My daughters (ages 6 and 10) also leave for school at 8:10 a.m. After some trial and error, we've decided that 7 a.m. is the right wake-up time. They get a half hour to make their beds, get dressed and come down for breakfast. From 7:30 to about 7:50 a.m., they eat, chat and grab last-minute stuff for their backpacks.

At 10 minutes of 8, they brush their teeth, put on shoes and coat and are ready to go out the door (mostly! With a little pushing from me!) by 8:10.

Of course, this schedule doesn't work perfectly every day, but it's not bad.

No good answer on this one because there are too many variables: age and independence of the child, number and ages of other siblings, how helpful your spouse can be, and number of things you have to do to get out the door. If it were just one or two children, I'd say you'd be fine getting up at ard 7:30. I think it is a bare minimum of 45 minutes to get up, make bed, dress, eat breakfast, brush teeth, get snack, coat and backpack and out the door. Add the element of siblings, and it slows it WAY down b/c you have to deal with dynamics. I've got 3 kids, and I need an hour. And I have to be up and fully dressed and ready to go myself before I get my husband and children (yes, my husband is my 4th child when it comes to getting up in the morning, but he does cook and go to the grocery store, so it's not all bad) when they get up, else I leave the house w/ one earring or two different shoes or something.

I'm saying, oh, 7:30 very latest?? That's if all backpacks are packed the night before and everything laid out! I am just guessing there is a great story that goes along with this post! I can't wait to hear it! Can we make guesses on what time HE thinks he needs to get out of bed? My guess is 8:00!

No later and not before 7:30 a.m. If he/she wakes up too late, every task (dressing, breakfast and brushing teeth) gets rushed and you will yell; if he/she gets up too early, there is a risk of either fighting between siblings (they have too much time, and they find every excuse to get on each other nerve) or he/she will start to play and you will end up to yell at him/her.

I was a live-in nanny for three boys, 16, 14 and 9. The oldest needed woken up by 7:00 a.m, and again by 7:15 a.m. and hollered at by 7:30 a.m. in efforts to have him out the door by 8:00. The 14 year old was woken up at 7:30 a.m. and the youngest woke himself up by 6:30 a.m.. I was happy if the oldest was wearing clean clothes, if the middle ate breakfast and if the youngest would sleep in on the weekends!

I'd have him get up at 7 a.m.--that leaves time for breakfast and shower and getting ready.

7:30 a.m. -

My 2 boys are 3 1/2 and 5 1/2....I allow an hour for waking up, getting dressed, eating breakfast and putting on coats, backpacks, etc. . I cannot imagine trying to get everyone ready in less than an hour! Some days it can take 10 minutes for coats and shoes alone!

Ahh, yes, there is a good story coming, isn't there?
I'm going to guess 7...just in case there is 'forgotten' homework and other 'oops, I forgots' etc...! :o)

Not being a morning person I let them sleep as late as possible...would say 7:30 at latest but would shoot for 7:20. BUT that means, backpacks packed, clothes out etc. night before, and he comes down dressed and in shoes. Shoeless kids have caused countless delays here, so that step helps a bit. Meantime, I have b-fast ready. OK, this part sounds crazy, but I actually set timer for when teeth need to be brushed so we don't miss bus...we all tend to lose track of time around here, too. Maybe cold mornings are different at your house?

Depends on the age, and how fast they are, but I would say at the latest they need to be out of bed a t 7:30

my 7th grader has to catch the bus at 6:50 - he gets up at 6:10, eats at 6:25 and brushes his teeth/hair by 6:40 and is outside waiting for the bus at 6:48. he's pretty pokey too so I have to make sure I am watching the clock the whole time!

I like the logic of not giving too much time because it encourages dawdling and fighting (but, um, I don't have one of these school aged kids yet). When I was a teacher, the high school principal told me he had carefully timed the lunch period so kids had just enough time to get through the line and eat - otherwise, they hung around goofing off and fights started. Chop, chop, kiddos!!

OUT of bed by 7:00 at the latest. In our home, backpacks are to be packed the night before, showers done night before, lunched packed night before. This gives kids time to eat breakfast, read the paper if they choose, any morning chores (making bed, feeding animals) and being ready.

I don't have a child in school yet, but I'd say around 7 or 7:15. It seems like that *should* be enough time for breakfast, dressing, brushing teeth, gathering backpack, etc. Of course, that is in an ideal world!

I would have to get my son up at 6:30. The boy only needs to eat, shower and dress in the mornings but even with an hour and a half, we often are rushing out the door. And don't even get me started if he happens to have a bit of homework left over!

7:00 a.m. Enough time to bathe, dress, eat breakfast, gather school books, and generally shake off the sleepies enough to function through homeroom.

7:30am. My son has to be to school by 7:15am so we leave around 7:10am. Mornings start very early in my house :>)

So many things come into play on this one...but I would say whatever time is necessary to allow everyone a calm morning and prevent you from losing it and starting the day off bad (yes, experience here). Based on 8:10 departure and some unknowns, I would vote for 7.

if he takes his bath at night, 7:30am

I don't have children, but I'm going to go with 7 if everything is put together the night before, but 6:30 if he's old enough to where he picks his own clothes and fixes his own breakfast.

I have a 6 and 8 year old who I wake up with a kiss at 6:45 to leave the house by 7:40 a.m. After making a chart with times scheduled to get everything done (dressed, lunch packed, bed made, etc.) they do everything by themselves! I only have to help with breakfast. (They choose their outfit and pack bookbags the night before.) No more nagging on my part and one morning we even had time to play a game together!

I'd shoot for 7:00 just to allow for the unforseen....the biggest help for us has been getting clothes and shoes laid out the night before, backpack and everything that needs to be in it, either at the back door or actually in the car, also, coat, gloves etc. laying on backback or hanging on a kid level hook by the back door. It's gathering all the stuff that eats up those precious minutes. Honestly, I'm not even worried about making the bed at this point!

With my kids.....at least by 7am.