I think I gave birth to a snail....?

Question

Ok, I swear my 6 year old MUST have been a snail in a former life, lol, that's the only way I can understand it!!!

So, it's mainly our mornings but not limited to. I get him up and make breakfast for him, sometimes I am able to sit with him and chat, but I also have 2 other kids, One of whom is 15 months old, walking and getting into everything -not to mention I have to change a diaper! My teen is pretty self sufficient in the mornings, but I still make him breakfast, other than that he is fast and does things for himself.

BUT my 6 yr old, while everyone else is running around, is like.. la la la!! I even lay out his clothes to make it faster. He is so pokey!! He's actually always been this way, and like I said not necessarily always in the mornings, other times too. There are not busses in our area so I have to drive, I am in a carpool with my teen, but sometimes it is my turn!! Both schools start at same time, **HANG ON MORE COMING..

Answer 1

My & year old son is the same way, no matter what I say or do he moves so slow hang in there, I wish I had some advice.

Answer 2

Well although i can not offer any solutions to your problem, i can inform you, your not alone.  I to have a "pokey" Kindergartener.  He is 5, and oh so slow, not just mornings, but all the time.  He does excellent in school, is a ball of energy when playing but when it comes to dressing, eating, getting ready to go out he is the last one.  I have 2 other children as well, 2 years and 7 months.  I will look forward to reading some suggestions others have given you.  I did try the clock thing though didnt work.  Good luck to you

Answer 3

I've been there. If it's not what they want to do... they are on low speed.  

It will pass. Tell him that he is very slow in the mornings and holding you up. Tell him that you feel that he needs to go to bed a little earlier so he would have that extra energy to move faster in the mornings. I guarantee, he will move faster for you.

I did that with my son. i told him " Gee whiz, You must be tired because your awfully slow and making mommy late. So I think you need to start going to bed earlier".

He was very cooperative in the mornings. In my case as I said, It's because it's not what they want to do.

Answer 4

I would attach a shock collar around his neck.  Anytime he needs motiviation, all you have to do is hit the button.

Answer 5

We have a very similar issue with our five-year-old boy.  I've found that I usually just have to plan for the fact that he's going to be slow in the morning.  Can you try waking him up a little earlier, so he has a bit more time and there isn't as much of a time crunch to get out the door?  Also, you could try asking him to get dressed, put his shoes on, etc. a few minutes before you really need him to start.  I have found that by giving my son that extra time, he's usually ready to go when we are (though it's not foolproof and there are still days when we're rushing).  And I always make sure to point it out when he's done especially well--positive reinforcement is always a great thing!  At his age, letters and little treats may not work as well as you sitting down and telling him how great he did.  Yelling at him, insulting him and telling him that he's the reason you're late will not help!

Answer 6

sound like it need 2 take moar bath imo, hope this help

Answer 7

I have a snail, too.  He is almost 8 and the oldest of 5 children.  I know he can be timely, but he is usually the one we are waiting for (in nearly every situation).  It's very frustrating and he doesn't seem motivated by any of the consequences we've used.  I think it's his way to get attention (because it's definitely working).

I have no useful advice.  Just wanted to say, "Hang in there!"  You'll find his motivation button soon, I'm sure.

Answer 8

Same problem with my 7 year old daughter.  Mornings are a nightmare!  I tell her my 90 year old grandma could get ready faster.  Here is some things we have tried and maybe they will work for you.  Set all the clocks ahead 15 minutes.  Buy a timer from walmart, the kind with the dial on the front so they can see how much time they have left. Or even one that counts down.  (this one really helps us) so she can see how much longer she has. this one works good and bad.  Sometimes she's like I still have 15 minutes.  lol

Back to the timer, say I give her 30 minutes to dress, eat and wash up, and she does it in 20 then she gets the extra 10 minutes to stay up that night.  Or save all the time on a paper on the fridge and let them use it on the weekend.  

The other thing we try sometimes is a race.  I bet you can't get ready to go before I can change the diaper and have breakfast on the table and keep in constant communication with him even if he is up stairs , yell up several times and let him know where you stand.    How about, I can dress the baby before you can get dressed.  make it a challenge. I gave up on the screaming cause all it did was make her mad and me tired.

Answer 9

I can tell you that what worked for my slowpokes (besides doing as much as possible the night before and making sure they got enough sleep) was two things --

first, switching their showers to the morning (the water really got them going, lol, I guess that's why adults do it); and

second, telling them that if they were ready before school they could play outside.  That was a much bigger motivator for my kids than tv.

Answer 10

My sister was like this when we were younger, and my mom kept saying 'I'm going to leave without you if you're not ready' and then one day she actually did. My sister had to call my dad (who had a more flexible job) to come pick her up and take her to school about an hour later. Harsh? yes. But she was ready on time from there on out.  Only problem is that my sister was about 13 or 14 when this happened so my mom knew it was okay to leave her at the house.  Since your son is only 6, this wouldn't really work unless another adult is still there when you leave in the morning, but I just thought I would suggest it incase there is still someone home.  I guess a possibility would be to just pretend to leave him- you know, drive to the end of the street and then go back and get him.  It might put just enough fear in him to start getting ready faster.

Answer 11

My son is now 8, but he was the same way during first grade and the first part of this year.   One thing that really helped was to identify something that he really really liked doing.  For my son it was usually video games, sometimes it was cartoons (we don't have the TV on at all in the morning, I found that only slowed things down).  

I would get him up with enough time, so that if he got ready on time he would have 15 min. left to play video games or watch cartoons.  If he was pokey then he didn't get to do these things.  Also, if he was pokey, then that night, I made him go to bed 15 min. earlier so that he would "have more energy" in the morning.

I also gave him one task at a time to complete (in the same order each day) Get dressed, after a few min. check to make sure he did it, brush teeth, check, comb hair, check.  

It took a while, and it was frustrating, but for several months now my son has been doing great!  I wake him up and tell him he has to get out of the bed in 5 min.  I go back in 5 min and he gets up and goes through his routine, many days without any reminders.  Of course it helps to have as much done at night as possible, clothes picked out, shoes coat and bookbag by the door.  He has even started helping get his little sister ready.  Once I get her dressed and fix her hair, he will put he shoes and coat on her.  good luck, it will get better!  And remember sometimes as moms, we are in overdrive, so to us our kids often seem to be moving slower then they really are!

Answer 12

I was like that when I was young. My mother started setting timers for me to do things. I had 10 minutes to get up make my bed, and brush my teeth and hair. Then I had 5 minutes to get my clothes on, which were layed out by me every night.

I had to have all of my stuff and in the kitchen for breakfast by the end of the 5 minutes. Then we took 15 minutes to sit and eat, then 10 more to clean the kitchen. By that time we were ready to go, and had more than enough time to calmly get out to the car and take our time getting to school.

I think I ran late once or twice and my mother would come in and pretty much make me catch up.  It was never pleasant when she had to help so it made me focus on getting stuff done.

Answer 13

send him to bed earlier. MAKE SURE HE SLEEPS! I just lie in my bed online while my mom thinks I'm sleeping. He could be playing or reading at night and not sleeping.