Any of you mommas crying big alligator tears right now because little cuteness just gave up nap time?
It’s definitely a game changer. I mean, what happened to our mid-day break? Now instead of sitting around eating bon bons for two hours (as if), we’re saying things, like, “Can’t you entertain yourself for an hour with the steak knives while momma pretends she’s childless?”
My boys are basically anti-nap at this point. Nap time died its horrible death around age 2.5 for the oldest. And the little one just hit this infuriating milestone. I’m in the midst of composing several eulogy haiku so I can deal:
Nap time, I miss you
Already. For shame, small child!
Go bother your dad.
Early to bed
Occasionally on the weekend, I can convince these sleepless creatures to take a splendid car nap. But mostly, we try to herd them to bed at a decent hour to make up for sans-siesta.
And by “decent hour,” I’m talking 6:30pm. Ha! Who am I kidding? Uh, more like 8:30. If I’m lucky. Mommy, I gotta go poo-poo! Mommy, I lost my bear! Mommy, I can’t figure out how to turn on the light in my room so I can stay up til 10!
Seriously, though, for a couple years there, the 6:30 bedtime was an actual thing in my house. I was all judgey with the moms who couldn’t get their kids to bed before 9. And, alas, I’ve joined the club. You can shame me now.
The daycare trick
So I was pretty excited when I picked up the boys from school the other day and big brother’s teacher told me she’d figured out a new trick to get him to nap – a daily daycare struggle. She’s a miracle worker, y’all. Somehow she manages to get that kid to nap 3 out of 5 weekdays. If only I can channel her boss skills on the weekend…
She said she pulled up my blog. (Who knew she knew that I have a blog?) And told him to look at a picture of his cute (ahem) smiling momma.
Then she told him that momma was smiling because momma knew he was gonna nap. All he had to do was close his eyes.
He was skeptical. But if I close my eyes, I won’t see her anymore.
I tell ya, this woman is amazing. “Oh, you close your eyes and think on that picture. Then your momma will smile back at you in your head the whole time you sleep.”
That Saturday I armed him with 10 pictures of me to cart off to his room for nap time. He spent that hour singing and making up fight games with the mini-mes. At least he’s creative.
Dear reader, I hope on occasion when you look through this blog, you, too, will find inspiration to sleep. Or at least laugh at something I’ve shared, like when I threatened to cancel Christmas. Because smiling and joy and cheer and gazing on things that bring us pleasure are often just the balm our souls crave to set worry aside and dream big dreams.
Sleep tight, my friend. And may your little angel take a nap tomorrow.
Share your nap time tips below or on Facebook at MothersRest.
Photo credit: Matthew Henry from Unsplash.com