I know that all good things must come to an end… but this is not an ending that I am ready to embrace. It started a few weeks back. If this has happened to you already, grab the Kleenex because you just may cry right along with me. This is sad stuff.
Until recently, perhaps a few weeks back, my older son always took a daily nap when we were at home. When he was younger, he would take amazingly long naps (we’re talking 3-4 hours) that would leave my mama friends jealous, and probably wondering if I slipped a sleep aid into the naptime bottle. (Which I never did…though tempted I was at 3 a.m. when he was wide awake.) As the years have gone by, he has continued to nap every day…up until a couple of weeks ago.
It was then that he decided that he didn’t need a nap on certain days. If he slept in past 8 a.m. in the morning…no nap. If he was in one of those awesome I-can-do-whatever-I-want-because-I’m-four moods, then he was NOT GOING TO NAP.
Some days I tried putting him down for a nap just to see what would happen. We would read our stories, I would kiss him goodnight…and then five minutes later I would hear the random singing or banging on the wall that meant that if I didn’t go get him, he was going to wake up his peacefully napping younger brother in the room next to him. I can’t have two naps die in the same day. My heart can’t handle that yet. So I swoop in and get him.
Now I know what many will say – just institute a “quiet time” in his room with books, puzzles, or quiet toys. I’m here to tell you that books, puzzles, and quiet toys are not always quiet. I love the analogy of a young child being like a blender without the lid on. If you saw the general state of my living room floor on most days(toys, books, Legos, a random Cheerio or Cheez-it…all scattered about), you would know that my little blenders run on HIGH speed. Not sure that they have a quiet mode.
When this no-napping-nonsense first started, the days where he didn’t nap led to there being a wild beast in my house by dinnertime that vaguely resembled my son through the tears, whining, and yelling. Sometimes I would look at the child melting down in front of me and think, “Where did we go wrong? That can’t be our kid.” There is no rationalizing with him when he is in this state. I’d have better luck cleaning Oreos from the teeth of a mad lion. (Or from an overtired two year old. Probably the same skill level required here.)
Now a few weeks into this sporadic napping thing (I hope that if I call it a “thing” it will make it seem temporary as opposed to it being the natural developmental progression of a child), he will have days where he doesn’t nap…and he actually stays reasonable for the rest of the day. Hmmm…what does this mean? I guess I was hoping that he would grow out of his nap by the time he went to kindergarten…but that is still a year away! Why rush things kid? Keep on nappin’ on!
I now relish the days that he does take a nap, because it gives me those moments of peace and quiet that any parent needs to make it through some of the longer days. When he doesn’t nap, I try to see it as nice one-on-one time with him while his brother sleeps.
Either way, I will definitely miss the afternoon nap. I don’t think that many baby books have this listed as a milestone: “First Time that my Preschooler Didn’t Nap” or “The Day the Nap Died.”
But they should list it. It is a milestone. It means that my little man is growing up. And I guess that’s the whole point of life, so we’ll roll with it.
A sad day/week/phase indeed! I’m right there with ya. I’m currently enjoying a quiet house while #2 naps and #1 is playing golf with dad. Here’s hoping today is a napping day for you too!
Amanda, glad that #2 is napping and that #1 is giving you a quiet moment while he hangs out with Daddy! Today is actually a day care day for the boys (magic show at day care!), so today has been a Mommy day! Walking/writing/reading…pretty perfect!
What is wrong with these kids who don’t want to nap anymore? I sure wish I could take a 3-4 hour nap every afternoon!
Amen Deb. I would give anything to take a nap every afternoon!!
As your four year old has new experiences that are a little challenging, I’m sure he’ll welcome a nap every now and then. I agree, what we wouldn’t do to get a nap, even once a week, a month…a year!