"if my husband is home, there is seldon a problem"
Yea, why is that. Same thing here. He can go in wake the kids and in less than five minutes they can be dressed to the shoes, teeth brushed and out in the kitchen. I go in and it is so much harder. He tells them to do something and MOSTLY ... boom it is done. I don't get it.
I know this feeling. Advice I once received was to remind my son every 10 minutes up to when he should do something (such as bath) starting a half hour earlier. It made no difference when the time was up because he would then find another issue to get out of whatever he should be doing.
Now I just tell him that at the end of whatever cartoon he is watching, he will go bath (or whatever). When the cartoon is finished I immediately change channels or switch the tv off to prevent him hanging around. It sort of helps except that he then gets distracted in his room or with something else. It usually takes another half hour of repeated "go bath" before he actually does. If my husband is home, there is seldom a problem.
my oldest son is 11. ADHD/Tourettes. The concept of time has so been lost on him. He couldn't judge how long it would take him to do something or even what keeping track of the time meant. I finally hit on measuring time in terms of a tv show. Most cartoons are 1/2 long. So, we leave in a half an hour... or in one cartoon. As he has gotten older, he is getting a handle on time. Now, if we could get time manangement down... All morning long, I feel like the town cryer... it is 7:45... it is 8:00 ... it is 8:15 .... it is 8:30 and time to go
Laughing!! I had a whole explanation ready when I said that about husband but decided not to post it as it wasn't relevant to the time-keeping issue. But I just had a feeling that comment would create interest.
I cannot not tell you how relieved I am that you have the same problem! I don't get it either.
Join the club Mornings and planned outings bite. big time and they expect me to give them rides to school when they miss the bus even as young as they are I can't believe it.