Your own children!

[Nicola Carlyle]

Hi. I just wanted to ask you all what you do. I open at 7.30am and wake my 7 year daughter up at 7am. My 2 year old however I try to let her sleep as long as possible. Normally I have two mindees (schoolies) arrive at 7.30am. I let them play downstairs in the lounge once they arrive and then run upstairs to get my two year old up and dressed. We have breakfast ready and on the table for 8am and all is well.

Is this what you all do or would you have your own children up dressed and ready to start the day?

[FussyElmo]

I wake mine up at 7 on a school day. This routine works for me.

[kellib]

I have a 7 year old who I let sleep until 8am if need be on school mornings. Some mindees arrive at half 7 but if he's sleeping then so be it.

He puts up with enough from them without me waking him up too, he would not be amused lol!

[mrstom]

My boys (aged 4 and 5) wake up just before 6am (coincides with DH tramping around like a herd of elephants getting ready for work). We all have to be breakfasted, dressed and have the downstairs ready for 8am when first mindee arrives (mindees are to young to leave downstairs unsupervised!)

Despite having 2hrs we're always ready with about 5mins to spare - DS1 usually has a strop because getting dressed is 'boring'. Add to that the bickering and fighting because one boy had the wrong yoghurt for breakfast or had one more grape than his brother I'm very glad when we leave for the school run!

[loocyloo]

on a monday i have mindee arriving at 7.30. mindee is DSs friend ... so i make sure Ds is up & dressed and usually is just finishing breakfast when mindee arrives. they go and play and i sort stuff out.

tuesday, i have a 15mth mindee arriving at 7.15. i leave my children to their own devices and they usually make it down around 7.30. LO takes from about 7.30-8.30 to eat breakfast! i make pack ups etc whilst LO eating breakfast.

friday i am about to have 2 mindees arriving at 7.15. i will try to get DD down around the same time so mindees not eating breakfast on their own! although DH usually has breakfast around then too. i'm not sure exactly what we might do after breakfast - i am going to suggest puzzles/colouring etc! not getting lots of stuff out!