A MOTHER-OF-THREE set out to find the best way to get her two school-age children up and out the door for school.
Her parenting methods stirred the pot, but they’re clearly effective.
Redditor Akabeast18 shared her technique in a post on the social media platform.
She said she was inspired after watching a video of a father who gives his children more independence.
The concept got her wheels turning, and she called her 8-year-old and 10-year-old for a chat.
She told them she was done waking them up in the morning, choosing their clothing, brushing their teeth, showering them, and waiting past 7:25 am to drive them to school.
She also said if she has to drive back to take them, they will have to pay off the gas by doing chores around the house.
Additionally, she put the kids in charge of their own laundry.
She explained why she decided to take drastic measures for her children’s morning routines.
“I had absolutely no clue that I was doing so much for them and it was causing me stress,” she said.
She added that nagging them for the basics like hygiene and homework was becoming too much.
“My morning is now waking up, brushing my teeth, brushing my daughter’s hair, and leaving,” she said.
“Not only am I less stressed, but I am actually teaching them responsibility and independence, which I was not doing at all.”
The mom’s Reddit post stirred the pot a bit, with some suggesting she went overboard.
She responded by adding a bit of clarification and context to the original post.
“I am shocked at how this post turned out,” she said.
“I’m not sure how having my kids do three things — wake up, get dressed, brush their teeth — every weekday morning is neglect and CPS-worthy, but to each his own.”
However, other Redditors chimed in with similar experiences growing up or with their own children.
“This is how we were raised too, and I think in a lot of ways it helped make me a self-sufficient, confident person,” one 31-year-old woman commented.
“I really think our kids are more capable than we recognize.”
“Well said. I have given my daughter free rein on self-expression but basic hygiene is non-negotiable,” another added.
“I did this with my kids gradually giving them the responsibility to get themselves up and fed and take care of their hygiene slowly as they got older,” said a third.
“It helps with the stress level at our house and now that they are both in high school they are both good at self-regulating their schedules.”
