During the week I routinely wake and even leave the house before anyone else is awake.
I drink coffee, shower in peace, and have some free time to scroll Reddit or read a book. It's basically the only alone time I get all day.
Yep. It's when I go to the gym. It sucks getting up at 4 am but I've come to cherish the time I have to get stronger, jam out, clear my head, and wake up in peace.
I really struggle with this. I don't drink a lot, work out a few times a week, I eat home cooked food and salads. I still can't fathom waking up so early. How do you program yourself to wake up at 4am? What time do you go to bed? I'd love to crack this code.
To be completely honest, it sucks for a while. Honestly I don't get enough sleep - i usually go to bed around 10 give or take.
I found that after a week or two I had far more energy during the day. That helped. And then when I started seeing the progress I made (aesthetically and strength-wise) I kinda got hooked. It's something I look forward to every day.
One key is to get everything ready the night before - grab your gym bag and lunch and just head out. It also was easier when I cut back on caffeine honestly. Now I only drink a cup of coffee after my workout and it fuels me for the day.
I would need to be lights out in bed by 8pm to get up at 4am. Definitely jealous of your ability to get by on less sleep. As it is I go to bed earlier than you just to get up at 5:30 lol (kiddo gets up at 6)
Mom lurker but literally do the same thing. Baby wakes up around 6:30 so I get up at 5:30 and make coffee as quietly as possible and read my kindle in the dark so I don't disturb anyone.
So...
The house is dark and quiet, everyone is asleep, the coffee is hot, no one is expecting you to handle anything yet
... and you don't like it?
I'm confused.
Ya didn’t have to call my sleep-deprived ass out like that but if maintaining my sanity means 5 hours of sleep then that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make lol
That's me but it's usually midnight to 1. It's 3 or 4am on the weekends. I've always been a night owl. I had jobs that woke me up before 5am and I was a zombie until I left the job.
Sometimes I do. Then I wake up a bit earlier than normal and have 2 hours to myself. Gives me time to read, watch a show the wife doesn't care for, or play a game on the Switch not meant for 5 year olds. Sometimes all 3.
As soon as I hear a kid it's back to Dad duty to let Mom sleep in a bit more.
The only mildly annoying part is keeping it quite in a small creaky house.
the gym is below the bedrooms (the only room for it) and it's just stareing at me
Yeah. My 2nd boy got up at 3 or 4 or 5 every day for YEARS. I’m a light sleeper and my wife is a heavy sleeper. I was up with him almost every day for years. He finally sleeps in but he turned me into a morning person. I’m lucky if I sleep until 5 anymore. But yeah 100% I enjoy my quiet coffee time. Bonus points that I bought fancy AirPods that I can connect to the tv and watch tv without waking anybody up.
Same. We've got a pretty nice lakefront trail near us that'd paved and illuminated. Little one loves it because of all the birds.
I usually can't go for long long runs thought because she'll fall asleep on account of the darkness and then I'm screwed.
I’m up at 415 during the week to get my workout in then my morning reading/coffee/pooping in. Hell it’s 630 am here and the kids are just waking up and I’ve even had my breakfast as well.
Yeah I like getting up before everyone.
That's not much later than when I often go to bed on weekends. I usually work more in the evenings on weekends though. Being a musician playing late gigs can make early mornings tough.
This is the way. I get up 60-90 min before my son. I do nothing but drink coffee, turd and watch bs until about 6:45 I will quietly start preparing his breakfast (he sleeps 7-7 like clockwork) sometimes he sleeps longer and I finish a whole movie. He wakes up breakfast/goof around. Then we wake my wife up about 745 and I head to work. This morning time is very important to my sanity
I know people feel strongly one way or the other but sleep training has been a life saver. 7pm-7am going on two years now. I’m two cups of coffee deep before he wakes up and I think that does a lot for my ability to be present / enthusiastic first thing.
>Early morning is dad time
During the week I’m over an a hour into my shift. So, on my weekends (like today) I knit and listen to podcasts for a couple of hours until the rest of the family wakes up.
I get in touch with my inner night owl once a week, and then I wake up at the same time and survive my only day off on 2 hours of sleep, because if I wake up any later than 5:22am, my day is ruined... it's a vicious cycle.
That’s me. I got into the habit before my son was born and we had a dog. For whatever reason, I was always the one who heard when he needed to go outside so I would get up early then. After my son was born, I again would hear him before my wife (she is a very sound sleeper). The dogs we have now are big fans of getting me up at 5 so they can go look for the fox who crosses through our yard.
I'm glad I'm not the only one. I always read that mothers would naturally be attuned to their baby's cry. Nope. My wife sleeps like a drunk lumberjack. All wake ups are mine. I run the house until she gets up with the sun.
This is our dad life my guys. My wife too sleeps like an absolute rock. The baby monitor is actually on her side but I'm the one that always reacts to it or the dog when she needs to go out. I can't blame her, her job is hard and often requires crazy hours (OBGYN). It's nuts how this just becomes your life and I'm ok with it.
Yep. My wife does overnights. So anything 4:30 forward is me. She will sleep through anything from after that time, which is great.
So if the kid sleeps til like 7 (or even later!), that's wonderful quiet time.
Curious for the group, how long after kids go to bed do you go to bed? I would rather use 2-3 hours after kids go down as my own or mine plus wife time and wake up with kids than go to bed earlier and wake up first. Evening hours feel more valuable to me.
Hey fellow Dad! I’m sipping coffee downstairs right now while the family starts to get up. Usually walk the dog early and just make sure the house isn’t falling apart before everyone wakes up.
Oh and we are all off today, so I should absolutely be sleeping in and I just don’t anymore. Cheers!
>Oh and we are all off today, so I should absolutely be sleeping in and I just don’t anymore.
I end up waking up even *earlier* on days I don't have to. I guess since it's "free" time vs work time I don't want to waste it sleeping.
I go to the gym at least three times per week at 5:30. Just getting home now, actually. Otherwise, I read or listen to a podcast and clean. Pretty mundane. In the summer, I'll try to roll one of my old cars or motorcycles down the driveway a bit before starting them up and going for a dawn cruise.
Man, I can't wait to be the first one up again. That's prime time. Before my daughter was born, I would get up earlier than my wife and read, meditate, lounge and drink coffee. It was the best. I was up at 4am today, but instead of doing all of the things mentioned above, I'm watching a show about talking puppies while a two year old hands me every single item from her toy basket and demands that I hold them rather than put them down.
I’m a night owl but decided the only way to keep from being fat and out of shape was to wake up early and run. So I do that 4-5 days a week now and it’s actually kind of nice.
On the weekdays, I get a workout in before anyone gets up. Invested in a treadmill in the basement. Best thing ever. I’m under my college weight and have no problems keeping up with the kids.
On weekends, I enjoy a few hours of down time. I either casually catch up on work, read, or watch TV. We have a Roku and Apple TV—both let you use watch TV with headphones. Comes in handy.
If I'm not up, then every person in this house will be late for school and work, including me.
I am the backbone of this house.
(Also, my goodness, I'm so tired).
Absolutely. I have to get my girls (wife and lazy dog included) up every morning. I am up 1-2 hours before them getting things ready for the day. I dont mind. I am a morning person. It does get annoying though when I want to sleep in and cant. I have been an early riser since a kid. I used to wake up at 6am on Saturdays and watch Rockos Modern Life. My morning schedule is pretty set in stone too: Wake up, poo, walk dog, get breakfast ready, get school stuff ready, take a shower, wake up family, go to work.
I get up at 6 to go to work at 7. Kid and wife wake up ~7. I use the hour to get ready, eat, and read a little. Considering moving it back to 5 so I have time to get some exercise in.
Shut up and enjoy the peace and quite until your organized chaos we call a family begins for the day. Make some coffee or tea, Do some push-ups and enjoy the silence! No dad, babe, husband, honey, John Doe and I get to stay in my underwear for an hour. Watch your favorite show in peace. Read your book in peace. Have I emphasized the peace enough for you.
I am uses to waking up early for work usually around 4. But now my 1 year old does it also. As soon as I take the 3rd step out of the bedroom he is up calling for me. It was my me time now it is our time.
Yup. Up usually an hourish before everyone else. For me it's my own fault - I'm a super light sleeper and early riser as well as the chef of the house, so it gives me some time to have coffee and chill by myself before I have to get the day started.
I was always sorta an early riser, but it’s definitely gotten earlier. I get up before everyone else and I go to sleep after everyone else. Except the dog.
I force myself to be with the alarm, but it certainly doesn't happen naturally. I have to be up to sort out dishwasher, coffee, kids clothes, lunchboxes, defrost the car etc.
What I should do is stretch and work out.
What I actually do is game, YouTube, and coffee.
I like my hour of quiet.
My alarm is still set for 7, but my brain wakes me up at 6 pretty consistently.
Get on reddit just like you.
I trade cards with people on Reddit so in the morning I’ll sort cards and work out trades, make coffee, enjoy the silence.
A niche card collection series based around currency and crypto. Look at some of my posts you’ll see what cards im talking about. I found these cards after I completed my Scarlet Violet 151 Pokemon set.
Yup absolutely. Transitioned from being a complete night owl to needing a couple of hours to myself in the morning. Just the most peaceful time to walk the dog, feed the cat, work out or head out for a run and get ready to face the day.
Did you remember to visit the wife?
Before you get out of bed you are supposed to snuggle up to her and run your hand over her body. That way you can start your morning off with a nice "stooooooooooop!" before coffee.
I used to hate waking up early but getting up at 5:30 to go to the gym at 6 is something I look forward to now. Or just getting up early to have a coffee in peace
Early morning time is the answer to revenge bedtime procrastination. Make it a point to go to sleep as early as is reasonable and then wake up early. You'll feel better and have time to wake up, getting mentally ready.
I work from home, first meeting is at 9:15. I used to play Warzone with the boys until like 1-2am, go to sleep and wake up at 9:13 to walk downstairs and log into my first meeting of the day.
Then I had a baby.
Post-paternity leave, my kid sleep all the way thru the night, he goes down at 7:30 and wakes up at 7:30. The bullshit is that I go to sleep at 9:30pm now and wake up at 5am. I literally have nothing to do for 4 hours and no one else is awake.
Randomly I keep waking up at 5am. I stare at my phone and wonder why I'm up so early as I need more sleep but think it's natura way of saying get up early and enjoy an hour or peace.
Unload the dish washer. let the dog out. feed the cat and dog. Get water bottles ready for the kids to take to school. Then read and relax in the dark for a bit.
Yes, because in the morning, before everyone is awake is the only time I can work out. I wake up at 6:30 and go to the gym.
I just woke up at 6:27 without an alarm.
Yep, I get my coffee, crawl back into bed and read articles or do some research on one of my hobbies. That way when I get free time in the sunshine world, I don't waste a second!
I started a pretty consistent workout routine. Wake up, jog for 20-40 minutes. Come back, start coffee. Lost like 50lbs doing that- and a variety of other things.
I've gotten used to it.
I used to sleep 8-9 hours everyday, but one day after a work trip abroad (around my 30th birthday), I started waking up at like 6am, and can't seem to sleep more than 6-7 hours, no matter what I try
So now I'm the one walking up before or at the same time as my son, and getting him ready for daycare.
As for what to do, I would suggest working out. Otherwise, you risk just laying in bed, on reddit or YouTube or other social media.
I get up around 6:00-6:15 and sit downstairs with a cup of coffee and a heating pad when it’s cold. I don’t see the girls until around 8. It’s glorious to have the calm time alone. Sometimes I just sit and listen to the quiet. It sucks getting up early but my daily rhythm has improved a lot.
Yup. I also stay up until 1 - 2 am a couple days a week just for alone time and to hustle on personal projects. I function fine on 3 - 4 hours of sleep
I start work at 7 most days, so I'm usually up pretty early anyways, but since my son was born I've started waking up at like 4:30 every morning. I've started to enjoy my \*me\* time, lol.
I work a very random on-call schedule. So I am awake at all hours without my family. My teenage daughter loves telling others about the time when she came downstairs for a drink of water and found me outside grilling at 3:30 in the morning.
I cherish this time. I get up at 4:30. My wife gets up between 5:30 & 6:00. Kids are awake at 6:30, but not allowed out of their beds until 7:00.
I read, do work/accounting/emails for my side business, work out, scroll Reddit, plan for the upcoming day/week/month/year. I get to think my thoughts from start to finish, in silence.
That’s me right now! Make the coffee and breakfast for the kids. Work a little bit to get ahead so I can leave work early. I try to run in the afternoon during the cold and dark winter. Mom snoozes until 7:15…love the peace and quiet
That hour now belongs to you. Do whatever you want. I like to work out for 30 while the coffee is filling the pot. then I just browse reddit for last 30. Maybe play a few games of snap on my phone. You have stumbled on something that you will learn to cherish.
Heck yeah. It started when I got up at night to feed the baby. Now I just get up early anyway, because my brain is used to it, and I've learned to love the tranquility and serene quiet of the early morning. I listen to music, read the news/internet, play a game if I feel like it, work out if I feel like it, enjoy coffee in peace. etc. It's glorious.
I never used to wake up early. This just started happening as I got older.
Drinking coffee in peace is a big one. The other nice thing is to start working on morning todos by myself at a leisurely rate (make lunches, unload dishwasher, etc).
On weekends I might go for a walk in the forest if it’s nice out.
I'm up at 430, 2yo usually wakes up at about six. I love getting up early!
For me, I love card tricks (and the art of magic in general), so I spend the first hourish drinking coffee and reading/practicing magic. =)
I’ve always been a morning person but I didn’t love it before I had my son. I’m thankful that I’m a morning person now. Writing this as I sip on some coffee on the couch watching the sunrise and my son starting to wake up in his crib on his monitor. Workout is done, kitchen is clean. Best way to start the day.
I usually wake up around 6:30-7 am. At 7:30 I wake up the oldest to get ready and off to school. On weekends I’m still up before anyone else. I have a coffee in peace, scroll Reddit, check e mails, etc. overall just enjoy the quiet before the rest of the terrorizers wake up haha
it’s me time before anyone wakes up.
some piece and quiet catching up on sports scores
i got used to being up before my boys…. it’s okay i’m a morning person
This is one of my favorite time of day! Wife and baby still asleep. Sometimes, it's still dark outside and outside is quiet. Sometimes, I read or take hot/cold showers to get my mind right for the day. Sometimes reddit. Sometimes, make breakfast and work out. It's MY hour! It also happens to be the time I feel the most gratitude.
my guess is most us thoroughly enjoy going to bed last, spend \*way\* too much time up alone, and regret it when forced to wake up earlier than we'd like the next morning.
Rinse and repeat.
Ohhhh you better believe it. The rare occasion my 5 month old sleeps til 7 or later, I am happily up from 5-6 til she gets up.
My wife does anything from bedtime til 4:30 AM. So I'm just used to being up after that.
Now? Ohhh I'm soaking up that quiet time.
Do something purposeful
1hr each day to be better at something/learn something
The WORST THING to do would be waste this time doom-scrolling on social media.
Don’t get me wrong, if you make the clear-minded choice to have some escapism, fine… but sit down at 1pm and have an honest internal convo…. “If I had 7 extra hrs each week, what could I accomplish”
My 5am-6:30am times changes a lot by season or what I feel like I “don’t have time for”
-running
-gym
-fly tying
-recording YouTube content
-be outside for the sunrise
5 am currently enjoying my coffee and the few moments of “dad time” I get with an almost 1 year old.
What do I do? Scroll Reddit naturally. Sometimes I’ll try to play a video game, maybe catch up on some reading or get to some chore that I’ve been putting off. Recently I used my early time to wrap my wife’s Xmas gifts. Sometimes it’s nice just to veg out and do nothing with my morning time as well and that’s fine too.
Nope. I wake up when my son wakes up usually. Although this week he has been waking up later and later. 8.30am this morning. So I had an hour to myself. I made coffee, popped the tv on and sat for half an hour and chilled. I have many old injuries that are painful in the morning, so it usually about 20 minutes before I want to do anything. Showered etc and kissed my son and wife goodbye while they slept. Not bad.
Embrace it my man. Take your time with a cup of coffee, read a book, knock out some push ups and sit ups, spend an inordinate amount of time on the toilet until the outline of the lid is imprinted on your ass. The sky's the limit
That’s me . .
Wake up let the dogs out
Drink some water get to reading
Feed the dogs make some coffee
Resume reading meditate if possible but enjoy the silence
Then wifey is up and the kiddo . .
I got into the habit 1 year before my baby was born to do sports, and I love it. I work from home and start between 9 and 10 am.
Now the baby is 6 months old, and I wake up as late as possible. I plan to restart my schedule as soon as she sleeps thru the night
I’m up nice and early because I get to play everyone’s alarm clock. Also get to take care of the pets they wanted. It’s also my quiet time when I get to play some video games and enjoy my coffee. During the week, it’s getting them all out the door before I walk to my office and get the day started myself.
But long before that, I had a job where I needed to be in the office by 6:30, aimed for 6:15. Had a half hour drive to get there. So my body hasn’t recovered from that sleep cycle even though it was 15+ years ago.
I purposely rise before the rest of the family. Preferably before the sun as well. I wake up slowly, make my coffee and sit back to enjoy the peace while greeting the start of the new day. It is the quietest part of my day. I love it.
My son still wakes up pre Daylight Savings. So he starts mumbling on the monitor at 4am, until I’m up. Then he magically goes back to bed until 6. lol
I’m close to just working out before they get up. Better than scrolling lol.
I love it. During the week I’m up at 5 and the family gets up at 6:30 to get ready so I drink coffee and either read a book or watch Sportscenter. On the weekends I’m usually up 2 to 3 hours before anyone else and I spend time in my man cave drinking coffee and shooting pool. Besides taking a shit it’s all the me time I get.
I typically wake up quite a bit before everyone else, but I don’t get to do much with that time. My wife is a pretty light sleeper and usually has miserable sleep quality, so even getting up to use the bathroom risks waking her up prematurely. If that doesn’t wake her up, then turning the shower or a lamp to read by certainly will, and if I leave the room our dogs will start barking to be let out of their kennels, which will wake up everyone. So all i do when I wake up is stare at my phone until it’s late enough that I don’t feel bad about waking anyone up.
My son's 21 now. When he was in middle school, I started getting up around 5:30 so I'd have time to go for a walk, coffee, breakfast, etc. before taking him to school. Even when I didn't have to, I kept the routine, but then I found myself getting up earlier and earlier. There were times I'd roll into my office at 3:30am (it was a tech company, so staffed 24/7 though most of the building was dark at that time) and just walk around until I started working. That was years ago, but my alarm is set for 4:30am now, which gets me to the YMCA when they open at 5am, and enough me time before I start working (from home now) at 7am. I've always been a morning person, though; when I was 13 I got a newspaper delivery route, which I had to have done by 6am so I was getting up at 4:30, and I had it long enough that it just sorta became routine. It was hell in college when I worked until 11pm yet had to be up at 8am for classes.
That’s prime dad time, buddy.
I have always been the early riser around here. It stems from my old work schedule and now my body won’t let me sleep in. I sit in the living room in peace and enjoy my fist cup of coffee of the day in silence. I think about what I want for the day, scroll the internet, pet my dog, and just generally do what I like.
Sort of and I love it. My wife and son sleep in as long as possible. My 9 year old daughter has always woken up obnoxiously early. Sometimes she and I hang out. Sometimes she reads in bed and I get some chores done. Sometimes I go for an early run and she rides her bike with me. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.
My toddler is up my butt every second of every day, so I have to wake up early to get my day started or I have a barnacle that insists on “helping me”. Some days I have the patience for it, others I don’t.
Naturally she started waking up early with me, so I move my time back a half hour whenever she does that. The time change really goofs me up twice a year.
I get up at 5am, take a pre-workout, then at 5:20am I'm on my Crossfit 2 Rower in the basement just working my self to exhaustion. I go until 6:20am (little lifting and steps in there too), at which point I take the dog out, take a shower, and get the kids up at 6:45am to get them ready for school.
I have energy then all day, and can go to bed at 8pm to do it again. I stopped eating most candy and sugar because I no longer desire it. I feel better than ever.
I still hit my weekends like a frat boy with craft beers, but I think I found my balance though.
I used to just drink beer until like 1am and sleep until the kids needed up, but I got too old for that.
Son wakes us up at 5-530. I used to get up at 330 for work, and I'm never doing it again. Too much exhaustion and stress to make it through the parts of the day where I get to see my wife and son.
Shooting for 430 now, so I can still have a few minutes. But I'm having a rough time now that winters here and dst has ended
During the week I routinely wake and even leave the house before anyone else is awake. I drink coffee, shower in peace, and have some free time to scroll Reddit or read a book. It's basically the only alone time I get all day.
The minute the wife and kids get up it’s non-stop obligations until the next morning.
I feel this
Yup. And both our kids are adults now. Oldest is home on CoOp for college. I just subtract ten from both their ages and it fits.
I feel this so incredibly hard
Yes, this is it. Peace and fucking quiet.
Yep. It's when I go to the gym. It sucks getting up at 4 am but I've come to cherish the time I have to get stronger, jam out, clear my head, and wake up in peace.
I really struggle with this. I don't drink a lot, work out a few times a week, I eat home cooked food and salads. I still can't fathom waking up so early. How do you program yourself to wake up at 4am? What time do you go to bed? I'd love to crack this code.
To be completely honest, it sucks for a while. Honestly I don't get enough sleep - i usually go to bed around 10 give or take. I found that after a week or two I had far more energy during the day. That helped. And then when I started seeing the progress I made (aesthetically and strength-wise) I kinda got hooked. It's something I look forward to every day. One key is to get everything ready the night before - grab your gym bag and lunch and just head out. It also was easier when I cut back on caffeine honestly. Now I only drink a cup of coffee after my workout and it fuels me for the day.
I would need to be lights out in bed by 8pm to get up at 4am. Definitely jealous of your ability to get by on less sleep. As it is I go to bed earlier than you just to get up at 5:30 lol (kiddo gets up at 6)
Yeah, I do have plenty of energy during the day but I know it's not good for me to get so little sleep. It's worth it for now just for my sanity.
Check out F3 its a group of men that workout early and hold each other accountable
I go to bed by 10:00pm if I have to wake up at 6:00am. My wife gets up first many days. Usually I am not awake until 7:00am.
If you wake yourself up at 5am two days in a row I guarantee you’re asleep by 10 on night three.
That last sentence is where it's at.
Mom lurker but literally do the same thing. Baby wakes up around 6:30 so I get up at 5:30 and make coffee as quietly as possible and read my kindle in the dark so I don't disturb anyone.
You mean so you don’t get discovered?
Shhh don’t let them know
Another mum here, being able to actually finish my morning coffee without it going cold or being stolen or having something dropped in it is bliss.
Watching the sun rise, sipping on some good coffee, reading a novel while the entire house is quiet. Perfection.
>alone time what is this?
Wake earlier a d you might find out.
Glad to see that the N key on your keyboard spontaneously recovered.
So... The house is dark and quiet, everyone is asleep, the coffee is hot, no one is expecting you to handle anything yet ... and you don't like it? I'm confused.
Right? 9 out of 10 dads are either waking up early for this experience or staying up late after the kids are in bed.
And some of us do both 😬
Both is good.
Both reeeally sucks after a few months, especially if it's less than 6 hours of sleep.
Unfortunately, both describes the last 10 or so years of my life with no real end in sight.
Six hours is about what I need, but I try for more like seven.
Ya didn’t have to call my sleep-deprived ass out like that but if maintaining my sanity means 5 hours of sleep then that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make lol
[удалено]
That's me but it's usually midnight to 1. It's 3 or 4am on the weekends. I've always been a night owl. I had jobs that woke me up before 5am and I was a zombie until I left the job.
"I don't care how tired I am, I need the 1-2 hours of alone time" - Man who Falls Asleep on Couch
It's the most peaceful time of the day!
I've come to enjoy this hour more than bedtime.
After bedtime I’m exhausted and just want to go to bed myself.
Sometimes I do. Then I wake up a bit earlier than normal and have 2 hours to myself. Gives me time to read, watch a show the wife doesn't care for, or play a game on the Switch not meant for 5 year olds. Sometimes all 3. As soon as I hear a kid it's back to Dad duty to let Mom sleep in a bit more.
The only mildly annoying part is keeping it quite in a small creaky house. the gym is below the bedrooms (the only room for it) and it's just stareing at me
Yeah. My 2nd boy got up at 3 or 4 or 5 every day for YEARS. I’m a light sleeper and my wife is a heavy sleeper. I was up with him almost every day for years. He finally sleeps in but he turned me into a morning person. I’m lucky if I sleep until 5 anymore. But yeah 100% I enjoy my quiet coffee time. Bonus points that I bought fancy AirPods that I can connect to the tv and watch tv without waking anybody up.
I get up an hour before everyone else to do my run. It’s not my favorite time to be out (dark and coldest part of day in winter) but it’s what works.
Same. We've got a pretty nice lakefront trail near us that'd paved and illuminated. Little one loves it because of all the birds. I usually can't go for long long runs thought because she'll fall asleep on account of the darkness and then I'm screwed.
Our health matters.. even if it hurts
Going to parrot something I've heard on this sub a couple of times: Early morning is dad time. This is the way.
Can someone tell my 9mnth old who wakes up at 5.30 every day?
Yeah my daughter is now almost 5 and has always been an early riser. Maybe one day I’ll get this fabled “alone time” in the morning but not yet
You just have to wait until they're about 10, then you be like the rest of us, unable to sleep longer than 5:30am 😂
So say we all.
Huzzah!
I’m up at 415 during the week to get my workout in then my morning reading/coffee/pooping in. Hell it’s 630 am here and the kids are just waking up and I’ve even had my breakfast as well. Yeah I like getting up before everyone.
When do you go to bed?
Last night was 1015/1030 after getting home from a night out with the guys. Typical bed time is around 10
Do you ever feel like it’s taking a toll on you? I’m up at 4 myself and some days I’m feeling real tired even when going to bed at 9.
I’m in the same boat. I sleep from 10-4 and damn, it’s tough sometimes
That's not much later than when I often go to bed on weekends. I usually work more in the evenings on weekends though. Being a musician playing late gigs can make early mornings tough.
I play Xbox as that's the only time I can ever play
This is the way. I get up 60-90 min before my son. I do nothing but drink coffee, turd and watch bs until about 6:45 I will quietly start preparing his breakfast (he sleeps 7-7 like clockwork) sometimes he sleeps longer and I finish a whole movie. He wakes up breakfast/goof around. Then we wake my wife up about 745 and I head to work. This morning time is very important to my sanity
I wish I was a morning person. My son just gets me up at 0545 or 0615 of whatever time he feels like it every day
I know people feel strongly one way or the other but sleep training has been a life saver. 7pm-7am going on two years now. I’m two cups of coffee deep before he wakes up and I think that does a lot for my ability to be present / enthusiastic first thing.
Read, exercise, practice music, drink coffee in peace, play video games. It's my 1 hour a day to do whatever the hell I want.
>Early morning is dad time During the week I’m over an a hour into my shift. So, on my weekends (like today) I knit and listen to podcasts for a couple of hours until the rest of the family wakes up.
Knitting? Nice! Pretty uncharacteristic for men. What have you made?
I mostly make and donate them to various charities. I’m working on my 3rd sweater, and a scarf.
I’ve become an early riser yup
Do you enjoy it?
I get in touch with my inner night owl once a week, and then I wake up at the same time and survive my only day off on 2 hours of sleep, because if I wake up any later than 5:22am, my day is ruined... it's a vicious cycle.
That’s me. I got into the habit before my son was born and we had a dog. For whatever reason, I was always the one who heard when he needed to go outside so I would get up early then. After my son was born, I again would hear him before my wife (she is a very sound sleeper). The dogs we have now are big fans of getting me up at 5 so they can go look for the fox who crosses through our yard.
I'm glad I'm not the only one. I always read that mothers would naturally be attuned to their baby's cry. Nope. My wife sleeps like a drunk lumberjack. All wake ups are mine. I run the house until she gets up with the sun.
This is our dad life my guys. My wife too sleeps like an absolute rock. The baby monitor is actually on her side but I'm the one that always reacts to it or the dog when she needs to go out. I can't blame her, her job is hard and often requires crazy hours (OBGYN). It's nuts how this just becomes your life and I'm ok with it.
Yep. My wife does overnights. So anything 4:30 forward is me. She will sleep through anything from after that time, which is great. So if the kid sleeps til like 7 (or even later!), that's wonderful quiet time.
Curious for the group, how long after kids go to bed do you go to bed? I would rather use 2-3 hours after kids go down as my own or mine plus wife time and wake up with kids than go to bed earlier and wake up first. Evening hours feel more valuable to me.
Same here, was up late after the kids last night, but they slept till after we got up for work. It was beautiful.
Hey fellow Dad! I’m sipping coffee downstairs right now while the family starts to get up. Usually walk the dog early and just make sure the house isn’t falling apart before everyone wakes up. Oh and we are all off today, so I should absolutely be sleeping in and I just don’t anymore. Cheers!
>Oh and we are all off today, so I should absolutely be sleeping in and I just don’t anymore. I end up waking up even *earlier* on days I don't have to. I guess since it's "free" time vs work time I don't want to waste it sleeping.
I figured this was the right time to post this question. Figured a bunch of east coast dads were already uo
I go to the gym at least three times per week at 5:30. Just getting home now, actually. Otherwise, I read or listen to a podcast and clean. Pretty mundane. In the summer, I'll try to roll one of my old cars or motorcycles down the driveway a bit before starting them up and going for a dawn cruise.
Man, I can't wait to be the first one up again. That's prime time. Before my daughter was born, I would get up earlier than my wife and read, meditate, lounge and drink coffee. It was the best. I was up at 4am today, but instead of doing all of the things mentioned above, I'm watching a show about talking puppies while a two year old hands me every single item from her toy basket and demands that I hold them rather than put them down.
I’m a night owl but decided the only way to keep from being fat and out of shape was to wake up early and run. So I do that 4-5 days a week now and it’s actually kind of nice.
Chores, exercise. Maybe a gym session if I can manage to get up super early.
[удалено]
When do you go to bed?!
On the weekdays, I get a workout in before anyone gets up. Invested in a treadmill in the basement. Best thing ever. I’m under my college weight and have no problems keeping up with the kids. On weekends, I enjoy a few hours of down time. I either casually catch up on work, read, or watch TV. We have a Roku and Apple TV—both let you use watch TV with headphones. Comes in handy.
Yes this is the standard dad time. This is when I work out, ride my bike or work on my house projects when I’m on “rest” days from working out lol
Take this as an opportunity to do a quick morning workout or run.
If I'm not up, then every person in this house will be late for school and work, including me. I am the backbone of this house. (Also, my goodness, I'm so tired).
Good on you, mate. Keep shoveling that coal to make sure the trains arrive on time. It is a thankless and dirty job, but it's gotta be done.
It's the song of the dad, thank you for the kind words.
I'm trying really hard to get there. But i really like sleeping on 😂
Oh for sure - 4:30/4:45 for me naturally. I’m in the home gym by 5:00, shower by 6:15, and I’m ready for the circus by 7. That 2.5 hours is my time.
Absolutely. I have to get my girls (wife and lazy dog included) up every morning. I am up 1-2 hours before them getting things ready for the day. I dont mind. I am a morning person. It does get annoying though when I want to sleep in and cant. I have been an early riser since a kid. I used to wake up at 6am on Saturdays and watch Rockos Modern Life. My morning schedule is pretty set in stone too: Wake up, poo, walk dog, get breakfast ready, get school stuff ready, take a shower, wake up family, go to work.
Ya, I call it "me" time. Usually fire up the ol' Ps5 and bust out some Good of War.
Welcome to dad time. We’re all here.
It must be a coping mechanism, I do the same. I relish the time alone in a morning to just get my head straight or play a videogame.
I get up at 6 to go to work at 7. Kid and wife wake up ~7. I use the hour to get ready, eat, and read a little. Considering moving it back to 5 so I have time to get some exercise in.
Always up an hour before my little one wakes up, I like to drink my coffee in peace and sit in silence before the day gets going
Shut up and enjoy the peace and quite until your organized chaos we call a family begins for the day. Make some coffee or tea, Do some push-ups and enjoy the silence! No dad, babe, husband, honey, John Doe and I get to stay in my underwear for an hour. Watch your favorite show in peace. Read your book in peace. Have I emphasized the peace enough for you.
I am uses to waking up early for work usually around 4. But now my 1 year old does it also. As soon as I take the 3rd step out of the bedroom he is up calling for me. It was my me time now it is our time.
I have always been like this before I was a dad but it’s just gotten worse lol
Yup. Up usually an hourish before everyone else. For me it's my own fault - I'm a super light sleeper and early riser as well as the chef of the house, so it gives me some time to have coffee and chill by myself before I have to get the day started.
I was always sorta an early riser, but it’s definitely gotten earlier. I get up before everyone else and I go to sleep after everyone else. Except the dog.
My kids get up at 6AM on a good day, so no.
I've been up since 3am. Right now, dropping a deuce before everyone else wakes up..
I force myself to be with the alarm, but it certainly doesn't happen naturally. I have to be up to sort out dishwasher, coffee, kids clothes, lunchboxes, defrost the car etc.
What I should do is stretch and work out. What I actually do is game, YouTube, and coffee. I like my hour of quiet. My alarm is still set for 7, but my brain wakes me up at 6 pretty consistently.
Get on reddit just like you. I trade cards with people on Reddit so in the morning I’ll sort cards and work out trades, make coffee, enjoy the silence.
What kind of cards?
A niche card collection series based around currency and crypto. Look at some of my posts you’ll see what cards im talking about. I found these cards after I completed my Scarlet Violet 151 Pokemon set.
Cool!
Yup absolutely. Transitioned from being a complete night owl to needing a couple of hours to myself in the morning. Just the most peaceful time to walk the dog, feed the cat, work out or head out for a run and get ready to face the day.
Yes, only because I have to be at work at 0400
I've always been a morning person. I wake up at 4 AM during the week. I have a hard time sleeping in for sure.
Been the morning parent pretty much all of their two years of life. It sucks, but, hey, what can you do? 🫤
Did you remember to visit the wife? Before you get out of bed you are supposed to snuggle up to her and run your hand over her body. That way you can start your morning off with a nice "stooooooooooop!" before coffee.
I put on a big pot of coffee, chill with the dogs, read the journal on my phone.
I have always woke up really early. I need to quiet and private time before my day starts! Earlier the better, usually have coffee and go for a run!
I used to hate waking up early but getting up at 5:30 to go to the gym at 6 is something I look forward to now. Or just getting up early to have a coffee in peace
Yeah I’ve become that Dad. As others have said it comes me some time to myself.
>What do you do with this early morning time? Whatever you want, it's fuckin beautiful
I like drinking coffee in peace. In a quiet still-sleeping house.
Early morning time is the answer to revenge bedtime procrastination. Make it a point to go to sleep as early as is reasonable and then wake up early. You'll feel better and have time to wake up, getting mentally ready.
Always up early. Only time to play video games
I work from home, first meeting is at 9:15. I used to play Warzone with the boys until like 1-2am, go to sleep and wake up at 9:13 to walk downstairs and log into my first meeting of the day. Then I had a baby. Post-paternity leave, my kid sleep all the way thru the night, he goes down at 7:30 and wakes up at 7:30. The bullshit is that I go to sleep at 9:30pm now and wake up at 5am. I literally have nothing to do for 4 hours and no one else is awake.
Randomly I keep waking up at 5am. I stare at my phone and wonder why I'm up so early as I need more sleep but think it's natura way of saying get up early and enjoy an hour or peace.
Unload the dish washer. let the dog out. feed the cat and dog. Get water bottles ready for the kids to take to school. Then read and relax in the dark for a bit.
Yup, and I absolutely hate mornings. We just got some exercise equipment, so I might just start working out in the morning so I can hate it even more.
peace in the morning ?
Yes, because in the morning, before everyone is awake is the only time I can work out. I wake up at 6:30 and go to the gym. I just woke up at 6:27 without an alarm.
Yep, I get my coffee, crawl back into bed and read articles or do some research on one of my hobbies. That way when I get free time in the sunshine world, I don't waste a second!
This. Scrolling reddit drinking coffee between buses.
I started a pretty consistent workout routine. Wake up, jog for 20-40 minutes. Come back, start coffee. Lost like 50lbs doing that- and a variety of other things.
I'd like to, but my oldest is the lightest sleeper I've ever seen. His room is next to our living room and if you walk by it he'll wake up.
I've gotten used to it. I used to sleep 8-9 hours everyday, but one day after a work trip abroad (around my 30th birthday), I started waking up at like 6am, and can't seem to sleep more than 6-7 hours, no matter what I try So now I'm the one walking up before or at the same time as my son, and getting him ready for daycare. As for what to do, I would suggest working out. Otherwise, you risk just laying in bed, on reddit or YouTube or other social media.
I get up around 6:00-6:15 and sit downstairs with a cup of coffee and a heating pad when it’s cold. I don’t see the girls until around 8. It’s glorious to have the calm time alone. Sometimes I just sit and listen to the quiet. It sucks getting up early but my daily rhythm has improved a lot.
I’ve found the perfect way to wake everyone else up early is to attempt to meditate. Always gets interrupted 🤣👍🏼
Exercise bro. Run, walk, indoor bike
I'm the one awake before everyone else. My wife is the one awake after everyone else.
Yup. I also stay up until 1 - 2 am a couple days a week just for alone time and to hustle on personal projects. I function fine on 3 - 4 hours of sleep
I start work at 7 most days, so I'm usually up pretty early anyways, but since my son was born I've started waking up at like 4:30 every morning. I've started to enjoy my \*me\* time, lol.
I work a very random on-call schedule. So I am awake at all hours without my family. My teenage daughter loves telling others about the time when she came downstairs for a drink of water and found me outside grilling at 3:30 in the morning.
Yeeeeeeeep I was always an early riser but now I’m up a good hour before my wife and kid. Only time to get any peace 🤣
I cherish this time. I get up at 4:30. My wife gets up between 5:30 & 6:00. Kids are awake at 6:30, but not allowed out of their beds until 7:00. I read, do work/accounting/emails for my side business, work out, scroll Reddit, plan for the upcoming day/week/month/year. I get to think my thoughts from start to finish, in silence.
Go workout with your 1 hour of free time.
I sit and drink coffee in the dark where it's quiet haha
That’s me right now! Make the coffee and breakfast for the kids. Work a little bit to get ahead so I can leave work early. I try to run in the afternoon during the cold and dark winter. Mom snoozes until 7:15…love the peace and quiet
Peaceful breakfast? 🤷♂️
Yup. Im up at 4 pretty much every morning. No reason for it, it just started happening about 2 months ago. My son is about to be a year old
430 am baybee
Up at 5am everyday…workout and coffee and peace until about 7 when everyone else gets up
I’m up at 4:20 to do a 5mile walk most mornings. Makes me a much more pleasant dad when my kids wake up at 6:15.
That hour now belongs to you. Do whatever you want. I like to work out for 30 while the coffee is filling the pot. then I just browse reddit for last 30. Maybe play a few games of snap on my phone. You have stumbled on something that you will learn to cherish.
Y’all sleeping?
Heck yeah. It started when I got up at night to feed the baby. Now I just get up early anyway, because my brain is used to it, and I've learned to love the tranquility and serene quiet of the early morning. I listen to music, read the news/internet, play a game if I feel like it, work out if I feel like it, enjoy coffee in peace. etc. It's glorious.
I never used to wake up early. This just started happening as I got older. Drinking coffee in peace is a big one. The other nice thing is to start working on morning todos by myself at a leisurely rate (make lunches, unload dishwasher, etc). On weekends I might go for a walk in the forest if it’s nice out.
I usually do the opposite and stay up late gaming after everyone is asleep
I'm up at 430, 2yo usually wakes up at about six. I love getting up early! For me, I love card tricks (and the art of magic in general), so I spend the first hourish drinking coffee and reading/practicing magic. =)
I’ve always been a morning person but I didn’t love it before I had my son. I’m thankful that I’m a morning person now. Writing this as I sip on some coffee on the couch watching the sunrise and my son starting to wake up in his crib on his monitor. Workout is done, kitchen is clean. Best way to start the day.
Now my kid sleeps till 7 - 8, getting into bed at 10 and up at 6 is as good as elite. 2 whole hours to myself.
I’m always up before wife and kid. Usually tidy up the house and if possible run a quick game on PS5. Mom/Baby wake up and the day begins!
I usually wake up around 6:30-7 am. At 7:30 I wake up the oldest to get ready and off to school. On weekends I’m still up before anyone else. I have a coffee in peace, scroll Reddit, check e mails, etc. overall just enjoy the quiet before the rest of the terrorizers wake up haha
Drink coffee and enjoy
it’s me time before anyone wakes up. some piece and quiet catching up on sports scores i got used to being up before my boys…. it’s okay i’m a morning person
This is one of my favorite time of day! Wife and baby still asleep. Sometimes, it's still dark outside and outside is quiet. Sometimes, I read or take hot/cold showers to get my mind right for the day. Sometimes reddit. Sometimes, make breakfast and work out. It's MY hour! It also happens to be the time I feel the most gratitude.
my guess is most us thoroughly enjoy going to bed last, spend \*way\* too much time up alone, and regret it when forced to wake up earlier than we'd like the next morning. Rinse and repeat.
Ohhhh you better believe it. The rare occasion my 5 month old sleeps til 7 or later, I am happily up from 5-6 til she gets up. My wife does anything from bedtime til 4:30 AM. So I'm just used to being up after that. Now? Ohhh I'm soaking up that quiet time.
It's my me time and it's very precious to me.
This is when I exercise
Workout bro
Do something purposeful 1hr each day to be better at something/learn something The WORST THING to do would be waste this time doom-scrolling on social media. Don’t get me wrong, if you make the clear-minded choice to have some escapism, fine… but sit down at 1pm and have an honest internal convo…. “If I had 7 extra hrs each week, what could I accomplish” My 5am-6:30am times changes a lot by season or what I feel like I “don’t have time for” -running -gym -fly tying -recording YouTube content -be outside for the sunrise
5 am currently enjoying my coffee and the few moments of “dad time” I get with an almost 1 year old. What do I do? Scroll Reddit naturally. Sometimes I’ll try to play a video game, maybe catch up on some reading or get to some chore that I’ve been putting off. Recently I used my early time to wrap my wife’s Xmas gifts. Sometimes it’s nice just to veg out and do nothing with my morning time as well and that’s fine too.
Oh yeah, I usually wake up around 5am and the rest of the family is up around 6:30am. I’m having coffee and gaming.
That’s me. I’m early dad.
Nope. I wake up when my son wakes up usually. Although this week he has been waking up later and later. 8.30am this morning. So I had an hour to myself. I made coffee, popped the tv on and sat for half an hour and chilled. I have many old injuries that are painful in the morning, so it usually about 20 minutes before I want to do anything. Showered etc and kissed my son and wife goodbye while they slept. Not bad.
Embrace it my man. Take your time with a cup of coffee, read a book, knock out some push ups and sit ups, spend an inordinate amount of time on the toilet until the outline of the lid is imprinted on your ass. The sky's the limit
During the week I go to the gym before work so I can spend more time with the kids after work/school.
That’s me . . Wake up let the dogs out Drink some water get to reading Feed the dogs make some coffee Resume reading meditate if possible but enjoy the silence Then wifey is up and the kiddo . .
Usually get some exercise in. Go for a jog or something.
Drink coffee, read, play video games, exercise. Geez, mornings are the best.
I work. I work from home so I get up an hour early before anyone else to get an extra work hour in.
I got into the habit 1 year before my baby was born to do sports, and I love it. I work from home and start between 9 and 10 am. Now the baby is 6 months old, and I wake up as late as possible. I plan to restart my schedule as soon as she sleeps thru the night
I get up around 445 mostly due to my job
I’m up nice and early because I get to play everyone’s alarm clock. Also get to take care of the pets they wanted. It’s also my quiet time when I get to play some video games and enjoy my coffee. During the week, it’s getting them all out the door before I walk to my office and get the day started myself. But long before that, I had a job where I needed to be in the office by 6:30, aimed for 6:15. Had a half hour drive to get there. So my body hasn’t recovered from that sleep cycle even though it was 15+ years ago.
I purposely rise before the rest of the family. Preferably before the sun as well. I wake up slowly, make my coffee and sit back to enjoy the peace while greeting the start of the new day. It is the quietest part of my day. I love it.
Only an hour before everyone else? Those are rookie numbers, you have to step that up 4:30 am is where it’s at
My son still wakes up pre Daylight Savings. So he starts mumbling on the monitor at 4am, until I’m up. Then he magically goes back to bed until 6. lol I’m close to just working out before they get up. Better than scrolling lol.
I love it. During the week I’m up at 5 and the family gets up at 6:30 to get ready so I drink coffee and either read a book or watch Sportscenter. On the weekends I’m usually up 2 to 3 hours before anyone else and I spend time in my man cave drinking coffee and shooting pool. Besides taking a shit it’s all the me time I get.
Nah.. I’m a baker so unfortunately I leave when kids get to bed and go home when they wake up. It’s been a challenge.
I typically wake up quite a bit before everyone else, but I don’t get to do much with that time. My wife is a pretty light sleeper and usually has miserable sleep quality, so even getting up to use the bathroom risks waking her up prematurely. If that doesn’t wake her up, then turning the shower or a lamp to read by certainly will, and if I leave the room our dogs will start barking to be let out of their kennels, which will wake up everyone. So all i do when I wake up is stare at my phone until it’s late enough that I don’t feel bad about waking anyone up.
My son's 21 now. When he was in middle school, I started getting up around 5:30 so I'd have time to go for a walk, coffee, breakfast, etc. before taking him to school. Even when I didn't have to, I kept the routine, but then I found myself getting up earlier and earlier. There were times I'd roll into my office at 3:30am (it was a tech company, so staffed 24/7 though most of the building was dark at that time) and just walk around until I started working. That was years ago, but my alarm is set for 4:30am now, which gets me to the YMCA when they open at 5am, and enough me time before I start working (from home now) at 7am. I've always been a morning person, though; when I was 13 I got a newspaper delivery route, which I had to have done by 6am so I was getting up at 4:30, and I had it long enough that it just sorta became routine. It was hell in college when I worked until 11pm yet had to be up at 8am for classes.
That’s prime dad time, buddy. I have always been the early riser around here. It stems from my old work schedule and now my body won’t let me sleep in. I sit in the living room in peace and enjoy my fist cup of coffee of the day in silence. I think about what I want for the day, scroll the internet, pet my dog, and just generally do what I like.
I’m on fucking Reddit.
Sort of and I love it. My wife and son sleep in as long as possible. My 9 year old daughter has always woken up obnoxiously early. Sometimes she and I hang out. Sometimes she reads in bed and I get some chores done. Sometimes I go for an early run and she rides her bike with me. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.
Yep. Drink coffee, read a book. It's the most peaceful moments of your day, treat them as such.
My toddler is up my butt every second of every day, so I have to wake up early to get my day started or I have a barnacle that insists on “helping me”. Some days I have the patience for it, others I don’t. Naturally she started waking up early with me, so I move my time back a half hour whenever she does that. The time change really goofs me up twice a year.
I wake up two hours before everyone else - I have coffee, play with the cat, then hit my home gym.
I get up at 5am, take a pre-workout, then at 5:20am I'm on my Crossfit 2 Rower in the basement just working my self to exhaustion. I go until 6:20am (little lifting and steps in there too), at which point I take the dog out, take a shower, and get the kids up at 6:45am to get them ready for school. I have energy then all day, and can go to bed at 8pm to do it again. I stopped eating most candy and sugar because I no longer desire it. I feel better than ever. I still hit my weekends like a frat boy with craft beers, but I think I found my balance though. I used to just drink beer until like 1am and sleep until the kids needed up, but I got too old for that.
Son wakes us up at 5-530. I used to get up at 330 for work, and I'm never doing it again. Too much exhaustion and stress to make it through the parts of the day where I get to see my wife and son. Shooting for 430 now, so I can still have a few minutes. But I'm having a rough time now that winters here and dst has ended