No Alarm Clocks Allowed

Shhh! It's 7:00 AM and it's time for my son to get up and get ready for school. I creep into his bedroom, cocoon under the covers to snuggle close to him, then kiss and hug him until he awakes from his slumber. That's how I like to wake up my child and I'll keep doing it as long as he'll let me. He's 10 years old and lately there have been many mornings of resistance against this wake-up ritual. "Maauuum, stawwwp ittt", he'll protest on some mornings. Then, other mornings, he'll want more hugs.

I've heard my girlfriends talk about how their kids get up for school in the morning with an alarm clock and I begin making comparisons right away. Uh, no, will my child not be able to awake to a jarring buzzing when he's older? Is he committed to a life of tardiness? Am I being an irresponsible mother by denying him this "obviously" all-important lesson of commitment, independence and responsibility? Because, as we all know, there's no other way to teach this but with an alarm clock. But then I stop. I only have the one child, and this time of having him want my hugs is fleeting, so until my son says "no more", alarm clocks will not be allowed!