Naps and Sanity

Nap time for the boys is always a battle. While they still need a nap , it is difficult to convince them of this. The days where I don’t insist on the nap, they are tired, and whiney and cranky. They push us to the outer limits. They are almost unbearable. The days when they settle down and fall asleep for any significant amount of time? They are sweet and mostly manageable throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening.

The real issue with the napping is this: They no longer sleep in a crib. They can get out of bed, run around their room, take all of the books off of the shelves, empty out the dresser, take all of the animals out of Noah’s Ark, and scatter dinky cars EVERYWHERE. They throw covers, pillows, socks around the room. They take the case off of their pillows. They poop. They do anything they can to avoid falling asleep. And sometimes they keep it up long enough that there is no sense in continuing the napping activity. Perhaps THAT is my problem? I am already calling it an activity...

Yes, I realize that getting them up, giving them what they want is the crux of the situation. They have had their way a few times, and know if they keep pushing, they will have it again. But, is there any sense in making a child stay in their room when they seem to have more stored energy than the Big Bang?

I am right this very minute sitting in their room on a beanbag chair typing this. I spent about 10 minutes telling them (in my quiet-yelling voice) to lay still, stop throwing things, put that down, hush and go to sleep, before they both drifted off. It may be the fastest they both have fallen asleep, ever. I am afraid to leave, lest the sound of the door opening or closing wakes them up and we have to start over. I may be here until dinner…

There is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap, even of the briefest, than in all the alcohol ever distilled. - Edward Verrall Lucas

And that above quote? It is LIES, ALL LIES. Edward Lucas had clearly never had a Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon.