It's 6 a.m.!! Rise and Shine!

I have a secret. Very few people know my secret. I'm not ashamed of this hidden information. It's just easier not to have to explain it to everyone. But today I'm revealing it.



Ready?



Ok...



...here goes.....



Everyone in my house (me, DR, all three of our kids) we all wake up at 6 am every morning. Okay, sometimes it's 6:15 but most mornings by 6:30 everyone is in the kitchen eating breakfast.





Why don't I let it be known to the entire world (until today that is) what our household schedule is? Well...when I do, people are shocked. They can't believe that everyone gets up so early! They can't believe I make my kids get up so early! What a cruel mother I must be!


Now for the second part of my secret....my kids' bedtimes.




Ready? Okay....



Yip and Yap (they are 6 years old) go to bed at 7:30 and Yahoo (almost 2) is tucked in by 6:30 - 6:45 at the latest. She also takes a 2 hour nap during the day. It's not like I put my kids to bed and they're awake playing for an hour. After they are in bed they fall asleep pretty quickly. Phew! I feel better! Up until the boys started school, and I started talking to other moms, I didn't even think this was an odd schedule.



In my defense my kids have always been early risers. Their bodies' schedules just worked out that way. But I do have a reason for encouraging the "early to bed, early to rise" attitude in our house. See, DR's job is agriculturally related; he manages a grain elevator and helps to oversee 4 others. Therefore, as with any ag job, work hours can flucuate wildly. Most days DR works an 11 hr. day. He leaves at 6:45 and gets home around 6:30...on a good day. Other days he doesn't get home until 7:30 or 8. Then there has been the occasional trip out of town; he'll be gone for a couple days at the end of this month. But then there is always harvest. When farmers are in the fields and bringing grain to the elevator, it isn't uncommon for DR to leave at 6 am and get home at 9 or 10 at night.



I remember when I was in elementary school my dad worked as an ag mechanic and a part time farmer. I remember weeks at a time where I barely saw him. When I was a kid, I hardly ever saw him in the mornings. Dad left for work before I woke up. And there were times he came home from work and went straight into the field and worked until after I was in bed. I remember times when I didn't see my dad until the weekends. (Dad, I'm not putting you on a guilt trip here, my childhood was awesome. I love you bunches!) But Dad always told me not to marry anyone in the ag industry. I was never very good at listening to him!



Because this is the way I grew up with my wonderful dad, I try to make sure that my kids see DR at least a few minutes every day. That's why everyone in my house gets up at the same time.....6 am. It doesn't always work out, and there are some days when the kids don't see their dad at all. But most mornings DR kisses everyone before heading out the door.



Now tell me, is this crazy? Why is everyone so shocked when I tell them our sleep schedule? Why does everyone thinks this is so odd? Am I the "weird mom"? (Well, yeah I probably am a weird mom but for a lot of other reasons besides this one!) Not that I'm going to change my kids' sleep schedules but I'd like to hear other mom's opinions on this.