When should KIDS start using an Alarm Clock

My son wakes up too early and I end up getting no sleep. I like to work late and getting up early is a hassle for me. My daughter on the other hand loves to sleep in.
Each child is different and for both these types of situations an alarm clock can be used.
So when should kids start using an alarm clock. If your child understands numbers they can potentially use an alarm clock.
There are many factors including age, their behaviour, sleeping patterns which go into this decision as well.

I did a lot of research on this topic and found many resources forums.
Most parents are ready to start of their child on an alarm clock usually at the age of 5 to 7 years old.
My understanding is my child knows numbers he or she can use the alarm clock.
A preschooler is taught the importance of numbers, the clock and hence is ready for an alarm clock.

How to get the kids ready for the alarm clock ?
I think if your kids are like my kids they might resist the alarm clock.
In order to get them to get excited about the alarm clock and also to have them actually use it let them choose it.
If they have picked it out themselves to use it. It might be a good idea to gift wrap it so that they like opening their present which happens to be the alarm clock. Let them decide where they would put this alarm clock in their room.
Let the kids sleep earlier so that they wake up when the alarm goes off.

Why do kids need the alarm clock
I personally do not like the concept of an alarm clock. The only reason and alarm clock entered my house was when it got very difficult to wake my daughter up.
The morning Rush to prepare lunch boxes and then to run and half wake her up, were not something I was looking forward to.
Usually it would leave me in a very crappy mood and also the atmosphere was really charged.

Why do parents need an alarm clock for their children
A parent might need the extra time in the morning to get some more rest and also to maybe catch up on the morning routine.
Having an alarm clock will help the children wake up on their own. If they have been trained to do their morning routine then it would simplify everything.
They might be another toddler in the house or a small baby and it would be good if the mother got some extra sleep.

My child gets up too early

If your child gets up too early you might want to take a look at this particular alarm clock.
[amazon_link asins=’B002TKLN3W’ template=’ProductGrid’ store=’toysinindia-21′ marketplace=’IN’ link_id=’0a88a6c7-8bfb-11e8-8c1e-2fdbba58801e’] This alarm clock makes use of lights to help a child understand not yet time to get out of bed.
You can tell the child that they have to stay in bed tell the light turns green.
If you are child resists this then you can tell your child that they need to be quiet quietly till the light goes green.

There are other alarm clocks in the market such as the disney princess. The disney Princess has a buzzer, radio and Cinderella singing.

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Some Kids like this a lot, the love waking up to the sound of Cinderella singing.
Other kids alarm clocks with numbers. Get your child alarm clock you think will suit them.

What is my child cannot read the clock?
That’s totally fine. If your child can read numbers write down the time on a piece of paper and put it on under the alarm clock.

My child switches off the alarm clock
This was my concern with my child as well. She would switch off clock usually in her sleep and just go back to sleep. Sometimes she would simply not switch it off and then I have to get up and switch it off.

This was getting out of hand for both of us. That’s when I tried a few of these things hopefully something will work for you.

1. First turning up the volume of the alarm clock. This did not work in my case but try to see if it will work for you.
2. Next I just put the alarm clock across the room. This worked for us. Because this meant that my child had to get up and get out of bed to switch it off.

It worked most days but there were a couple of days when she slept right through it. This is something we were ok with and this is continuing now.
It works for us. Find something which works for you and your family.

How can you make your preschooler accustomed to the alarm clock?
Let me tell you what happened in my house and see if it works for you. My child wakes up too early. So we had kind of reward program.[amazon_link asins=’0241276454,B01MA1IGLK,B000MEYJR4,B01ALIQY1E’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’toysinindia-21′ marketplace=’IN’ link_id=’168f0063-8bfc-11e8-a1bd-03a1152ce9ab’]

If he stays in bed or keep quiet and stays in his room he gets rewards. So it was like one point. So each of these points can buy him some extra game time, or he gets to watch an extra cartoon. This got him really excited and it worked for both of us.

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There is in my opinion set age when should kids start using an alarm clock. Each child is different and for some you can start out early for some it takes extra time. All I can say that it is a process, a learning process for both mum and child.

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