Posted by Colleen August 28, 2008
What About my Nap Time?
My life was irrevocably changed today.
I knew this day was coming. It was inevitable. People told me it might happen after a year. More likely after two years. Certainly by three.
But I managed to beat the odds. It lasted almost four years.
Then this afternoon it happened.
David gave up his daily nap.
I tried a few test runs in the past to see if David was ready give up his post-lunch siesta. They always ended with him getting extremely cranky around 4 or 5 p.m., and then checking out for the night on the couch by 6. We’d carry him to bed eventually. But then he would wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 4 a.m.
Today was different. I tried to lay David down around 2 o’ clock. After he got out of bed a few times, I gave up.
And David didn’t get cranky. He didn’t fall asleep in the living room. He was going strong until his bedtime at 8:30.
For — well — David’s entire life he took that 2 hour nap. No matter how the day was going I could always count on a break in the afternoon. Sometimes I took a nap myself. Sometimes I did housework. Most of the time I blogged. But whatever I was doing, I had two hours of quiet and solitude. Many days I needed that time to myself to re-gain my sanity.
Now what?
I may have to lock myself in the bathroom.
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He took a nap for Grandma & Grandpa today because we wore him out, I guess.
We went to the wild animal park, then to Shipse for a merry-go-round ride. At the wild animal park he rode on an alive camel. Then Grandpa took him to Delt Church Park. Where he played on the new playground equipment. Which is like nothing you have ever seen before. It is awesome! Then we walked down by the river. There was a former student of mine who is now a teen-ager. He had caught a crawdad, and he showed it to David plus we saw 8 large freshwater clams.
So when we got home he fell asleep on the recliner.
This is a great reason to encourage some independent play. We set up a old computer on an old coffee table for ours. There are some great programs for pre-K children and it allows you to get some of those thigns done that you need to get accomplished during the day.
it is a sad day when the nap disappears. my two-year-old still naps (most days) and i can manage to get my five-year-old to lay down and rest. sometimes i let him take some books to bed. it gives me a little while to myself and even though he doesn’t realize it, he gets some much needed rest.
That’s ok – if he’s 4, he’ll head off to school next fall, right? So you get those few hours to yourself back.
My suggestion: don’t feel like you now have to entertain him every hour of every day, especially if he’s an only child. Make sure he learns to play by and entertain himself. You can “practice” with 1/2 an hour of apart time and gradually lengthen it. But amusing oneself is a good skill to have. (Plus, I want you to have the time to continue to blog!).
I love my nap time also. Or at least some alone time. Guess you’ll have to wait until he’s way older and can watch himself. Sorry!