What Does Your Preschooler Do First Thing in the Morning

I have two boys and two cats. From the time they were little both boys have always started the day by picking up a cat and having a cuddle. They are nearly 8 and 11 now, and they still grab a cat and cuddle on the sofa before breakfast.

My 5 year old won't even get out of bed on his own. Even if he is awake, he will stay there until I come in. Then he wants me to play on his bed (interact with the stuffed animals, pretend the dog is talking when he comes in, hide in the "cave," talk about the birds outside, hang him upside down off the bed, etc).

So he requires immediate play/attention. He is not hungry when he wakes, get dressed just minutes before school, could hold his pee like a champion camel, only wants to play, play, play. With me, me, me!

This isn't new or a surprise. He has been like this since he was a baby and it's not just morning time. He is practically unable to be on his own if I am around. He has never had separation anxiety, enjoys being at school, happily drops off at friends' houses, just finds me most interesting if I am there. Even when a friend is over to play and I think I have a bit of time to myself then they are BOTH coming over to me constantly to show me what they made with legos, have me fix something, watch them fly a plane, tell me a story, anything to get my attention/approval...you get the picture. It's like I'm a kid magnet. Even my friends joke about it at play dates as I am swamped with their kids while they are drinking coffee. I'm sure those kids are taking their cues from my son. I'm not THAT fascinating!

We are working up to 10 minutes of independent play per day. He still protests.Ten freakin' minutes!

Next year when he is in Kindergarten, I will miss him and probably start hounding him for attention. Paybacks. :)

My 2.5 year old (who we still have in a crib), wanted to kiss the moose, and name the letters I had on my MAINE souvenier t-shirt I wear around the house before getting out of bed. I indulged it.

enjoy,
F. B.

Mine would generally start with breakfast and Sesame Street :-)
Then they would play while I cleaned up got us ready for whatever we were going to do that day, the park, the pool, kindergym, going to a friend's house, whatever.
If we weren't going anywhere I just kept them nearby, and they played and/or "helped" me around the house, working in the yard, cooking, housework, etc.
I tried to have fun things set up so they would stay busy, play doh, water table, finger paints, etc.
Even before my daughter was born my son played well on his own.
I think when they are used to being entertained by an adult they have a hard time using their imagination.
At preschool the teachers don't "play" with the kids, they simply provide toys and activities and the kids explore and learn and play together and alone. The adults are there to supervise and guide more than anything else.
If you enjoy being your daughter's playmate, that's fine, but she should be encouraged to use her imagination as well.

My kids (I have 2 kids), since they were toddlers, are pretty independent when they wake up. So I count myself lucky.
They wake up then play by themselves, and get ready for school on their own. Mainly because, they know the routine. I then meanwhile, am doing kitchen chores, washing dishes, making breakfast and their homelunches etc. And I am already gotten ready myself, being I wake up earlier than the rest of the family. So it all works out.
My kids don't need stimulation when they wake up. They are already doing their own thing.

Even when my firstborn was an "only" child for about 4 years, before her brother was born, she was pretty good about the morning happenings.

My kids get 30 minutes of TV when they first wake up to ease them (and me) into the morning. My son (almost 6) can opt to play the Wii instead of watching a show. I usually sit with them for a bit, then go make breakfast. By the time their TV time is done, breakfast is ready, the TV goes off and we turn on music.

After breakfast, they mostly play by themselves - or with each other, but not with me - while I clean up and get myself ready to go. My son gets himself dressed and brushes his teeth while I get my daughter ready.

It's pretty rare that I have time to actually play with them in the morning, but I do enjoy the short time I spend cuddling with them on the couch.

My 4 year old wakes up, cuddles for a bit then helps me make coffee and breakfast. She plays in the kitchen or whatever until breakfast. She is always the most content first thing in the morning.

Our 3 yr old gets up and carries his "daddy bear" into the living room with him. We're usually ironing or drinking tea and watching squawk box in the morning, so he'll sit with us to watch that for a second, then I'll give him a drink and chat to him. He is ridiculously talkative first thing in the morning, but we just let him go on and on while I continue with the morning routine, while his brother is showering. He may have used to look at playing with us, but he's learned that the morning routine must be followed so we can all get out on time. I fix breakfast for everyone and while they're eating, I pack lunch for everyone and talk about what today's adventure will be with little guy. He does want to eat within 20 minutes of waking.
Our 6 year old, when he was a preschooler, was not talkative at all. He would wake up and sit silently a few minutes, until we called him in to have a drink. He likes showering in the morning to wake up, and after that he's perfectly fine. He was more happy to just sit and watch PBS Kids in the morning.

She climbs into bed with me until she wants to get up (usually around 8, when we'd have to get up anyway for school). She likes to watch her 2 tv shows during breakfast.

If your DD is being demanding before your cup of coffee, channel her. "Please get me the cup from the cabinet. I will pour one glass of milk, but this is not a game. This is breakfast. If you don't really want milk, then...." you may tell her she can't have it or you might encourage some water play with a bowl on the kitchen floor.

My daughter is now 5 (and in preschool!), and the first thing she has ALWAYS done in the morning, was come into my room and wake me up! These days, that's around 8am, when my alarm is going off; so we snuggle in the bed for a few minutes then get up. After that, she goes straight to her arts and crafts and draws me a picture; I'm making coffee then taking a shower and getting ready for work. I set out her clothes for preschool (always a struggle to get her to stop the drawing to get dressed!). And, there is usually a Max and Ruby DVD on too, or something of the sort. Of course, there is the continual interaction on my part from her; "Mommy! how do you spell this or that?", and "Mommy! look at my drawing", and we discuss her drawings etc. Then we head out, hopefully not late! Lol.... On my work days off, it's a similar scenario, just more relaxing! Oh, except when I'm trying to get a few more minutes of shut-eye, and she keeps saying, "Mommy, when are you getting up!?" Ugh! Hahaha! I say, "Go draw me a picture!" Works every time!!! :))

My son who is 3 wants a cup of milk first thing. Depending on his mood, he usually likes to sit with me in the recliner chair and cuddle for a bit before he tears through the house. Some days though, he wants his milk, and it's right to his toys. It just depends on how his night of sleep, or lack there of, went.

My 3 and a half year old is a complete chatterbox in the morning. Luckily my 13 month old is already up when she wakes and is dying for her to play, so that takes the pressure off me a little. But she definitely does her own thing in the morning , playing with her stuffed animals and stuff. She is almost always hungry, so we start the breakfast prep almost immediately too. She goes a million miles a minute until she drops at bedtime, which is just in her DNA , I guess.