<p>S1, 15 years old, struggles to get up in the morning, even though he gets to bed reasonably early. Buzzing alarm clocks don’t do it, loud music doesn’t do it. Both have been tried, he is capable of sleeping indefinitely through alarms or music played loudly enough to make it miserable in the whole house. I have been looking at alarm clocks online, hoping to find something that works on a different principal than loud noise. I have seen alarm clocks that emit very loud sounds, but this is not a good solution. The rest of us will suffer while he sleeps. I am also worried about damage to his ears. Does anyone have any experience with alarms that emit light, or that vibrate under the mattress?</p>
<p>Sorry NYMom; this can be very frustrating. I was always a VERY sound sleeper, too, and could sleep through just about any alarm all the way through my early 20’s. Your son even sounds worse than I was. I tried just about everything and never found anything that really worked. I now use my cell phone alarm and set two alarms with different ring tones; they go off about 3 minutes apart. Only suggestion is to be sure he is getting to bed as early as possible so that his body is more ready to wake up in the morning.</p>
<p>You can buy an alarm clock that vibrates. Sometimes there is a separate piece that you place under the pillow. There are also clocks that flash bright light, although I think the vibrating one would be more effective. Just Google “vibrating alarm clock” for suppliers. The growth of the assistive-devices market benefits all of us! :)</p>
<p>Try this one - it works for my son. It’s available online from many sources.
[Gadgets:</a> Sonic Boom Loud Alarm Clock Wakes Hibernators](<a href=“http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/sonic-boom-loud-alarm-clock-wakes-hibernators-234020.php]Gadgets:”>Sonic Boom Loud Alarm Clock Wakes Hibernators)</p>
<p>I have considered getting “clocky” for my freshman D2. It rolls around the room doing annoying things when you don’t get up, you have to get up and chase it to turn it off.</p>
<p>I can’t remember where I saw it, but a couple of places sell a regular loudness alarm clock, but when it goes off, a little “helicopter” thingy shoots out and goes to the opposite side of the room. The alarm will not be silenced until you get up, retrieve the helicopter thingy, and re-insert it into the alarm clock.</p>
<p>I never got it for my son, who would sleep soundly through a tsunami, but it looks pretty promising.</p>
<p>S2 is the same way. His solution for the dorm where he doesn’t have us as a backup (and we have yet to see if it works) is a strobe light he bought for himself and a timer. He’s going to have it blinking in his face. I’ll post again when I know if it helps–and whether or not his roommate objects.</p>
<p>My D had the same issue before going to college. She went to college with a regular alarm clock/radio and had no problem learning how to get up in the morning. Once they are on their own, it is remarkable how quickly they will learn how to take care of themselves.</p>
<p>Clocky was purchased after the first time my kid slept through an 8:00 a.m. exam. All exams have been taken since!</p>
<p>Perhaps something that shoots water?</p>
<p>I got a Timex watch with five alarms - it emits a piercing sound. I don’t know how well it works because son usually wakes up before an alarm if he knows that there’s an alarm clock set.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions. I want to avoid the loud sounds, though, both because I don’t want the rest of us to have to hear them, and because I am worried about hearing damage. I’d like to find a vibrating alarm clock without the loud sound part. I haven’t found one yet.</p>
<p>^^ NYMomof2, the clock I posted the link to can have the sound part muted so that only the vibrating thing works. THat’s what my son usually does so he doesn’t wake his roommate.</p>
<p>One of the websites has a video of “Clocky” in action. After chasing him around, I’d probably feel like getting back in bed (or throwing him out a window)! He’s cute, though.</p>
<p>We go for quantity over quality for important occasions-- I tell the kids to set an extra alarm clock (or even two) as a backup, and maybe set it apart from the other so it’s not easily “snoozed.” Most of ours are cheapies from the drugstore.</p>
<p>I got this one for my son who could sleep through a marching band in his room. I think it might be the same clock as from the post above. He turns off the loud alarm, and uses the part that shakes the bed. I think he may put it under his pillow. It works. </p>
<p>Here is the website for thinkgeek.com. It has all the geeky toys. </p>
<p>[ThinkGeek</a> :: Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock with Bed Shaker](<a href=“http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/8f1a/]ThinkGeek”>http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/8f1a/)</p>
<p>My s uses this vibrating alarm wrist watch at school. We bought him sonic boom alarm with the bed shaker attachment as well to see which would be best. He took both and he prefers the wrist watch. Funny thing is, the other one is also being used…he gave it to his roommate to borrow when the roommate unfortunately slept through a big class! Here is the link: [Vibralite</a> 3 Vibrating Watch with Black/Gray Leather Band](<a href=“http://www.azhearing.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=VL300L]Vibralite”>http://www.azhearing.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=VL300L)</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>If I could ever perfect the technology to devise an alarm clock that emanates the smell of bacon cooking, I’d have it made.</p>
<p>My daughter who had to be pried out of bed every day of her life in high school, went to college and now uses her cell phone on vibrate for an alarm. Something about the cell phone “ringing” – it’s a Pavlovian repsonse. Cell phone = answer immediately.</p>
<p>lol on the bacon. That would wake me up, too.</p>
<p>I, too, have been searching for the perfect alarm clock for my HS senior. Nothing has worked so far, including the sonic boom alarm with vibration. I have been looking at the Hammacher Schlemmer progressive alarm with aromatherapy. I don’t know much about it but it is intriguing—it has light, nature sounds, reg. alarm and scents-- no bacon though. Anybody know about this one?</p>
<p>[The</a> Peaceful Progression Wake Up Clock. at Hammacher Schlemmer](<a href=“PageNotFound”>PageNotFound)</p>
<p>Ah, this is why I love CC. You think you are alone with a problem and discover a whole group of people who share your pain…</p>
<p>I will look in to the shaking one. DS can sleep through the house crashing down. I agree though with other posters with how when Mom is not there to provide back up he manages to hear the alarm(s) and get up on time to go to school. Wonder how that happens??</p>
<p>I have an alarm clock with two types of settings:</p>
<ul>
<li>Rooster (It croaks and says what time it is and the temperature. Pretty niffy.)</li>
<li>Classical Music (you can choose whichever melody, it generally lasts 1 minute)</li>
</ul>
<p>If you activate the snooze button, either setting repeats itself every 5 minutes. You can also control the volume.
Also, I have the option to set 4 different alarm times (e.g., 7:00am, 7:15am, 7:30am, 7:45am). I usually wake up by 7:30am. lol</p>
<p>Try to find an alarm clock like that. Mine is old but I love it.</p>