New sleep routines

Last year on days I had to work, my alarm was set for 6:55.  On days when I didn't have to work, we usually got up at 7:30 or shortly thereafter.  This year, I'm losing hours of sleep each week.  Andrew's alarm goes off a little before 5:30.  I can pretty much ignore that, just as I did last year.  However, my alarm now goes off at 5:55.  I don't need to get up, but Robert and Catherine do, and that is Andrew's cue to get them up and moving.  I then get up about 6:20 to watch them wait for the bus.  That is LITERALLY the only reason I'm getting up.  However, Andrew leaves for work before the bus arrives, and I'm not comfortable with them being out in the dark without an adult being up and with it.  They are on the bus around 6:40, and I don't have to get Thomas up until 7:30 at the earliest (if I happen to be taking him to school for some reason it's even later).  Some mornings I love that almost hour of quiet time, and some mornings I go back to bed for another half hour or so of sleep.  I'm in bed by 10 many evenings and last night it was just after 9:30.  I'm so tired so much of the time, and I'm especially concerned when I go back to work.  We are going to have to come up with a different plan.  I'm pretty sure that plan is going to involve Andrew taking Robert and Catherine with him to school (they switch buses at the high school anyway) on days I know that I'm working so I can get some more sleep.  He resists this because he feels they would be in the way.  As someone who has had my children with me pretty much every day I've had to work I understand what he is saying, but at the same time I don't particularly feel sorry for him...I did it for three years and he can step up and handle it now.  In the meantime, I guess I'll just enjoy my second cup of coffee for the day!