Every 1pm in our home is naptime.
Actually, even when we are not home, I try to enforce the 1pm-ish naptime schedule.
The kids need it and, well, so does mommy (and daddy on the weekends).
Recently though, getting the kids to fall asleep has been getting longer…
After I’ve put them down in their beds, said “Good naptime & happy dreams”, closed the door, and walked back downstairs (to my eagerly awaiting laptop or sofabed), I hear talking and bumping and crashing and giggling… Trying my hardest not to scream into the void, I march as gently as I can to their door. I listen for a few seconds…
As soon as I hear a word or sound, I throw open the door and say/yell “WHY ARE YOU TALKING?!” And of course, they have to talk to answer me, and that leads the command, “I SAID DON’T TALK! GO TO SLEEP RIGHT NOW! NO MORE TALKING!” Then I close the door, silently drag myself downstairs, again, and resume my “Me Time.”
Then I hear noises again…
Repeat previous paragraph. About 3 times.
And after what feels like forever, everything is divinely quiet. (Insert choir of angels singing “Hallelujah” here.)
Quiet time for me – for about 2-3 hours.
Now, since this scenario keeps happening almost everyday now for a week, I’m seriously thinking if I should even bother going up there to tell them to sleep. After all, they do contain themselves in their (childproofed) room. The baby sleeps in a different room and will probably not get bothered much by their noise. Maybe I should just let them miss naptime as long as they stay in their room?
MISS NAPTIME???!!!
That statement absolutely scares me. At the end of the day, I KNOW the kids will be cranky and more difficult to handle when they’ve had no nap. Plus, I really don’t feel like cleaning their room after they’ve semi-destroyed it from being cooped up in it for 2 hours. And did I mention they will probably be screaming and jumping around in there? It can’t even be a QUIET TIME.
So, I’ve decided that I will just ride through this and be persistent. I’m not sure I’ll be terribly patient, but I’m not giving up.
Daily naptime is beneficial for all of us around here.
I AM NOT GIVING UP NAP TIME.
So I think that tomorrow, my kids had better accept it that they need to GO TO SLEEP, OR ELSE!
How’s nap time around your house? Do you even have one?
I absolutely hate when we go through these kind of phases, and I do believe they are phases and persistency is the key. I have enforced 1pm (ish) nap time for the last 8 years and it is one of the best decisions for our family. Siesta time helps refresh them and everyone is actually pleasant into the evening, not falling apart. It also helps make for some quality homeschooling time after dinner. My older ones do not fall asleep everyday (my 8 year old did today, but not the 6 year old), but they must rest quietly with eyes closes until their younger sisters fall asleep…at that point, if they too have already fallen asleep, they are allowed to read and do quiet activities, but it is mama’s time to either rest or work and I am not to be interrupted.
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I agree about naptime being one of the best decisions for the family. I think it’s done us wonders too. My kids don’t always like it, but someday, I truly think that they will remember it and be thankful they had them! It really does make everything more pleasant for the rest of the day.
Twitter: cynandco
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Aiya, totally know how this goes. Persistence is key (just like in everything else).
I also find that threats work well too. Hahahaha.
I’m sure it’s just a phase and really, they eventually get there, but naps are important and if you can see that the kids really benefit from it, then keep at it!
Ah…threats. Done that! I’m lucky time out still works around here…
Twitter: rorybore
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I only have one napper now. and at 2 years she definitely still needs it. heck, she often wakes up cranky from her nap!
but the child I babysit some days at 3 years is fighting the naps. But I have a rule, you have to stay in the room and you have to be quiet. I allow maybe a small soft toy to be taken to the bedroom….because I know that she may not need sleep (she sleeps like 13 hours at her home at night).
If she disobeys, I add time to the clock before she can come out. Meanie eh! LOL
but after a few situations where she quickly learned – I never bluff — she now stays in the room for the required hour. and most often, she falls asleep.
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Way to put your foot down Rory! Great is a woman who can make someone else’s kid fall asleep!
Plan some calming activities that you can do each day before nap. If your toddler naps in the early afternoon, then you may want to give her a light lunch, play calming music, and read a book before the nap.
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Maybe that might work. Of course that will require more work for me… lol. Definiyely worth a try. Thanks for the suggestion!
Oh I wish I would have some nap time… I can’t remember when has been the last time I had some nap… It is sometimes really hard being a mom and work from home.
Amy recently posted..What you should know about teeth implants
I hear you on that. I hope you do at least get a little downtime now and then.
I mourned the loss of nap time for months. Then I got over it. On the bright side he goes to sleep early…
I’m not giving up. Even if someday, nap time becomes quiet time….. You know my father in law still naps everyday in the afternoon! I want to be like that. And he’s 80something years old!
I’ve given up trying to make my kids nap. Like Stasha, there’s a silver lining to that – they sleep early and I get my me-time after that. I just need to weather through the witching hour with my 2.5yo daughter on days she doesn’t nap – she gets super cranky!
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You know, even though my kids nap in the afternoon, their bedtime is still 7:30ish. I don’t think I want them sleeping any earlier than that cuz then they’d wake up super early! I don’t know how you guys do it – surviving no naptime!
I just can’t remember if there was a time when I had some napping time. And I think I won’t have any extra time for this until my boys will grown up.
Amy recently posted..Dental implants
Right now is nap time. But I am totally using it to catch up on chores. Sometimes, it’s the only time I get to things done!
Sleeping is very important especially to us moms.. But sometimes we can’t have complete sleep because of our kids..
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Complete sleep….hmmm…..what’s that? LOL.
Twitter: beckyhallberg
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Stopping by from YeahWrite to read your post; loved it! I feel your pain about missing naptime. I homeschool and even though my kids don’t “nap” anymore, I strictly enforce some rest time or quiet time – just so that I can get a little free time. We can’t be in each other’s faces all day, so even though they’re older, everyone goes to a bedroom for some quiet time (Mommy Sanity Time) each afternoon.
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“….IN EACH OTHER’S FACES ALL DAY…” ugh. I feel that. If my oldest insists on not napping, I might have to enforce this rest/quiet time routine for her. She has to understand that mommy needs some physical and mental break!
Twitter: adothemomalog
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I’ve been talking sleep nonstop this week with a girlfriend who has a 3 mos old – every mom becomes obsessed with sleep! She was so relieved to hear this. We are past naptime at our house but I remember those days well. I miss that 1 pm nap. I also remember the feeling of desperation I had as they moved out of it and I lost that me-time. Anyway as I write this it’s 9 pm and my kids have been in and out of their beds getting cups of water and not sleeping – it evolves…
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Speaking of getting out of beds…mine just asked for some water. *sigh*
I suppose, at least I am thankful that they are not waking up in the middle of the night screaming, right?
Twitter: JanuaryDawn1
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My 2.5 year old naps about 2 or 3 hours everyday but my 4 year old rarely naps now. Sometimes I’d rather he not because then he falls asleep much easier at night (and much earlier). If he does nap then he usually won`t fall asleep until 9 or 10 and that`s just ridiculous. But ahhhh….I remember those days when both my babies would sleep for hours…it was bliss.
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I am lucky my baby also naps at the same time as the other two kids. But I know that someday, it might not be so. I will be prepared!
Twitter: MayorGia
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hahah sounds like you need to read “Go the **** to sleep”
Mayor Gia recently posted..Sometimes, I Get the Feeling Boyfriend Doesn’t Want Me to Go to the Hardware Store with Him aka the “Helping” Post.
*gah* I so yell that in my head sometimes! (How did you know?)
Do not give up on nap time! They’ll get easier again…cycles, cycles. Good luck!
Kristin recently posted..Just What I Needed to Hear: Irisha’s Mantra
Cycles. That means it’ll get easy then hard again. *gah* More coffee for me please.
I dont want to ever lose nap time… Good luck!!
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Me neither. I vow to nap even when I’m a granny!
Twitter: jamieywrites
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Wow! I can’t even imagine what you had to go through with the children. Although we long for little ones running around the house, the idea of losing peace and tranquility and some me-time scares me sometimes…
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Some days are worse than others, but I don’t think I miss sleep so much as to wish I never had kids. Everything they do is a memory to be treasured.
Twitter: jamieywrites
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I think that’s the beauty of motherhood. I can’t wait for that phase of life
Motherhood is beautiful. I know you will find it so too!
Oh the love-date relationship with naptime! With my oldest, I was a stickler for naptime because it was my break, but with my youngest naptime tends to be more of a hassle sometimes, keeping us tied to the house. I do keep his naptime when my oldest is at school because that is when I need to work, but part of me is actually looking forward to the day when he doesn’t nap. I can’t believe I just said that!!!
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You look forward to no nap times??? Hmm….I wonder if I’ll be in that phase someday?
Just saw my glaring typo – oops! Love-hate, I meant. In any event, part of me looks forward to no naptimes so that we are less tied to a schedule, but the other part of me screams, “no, no, no, you will sleep!” Again that love-hate thing.
No worries! Sometimes I do get that love-hate thing going when it comes to nap time. But then nowadays, I prefer indoors more than out. Maybe when the kiddos are a bit bigger, I won’t mind being out and about again.
Twitter: finallymom
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hold strong!!
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I definitely will!
Twitter: SensibleMoms
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I wept when nap times ended. The hardest part is the transition when they still NEED the rest, but they don’t WANT the rest. When I was in your position, I forced nap time until evenings without naps were tolerable.. Things evolve. My kids are now 11 and 13 and I have to struggle to remember how I managed my days when they centered around feeding and napping. And by “struggle” I mean I struggle to tamp down the memories because they are all too vivid.
Ellen
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I might just cry if I do end up giving up naptime. And yep, our schedule works around the baby’s naptime too. Good thing he’s fallen into a schedule now. Makes things a whole lot easier!
Nice! My oldest gave up naps completely at age two or three, but my 7yo daughter still puts herself down for a nap sometimes. The baby – well, her naps are just a hot mess. No certain time, and worst of all, I have to hold her the whole time or she wakes right up and screams relentlessly. No alone time for me, but I can still blog with a baby sleeping on my lap.
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Blogging with a baby on your lap. Totally counts as multitasking, right? I hope someday your baby will fall into a schedule and you can get back some precious “me” time. Even just for a couple of minutes.
I was never very good at enforcing nap time (don’t mess with our early bedtimes though! they’re sacred!) but I know my friends who persisted had kids who napped for ages. Stay the course!
I am definitely going to try. Thanks for the encouragement!
Twitter: jennwrites
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NO one had better screw with my naptime! I will hurt them! Great post…happy napping!
Jennifer Worrell recently posted..Wogging into a Creative Bent
LOL. I always pray that NO ONE rings the doorbell at naptimes. As it is, I hate landscaping day and trash day around here!
I have three nieces (ages 5, 3, and 2). My brother and sister-in-law had to give up on a true naptime when the third one was born. Now, they don’t HAVE to nap, but they have to be quiet. They call it “quiet time.” They go to their rooms and can nap if they feel tired or play quietly by themselves. I’m sure there are days when it saves their sanity… they should keep it going through the teen years, in my opinion.
That is a great advice. And anyway, I’m pretty sure by the time they’re teens, they will actually be thankful for a nap!
Twitter: AlisonSWLee
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I am not planning on giving up nap time until he’s 10. At least.
Alison@Mama Wants This recently posted..It’s a Baby Shower!
I’m rooting for ya!
Being our kids our 19,17,14, and 12, we have no nap time. Now, the kids tuck me into bed at my bedtime.
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Awww, that’s awesome they tuck you in! You ought to let them have a taste of their own medicine once in while though. For fun. You know what I mean?
Twitter: notwifezilla
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That is so me Janice, to a T!
Jackie recently posted..Hanging in the Kiddie Section
Glad to know I’m not alone. Let’s NOT give up hope!
ah naptime…i was blessed with kids who napped right up till they hit kindergarten, god love ‘em. and when they started to give up naps, i insisted on “quiet time,” just to give myself a break. I figure if they’re contained somewhere, then at least I get to be off-duty for a little while. could you tell them that they don’t have to go to sleep but if you have to come in and ask for quiet then…insert dire consequence here? or dare them to NOT fall asleep? they’ll sleep again, if they’re tired; it might make early evening a tad hellish, but…i’d opt for quiet time and not fighting it – lessen the drama and they’ll maybe mellow on their own (do you hear the forced optimism in my voice? ) I mean, do you WANT to keep asking them to be quiet? Nope, you want to write your blog post. So let’em rumble… put on headphones and give yourself a quiet time! (or very loud rock n;roll!)
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I really like the sound of this quiet time. And yes, I don’t want to have to keep asking them to be quiet – especially since I have to keep going up and down the stairs to do that! And I wish I could just put on headphones and rock out, but I have a newborn, and I need to hear when he wakes up. Plus, I get too paranoid that something bad will happen to them and I won’t hear it. I hate it when that happens in the movies! Have you gotten your quiet time today yet?