As the mom of three rather balky waker-uppers, I feel for you. I bought an alarm clock for one of my kids. And he took to it with great enthusiasm, cheerfully setting the alarm for the next morning. Yes, it did manage to wake him. But then my son climbed back into bed and pulled the covers over his head. So, in all, a mixed verdict.
What I have found works is a sustained, yet gentle, assault that doesn't put kids in a bad mood by rousing them too abruptly. Allow enough time so you don't need to rush through wake-up.
Knock on the door before you enter the bedroom; gently hug or kiss your child; then open the shades or curtains, chatting quietly about the weather or anything that doesn't demand a response. Leave for a few minutes and return to make sure there are signs of waking life.
Humor can work wonders at this point. My kids used to like when I did the Mommy Crane: I'd slide my arms underneath their sleep-floppy bodies and hoist them slowly, jerkily into the air as if I were on a construction site.
Another successful tactic is to pretend to be a nature-documentary narrator: "Here we see the dozing Homo Sapiens Juniorus, tucked into her traditional burrow. Oh! Notice how she curls up in response to the light. Soon she will awaken from her hibernation and eat her Cheerios." Keep it short and sweet, and tell your child the next time you come in, he or she needs to have both feet on the floor.
Another effective approach is to remind your child of something he or she will enjoy about the day, whether it's a playdate, or spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, or "hey, do you want to wear those new jeans?" The idea is to engage your child's thoughts so it's easy for her to bridge the space between being prone in bed and being vertical and into the day. Whatever your method, keep it light and low-key until your child is clearly awake.
Finally, do a bedtime check: A 7- or 8-year-old should be getting 10 to 11 hours of sleep. So if that's not happening, get your child to bed earlier. At night, reverse the morning routine, so you're winding down with a book or quiet conversation to lights out.
Andrea Messina
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Great advice!
I have a five year old princess who has always loathed the mornings. She has pulled the covers over her head since she was two. Her and I have had some ugly mornings together. A trick that I also use is a cd player in her room. At night, its lullaby and quiet sounds. In the morning I turn on the radio to some thing alive yet gentle or a cd of instrumental favorites while I do the first greeting. Then I allow her five minutes before I come back in to adjust to the new lighting and the music. She almost never tells me to "go away" anymore.
I also use the first greeting time as a time to set out all the things she will need for that day. Her clothes, her shoes, her backpack etc. When she does rise its all there and she does not have to think much. Additionally it creates routine and expectation. She knows that it’s a school day and what day of the week it is by the items left by her backpack for show and tell.
Good Luck Moms!