure does a good job of acting like one these days.
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While we don't enjoy early morning life the way my parents do, we've come to terms with it. And I do finally agree with my mother about how much more productive it is to be busy in the early morning (although I guess Ezzie will probably comment that that depends on the individual or something).
SO funny. Was just having that convo with someone yesterday...
I've found that early to rise actually IS good when you have lots to do. You get a lot done early, and when 9-10am rolls around, you feel like you've accomplished a ton and still have a whole day left. But on a day to day level, I've found that to be rare - there's so much waiting around, wasting time, nothing to do yet because you have to wait for others to be available, etc.
I'm sure that the more kids one has, the easier it becomes - there's more to do in the mornings, and you're more exhausted at night. Maybe it's because I'm still like a college student, so I still have that "late night" mentality. But for now, I'm staying nocturnal. :)
There are larks and owls out there. I am an owl.
P-Dawg is a lark.
SnaggedySnom is an emu.
Ezzie - Still like a college student? You? ;)
Diana - I'm glad to see that in your bizarre classification system, I defy categorization. I will be leaving you a voicemail to tell you that you're crazy.
It's from a book. Get with the program, Emu.
Oy - the thought of you having to get up and get Ann on the bus plus get the boys ready to accompany you made me sleepy.
I have become a morning person; I love working out at the gym when hardly anyone is there at 6 AM.
I am a night owl. I have always been a night owl. In fact, when I was little, one of my favorite bedtime books was called "Baby Night Owl."
I agree with Ezzie, though. If you have a lot to do and you get up early and do it, it feels really good to know you've still got the rest of the day. But that wouldn't stop me from then staying up really late, anyway. I just don't know how to go to bed early unless I'm either sick or beyond exhausted.
RaggedyMom - this is the story of my life!
I'm a night person and my wife is a very early morning person.
See? It's 10:59 PM now in Israel, and I'm commneting here and my wife is sleeping.
She might see this in the early morning when I'm still out like a light.
I wish I was a morning person.
I am making the switch (ie from night owl to waking up early) and it's working out great! It's sooo much better - at night I find I waste a LOT of time and don't get adequate rest. This way, I get lots of sleep, don't feel like I wasted my entire night talking online, and I can actually eat a decent breakfast in the morning.
But on a day to day level, I've found that to be rare - there's so much waiting around, wasting time, nothing to do yet because you have to wait for others to be available, etc.
Depends. When you have a lot of free time during the day, this is true. When you're busier, the morning is a big help.
My parents are like you Jameel - total opposites. My father loves staying up late and my mom loves going to bed early early early. It's worked for over 20 years though.
I've always been a night owl. My mother has been calling me that since I can remember! But once in awhile I'll have a Get-Up-Early-And-Be-Productive day, and it's true that it's a good feeling to get a lot done early on.
my husband also was a night person in college. But now he has to be up before 7 AM and on Fridays in the winter even before 6 AM while it is pitch black out to complete his hours in time for Shabbos. I get exhausted at night, but I am not quite a morning person either and do need a solid night's sleep to function well.
my husband also was a night person in college. But now he has to be up before 7 AM and on Fridays in the winter even before 6 AM while it is pitch black out to complete his hours in time for Shabbos. I get exhausted at night, but I am not quite a morning person either and do need a solid night's sleep to function well.
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