<p>We have a current Sr who is a very heavy sleeper, compounded by the lack of sleep most hs kids get. We’re not talking a little hard to wake…,he sleeps through our fire/security alarm when it’s been tripped at night. After much trial and error we found the only alarm that will wake him AND get him out of bed is a SonicBoom set across the room so he physically has to get out of bed to turn it off (if we’re lucky he doesn’t crawl back in bed!). Believe me when I say, this thing can raise the dead. It doesn’t help he’s getting up at 5:30am. We are trying to train him to wake to his cel alarm by setting it 5min earlier, letting him get up and turn off the SB before it goes off. This inevitably ends up a ‘snooze’ button. </p>
<p>So, we are obviously concerned that a rm is going to be rather unforgiving of the SonicBoom arrangement next year. We are hoping since the earliest classes are probably at 8am he’s going to be getting up later this may help. Does anyone have experience or advise with this? Roommates have enough to navigate in small shared spaces, I know this is not something any 18yo is going to find workable with a roommate. I have visions of some parent posting about their kids nutty rm next August with the obscenely loud alarm-clock and thinking OMGosh that’s Bluejr as I watch all the comments roll in. </p>
<p>Our dd is partially hearing impaired and has this same issue as most alarms are in a frequency that causes her particular trouble. They do make pads which go under your pillow and shake you awake. The fit bit gadget also has a sleep bracelet that vibrates on your wrist. Both work well for dd.</p>
<p>When our older son was a HS senior, we were very worried about what would wake him when he went away to college.</p>
<p>He has found that putting his alarm on his cell phone on vibrate and ring, and putting it under his pillow (inside the pillowcase) does wake him up.</p>
<p>Our kids managed to have very few classes before noon AND S bought a robotic vacuum that he stationed under his bed, programmed to go off regularly (we believe about 30 minutes before his 1st class of the day). He’s been fine on his own and has a well vacuumed living space. </p>
<p>He also uses the alarm on his phone and is able to wake to it, tho I had trouble rousing him in HS.</p>
<p>I bought a sonic boom alarm for my S when he was in HS and it didn’t wake him up. Nothing woke him up short of me pulling him into a sitting position each morning. Funny enough, now in college, his cellphone seems to wake him just fine. The thing is, if you’re not around and they know they have to get out of bed, somehow they manage to do it.</p>
<p>I completely agree with Gourmetmom. One of my sons, in particular, would habitually sleep through his alarm in the morning and I would have to physically rouse him. Guess what? Now that mom’s not around as a fall back, he’s never late to class. Of course, as others have said, they don’t tend to have a lot of early morning classes.</p>
<p>I have a sonic alarm, but hate the sound it makes. I found it made me wake up feeling like my heart had stopped every morning. I do really like the vibrating pad it comes with, though. I don’t think I’ve ever slept through it.</p>
<p>I’ve also found having a bit of light in the room helps me wake up. I used to have a light on a timer which would come on a minute or two before my alarm went off. I luckily found a sunrise alarm clock at a second hand store for $5, and have loved it ever since. It basically ramps up a soft light over the course of 15-30 minutes. By the time my alarm goes off the room is fully bright, and it feels more like I’m waking up with the sun than an hour before it’s cracked the horizon.</p>
<p>Jym,
We never attached the rumble pad under his pillow since the alarm was across the room. I’m not sure if they’re connected. We were trying to go with the least intervention possible. </p>
<p>I agree with the concept that they can become reliant on a parent as a backup. I still worry. A couple of years ago DH and I were out of town with S2 who was having major surgery. S1 was 20yo and S3 (the sleeper) 16yo at the time so no reason they couldn’t be alone for a few days. One morning about 8am I got a really sinking feeling and called. S1 found S3 fast asleep. He was absolutely panicked when he actually woke up, I could hear it on the phone. I called the school ahead, who knew we were out of town, and let them know he was on his way without a note. So I don’t know if lack of a backup is going to motivate, or if it has to be long term. We’ve never been his sole method of getting up, and he was fine on his own until high school. We’ll see. </p>
<p>Perhaps moving just to his cel with rumble, plus the rumble pad under his pillow would be a good way to go. At least if we can’t move him solely to his cel by August he won’t irritate his roommate.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for everyone’s thoughts. Each are greatly appreciated!!</p>
<p>As you said, if he has a roommate, the vibration under the pillow/mattress may be a better
option that the alarm across the room. I am sure his roommate will appreciate that ;), unless he too has a problem awakening.</p>
<p>The sonic boom’s rumble pad doesn’t go under your pillow, it goes under the mattress. They also sell an extension cord, so he could have the clock across his room and the rumbler still under his mattress.</p>
Thanks for that, racinreaver. That’s what I thought (and said in post#5) but when the OP responded, I thought I was mis-remembering. Oh well, its good to know I have a few memory skills left, as the quantity is rapidly declining…</p>
<p>I don’t have a solution, but reminds me of a very nice roommate story…</p>
<p>When visiting S2 (sophomore) this fall for family weekend, we were chatting with the guys and their parents that live in the room next to his (they are all fraternity brothers living together). One of the boys has the same problem, sleeping through any and all alarms. It turns out, his roommate sets his alarm EVERYDAY in order to wake up his friend so he doesn’t miss class!! Now, that is one nice guy!! And that was one appreciative mom!</p>
<p>The vibrating thing under the pillow worked for our son. He’s not a particularly heavy sleeper but he has a tendency to shut it off and go back to sleep. Now he uses an app on his phone that requires you to do simple math to shut it off. By the time you’ve solved the addition or subtraction problem, you’re awake enough to keep going.</p>
<p>Tango, that’s awesome!! I’m going to have him look for that app, genius! Either a mom or a college kid developed that. I agree about the roommate that sets his alarm to get the other rm up, one understanding young man! Let’s hope S3 is ‘reliably self-reliant’ by August. Also, thanks for the correction on the placement of the rumble pad to under the mattress. I have the instructions somewhere and hopefully would have figured it out, but you never know. </p>
<p>Thanks again for all the input. You can always count on CC parents!!</p>
<p>^^^^I once had a cat who would wake you up in the morning by trying to lick your eyelashes with her scratchy tongue. Very aggravating. Sweet cat otherwise, though. But that was weird.</p>
<p>My kitty who died in Sept would wake me by plucking at my face if he could get at it & the blanket I would pull over my face when he started it. But he did not use his claws. </p>
<p>However, my cousin’s cat <em>bites</em>! He bites the hair at your hairline & he gets your skin in it! </p>
<p>He might be coming to live with me because of apt issues, so I will be the one who gets to break him of this trick.</p>
<p>“It turns out, his roommate sets his alarm EVERYDAY in order to wake up his friend so he doesn’t miss class!! Now, that is one nice guy!! And that was one appreciative mom!”</p>
<p>My son’s first roomate’s mom actually asked my son to do that while we were dropping the kids off! Son tried for a semester or so.</p>
<p>My D is not hard to wake up, in fact, she seems to live in TERROR of alarm clocks waking her up, and will stay awake all night waiting for it. </p>
<p>She is not a fan of toasters either. We are both easily startled. </p>
<p>In any case, she likes the vibrating cell phone in the pillow.</p>
I agree about the roommate that sets his alarm to get the other rm up, one understanding young man! Let’s hope S3 is ‘reliably self-reliant’ by August. Also, thanks for the correction on the placement of the rumble pad to under the mattress. I have the instructions somewhere and hopefully would have figured it out, but you never know. </p>