Getting children to adjust to the new normal

The time was 7am. He was fast asleep in my bed complete with bed covers. I walked up to him and watched him for a moment. I had mixed feelings. I saw my child with an innocent demeanour and I saw his childlike faith. But then I was tempted to be mad at him. He was one hour late to start his day, his chores and his school work.
He had overslept.
After looking at him, I spoke up. Initially, he didn’t even hear me. He was already fast asleep again. He woke up and quickly staggered to the bathroom.
A child specialist once told me that the time parents take their children to boarding schools in our country, is the time they need to keep home the most.
Most children go to boarding school at 13, which is the time they are most challenged trying to get to terms with being a child and being a teenager. The time is critical.
Interestingly, when he was younger, it always felt like he hated sleeping and he hated his bed. I remember the days when he would be up by 6am singing and eager to get out of the house.
We are now at the stage where it is always a challenge to wake him up. That time does come after all. If there is anything that has changed our social life, it’s the adjustments we have had to make because of the corona pandemic.
Whereas previously, we were all up early to prepare to go to school, now people have to wake up early to stay at home. There is need for order and routine even when the children are at home.
One of the challenges therefore, has been getting the children to wake up early, get dressed and organised before settling down to do independent study.
Somehow, the bed seems warmer and a lot more inviting. It almost feels like why wake up and get dressed only to sit down in the next room?
Sometimes children want to study from their beds complete with bed covers.
Creating a routine with order and a clear sense of purpose and direction does not come easy.
There are days we have had tough conversations on discipline and values. Each child is required to set daily targets and goals. One particular morning after many mornings of fighting with children to wake up, I figured out something very effective.
I warned and cut down their financial allowance based on their failure to wake up on time. And it worked.
Seeing your hard earnings after washing two dirty cars being sliced by a half is not a joke.