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Thursday, March 29, 2007
A (Spring) break from the normal routine
Are kids’ early-morning school schedules good for them?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Today marks the first day of my kids’ Spring Break. They’re still young enough for this to be good news - not reason to worry - and I have to say, I’m especially looking forward to the break’s arrival this year.
For months, I have had to awaken two sleepy children at 6:00 a.m. so they can get dressed, fed and otherwise ready to get on the bus before daybreak. No matter how early they go to bed, 6:00 a.m. still comes round too soon. Every day I feel like a drill sergeant in a battle of wills with my recruits, who resist like mad the calls to get up and moving. By the time the kids sit down at the breakfast table, the stress and fatigue is obvious on everyone’s faces.
My husband and I have tried driving them to school to give them a little more sleep time. We’re apparently not alone. The drop-off line backs up so far that they really only get an extra 10 minutes or so at home. Leaving any later only ensures a long wait in the car line and the possibility of being tardy.
The reality is elementary schools start really early here. When the winter sun sets at 5:30 p.m., I can usually get our children to bed and asleep by 7:30 p.m. That helps make mornings run a little smoother. But Daylight Savings Time’s early onset this year has wreaked havoc on my children’s body clocks. It may save energy somewhere, but we expend quite a lot of energy in my house fighting circadian rhythm to get the kids asleep when it’s still bright outside and rouse them in the pitch dark.
Is it difficult to get your kids up and out the door for school each day? Do you like your school start time? What impact do such early schedules have on your kids? Do you let your kids really sleep in on short breaks like Spring Break, or do you try to maintain their normal schedules?
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