Re: Looking for Strategies to Smooth out the Morning Routine

[Guest guest]

Welcome to my world too with my seven year old

.. I am thinking about Xanax for myself

Sent from my iPhone

> I dread waking up in the morning because it is so difficult to get my

7-year-old son up and ready for school. Not only is he difficult to wake, but so

is getting him to dress, brush his teeth, eat breakfast and finally get out the

door. My anxiety about accomplishing all of these tasks on a time schedule

serves only to make me angry and I find it difficult to keep my temper in check.

>

> Any advice for making this daily routine a little easier?

>

>

[Guest guest]

I just increased my own Celexa dosage. Maybe that will help.

Re: Looking for Strategies to Smooth out the Morning

Routine

Welcome to my world too with my seven year old

.. I am thinking about Xanax for myself

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 4, 2012, at 10:06 AM, " almostfancynancy " < nbk64@... > wrote:

> I dread waking up in the morning because it is so difficult to get my

7-year-old son up and ready for school. Not only is he difficult to wake, but so

is getting him to dress, brush his teeth, eat breakfast and finally get out the

door. My anxiety about accomplishing all of these tasks on a time schedule

serves only to make me angry and I find it difficult to keep my temper in check.

>

> Any advice for making this daily routine a little easier?

>

>

[Guest guest]

I just increased my own Celexa dosage. Maybe that will help.

Re: Looking for Strategies to Smooth out the Morning

Routine

Welcome to my world too with my seven year old

.. I am thinking about Xanax for myself

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 4, 2012, at 10:06 AM, " almostfancynancy " < nbk64@... > wrote:

> I dread waking up in the morning because it is so difficult to get my

7-year-old son up and ready for school. Not only is he difficult to wake, but so

is getting him to dress, brush his teeth, eat breakfast and finally get out the

door. My anxiety about accomplishing all of these tasks on a time schedule

serves only to make me angry and I find it difficult to keep my temper in check.

>

> Any advice for making this daily routine a little easier?

>

>

[Guest guest]

I just increased my own Celexa dosage. Maybe that will help.

Re: Looking for Strategies to Smooth out the Morning

Routine

Welcome to my world too with my seven year old

.. I am thinking about Xanax for myself

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 4, 2012, at 10:06 AM, " almostfancynancy " < nbk64@... > wrote:

> I dread waking up in the morning because it is so difficult to get my

7-year-old son up and ready for school. Not only is he difficult to wake, but so

is getting him to dress, brush his teeth, eat breakfast and finally get out the

door. My anxiety about accomplishing all of these tasks on a time schedule

serves only to make me angry and I find it difficult to keep my temper in check.

>

> Any advice for making this daily routine a little easier?

>

>

[Guest guest]

I would start by asking him what he thinks would help. He might have some

ideas of his own that would be helpful. Perhaps offering a small reward

once he completes all his morning tasks, or a chart he can check?

[Guest guest]

Ok, these are NOT long term strategies, but they will help you get through

what's happening right now and then you can slowly work on better habits

one-by-one. This is what worked for us: Have him sleep in the clothes he's

going to wear the next day (I know, this goes against everything our mothers

told us, but there's really nothing wrong with it and it was recommended by our

psychiatrist). Make sure he brushes his teeth at night before bed (while he's

in the shower, if necessary) and then in the morning have him gargle with a

fluoride rinse (something like ACT Anti-cavity Kids' rinse -- tastes like

bubblegum). Eat b'fast in the car if necessary -- banana, cereal/milk in one of

those flippy, non-spill carry bowels, yogurt with cereal mixed in, etc.

Hang in there -- it will get better,

Lee in CA

17-year-old with OCD/ADAD

Looking for Strategies to Smooth out the Morning

Routine

I dread waking up in the morning because it is so difficult to get my 7-year-old

son up and ready for school. Not only is he difficult to wake, but so is getting

him to dress, brush his teeth, eat breakfast and finally get out the door. My

anxiety about accomplishing all of these tasks on a time schedule serves only to

make me angry and I find it difficult to keep my temper in check.

Any advice for making this daily routine a little easier?

[Guest guest]

Ok, these are NOT long term strategies, but they will help you get through

what's happening right now and then you can slowly work on better habits

one-by-one. This is what worked for us: Have him sleep in the clothes he's

going to wear the next day (I know, this goes against everything our mothers

told us, but there's really nothing wrong with it and it was recommended by our

psychiatrist). Make sure he brushes his teeth at night before bed (while he's

in the shower, if necessary) and then in the morning have him gargle with a

fluoride rinse (something like ACT Anti-cavity Kids' rinse -- tastes like

bubblegum). Eat b'fast in the car if necessary -- banana, cereal/milk in one of

those flippy, non-spill carry bowels, yogurt with cereal mixed in, etc.

Hang in there -- it will get better,

Lee in CA

17-year-old with OCD/ADAD

Looking for Strategies to Smooth out the Morning

Routine

I dread waking up in the morning because it is so difficult to get my 7-year-old

son up and ready for school. Not only is he difficult to wake, but so is getting

him to dress, brush his teeth, eat breakfast and finally get out the door. My

anxiety about accomplishing all of these tasks on a time schedule serves only to

make me angry and I find it difficult to keep my temper in check.

Any advice for making this daily routine a little easier?

[Guest guest]

I like what you said about not expecting him to work on his OCD when there are

so many things to get done. Even my own therapist told me today that sometimes

you just have to do the best you can at the present moment to get done what you

need to get done. If that means, picking him up and carrying him into the car

because he's walking in and out of the garage until he gets it right - and that

is going to cause us to be late - then I'll pick him up and he'll do his OCD

homework at a less stressful time. I'm also wondering if bringing a pet into the

family might be therapeutic. We've been discussing getting a cat for months now,

and he really wants one.

Re: Looking for Strategies to Smooth out the Morning

Routine

I work with kids with disabilities. Some things parents do are: having the child

eat breakfast at school, sleep in the clothes they will wear the next day, eat

breakfast in the classroom, have extra set of books/boots/snowgear at school.

Anything to buy you a little time. When he was younger, on the days I didn't

work, I would bring the dog in the car so he was motivated and it was calming

for my son on the way to school. Also used sugarless gum instead of the teeth

brushing. I don't know what other people think but I don't expect him to work on

his OCD in the morning when there are so many routines to go through in a short

amount of time. Now that he is 17, he still has rituals that get in the way so I

get him up early. He is motivated by snuggling with our lab, having hot choc. on

the way to school, and he likes his first class so he doesn't want to be late.

At the beginning of the school or term, it is rougher so this year I got the dr.

to write a note for the first couple of weeks for late start. We ended up not

needing it much but it took the preassure off and decreased the anxiety.

Luckily, I need to be at work 30 min. after his school start time so I don't

feel the preassure myself to get to work on time. That has helped alot with

keeping me more tolerant.

>

> I would start by asking him what he thinks would help. He might have some

> ideas of his own that would be helpful. Perhaps offering a small reward

> once he completes all his morning tasks, or a chart he can check?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I like what you said about not expecting him to work on his OCD when there are

so many things to get done. Even my own therapist told me today that sometimes

you just have to do the best you can at the present moment to get done what you

need to get done. If that means, picking him up and carrying him into the car

because he's walking in and out of the garage until he gets it right - and that

is going to cause us to be late - then I'll pick him up and he'll do his OCD

homework at a less stressful time. I'm also wondering if bringing a pet into the

family might be therapeutic. We've been discussing getting a cat for months now,

and he really wants one.

Re: Looking for Strategies to Smooth out the Morning

Routine

I work with kids with disabilities. Some things parents do are: having the child

eat breakfast at school, sleep in the clothes they will wear the next day, eat

breakfast in the classroom, have extra set of books/boots/snowgear at school.

Anything to buy you a little time. When he was younger, on the days I didn't

work, I would bring the dog in the car so he was motivated and it was calming

for my son on the way to school. Also used sugarless gum instead of the teeth

brushing. I don't know what other people think but I don't expect him to work on

his OCD in the morning when there are so many routines to go through in a short

amount of time. Now that he is 17, he still has rituals that get in the way so I

get him up early. He is motivated by snuggling with our lab, having hot choc. on

the way to school, and he likes his first class so he doesn't want to be late.

At the beginning of the school or term, it is rougher so this year I got the dr.

to write a note for the first couple of weeks for late start. We ended up not

needing it much but it took the preassure off and decreased the anxiety.

Luckily, I need to be at work 30 min. after his school start time so I don't

feel the preassure myself to get to work on time. That has helped alot with

keeping me more tolerant.

>

> I would start by asking him what he thinks would help. He might have some

> ideas of his own that would be helpful. Perhaps offering a small reward

> once he completes all his morning tasks, or a chart he can check?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi. We have had similar issues in the morning...as my stress increases I can

see her anxiety grow exponentially. Something our therapist recommended was

having a visual schedule that is detailed. My 7 year old LOVES it. It has made

things a lot smoother (we havent been doing it for a long time, but I can

definately feel the difference)...it is also takes the responsibility away from

me. I am not telling her to do each step or hurry-- she knows she must get all

of the items done so that she can have 5 minutes of tv before school. We have

had to get up a little earlier.

Another thing that was recommended was to play " beat the timer " (we are

supposed to set the timer and then try and complete the task before it dings).

She likes the game at other times, but the thought of it in the morning is more

than she can handle.

A last suggestion from him, was to clear out a space for getting dressed with no

distractions (he even said it could be in an end of the hall)...the bathroom has

way too many distractions for my little one (washing hands, organizing

counter--or playing with stuff).

I also think the other suggestions were good. I plan to " steal " some of them

I do think that we sometimes put too much pressure on ourselves to make sure the

hair is all perfect and a full breakfast is eaten. I have had to let go of some

of this. She usually has a piece of cheese toast and sometimes has eaten in the

car.

Hope these add to your arsenol of ideas. Know that you are not alone!

Let us know what works for you.

in SC

>

>

> Ok, these are NOT long term strategies, but they will help you get through

what's happening right now and then you can slowly work on better habits

one-by-one. This is what worked for us: Have him sleep in the clothes he's

going to wear the next day (I know, this goes against everything our mothers

told us, but there's really nothing wrong with it and it was recommended by our

psychiatrist). Make sure he brushes his teeth at night before bed (while he's

in the shower, if necessary) and then in the morning have him gargle with a

fluoride rinse (something like ACT Anti-cavity Kids' rinse -- tastes like

bubblegum). Eat b'fast in the car if necessary -- banana, cereal/milk in one of

those flippy, non-spill carry bowels, yogurt with cereal mixed in, etc.

> Hang in there -- it will get better,

> Lee in CA

> 17-year-old with OCD/ADAD

>

>

> Looking for Strategies to Smooth out the Morning

Routine

>

>

>

>

> I dread waking up in the morning because it is so difficult to get my

7-year-old son up and ready for school. Not only is he difficult to wake, but so

is getting him to dress, brush his teeth, eat breakfast and finally get out the

door. My anxiety about accomplishing all of these tasks on a time schedule

serves only to make me angry and I find it difficult to keep my temper in check.

>

> Any advice for making this daily routine a little easier?

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>