I have friends with kids the same age as Jake who have already given up the nap. I just shake my head in sympathy and pray that it won't happen to me. I know it would free up a lot of time for us to go out and do things together but not really. Emma still needs her nap so what it really does is creates strife with me trying to keep him quiet so she can sleep.
Today, Jake and I have been having power struggles since approximately 7:30am or thirty minutes after he woke up. After two spankings and three time outs I really couldn't wait until naptime. Also, I feel like I'm coming down with something so I knew I needed to take a nap today. Emma went down without a peep. Jake came into my room at least 137 times between the hours of 1 and 3 saying he needed all sorts of things before he could sleep. Things like, his stuffed dolphin (he has four or five so you have to figure out which one first), his Larry Boy hat and water (with ice). I know these are all stalling techniques. When it comes to stalling, Jake rivals the Republicans trying to halt health care reform. If we allowed fillibustering in this household, Jake would be the king.
Anyway, I knew he was stalling but I was too tired to get out of bed and too exhausted for another time out or spanking. So I sort of caved and told him he didn't have to take a nap today but he had to go to the playroom and be quiet and (most importantly) not come out until I said it was okay. This is how Mike found him when he got home from work.
It looks like someone had a great time before he passed out.
Couple ideas. Send him to his room for quiet time with a little snack that doesn't make crumbs or a mess. You could also get him a little supply of special toys that you ONLY give him at quiet time. I am picturing a little basket with a few new toys. That way, it's kind of a special thing to get to go have quiet time. And he would probably fall asleep anyway. Another idea....show him 10 M&M's before quiet time. If he stays in his room during the ENTIRE quiet time he gets all 10 M&M's when it's over. But every time he comes out, then you take one M&M out of the pile. He gets whatever is left at the end of quiet time. You're right, YOU need that downtime just as much as he does.
ReplyDeleteyou're brilliant! i'm going to try them all.
ReplyDeletei want to say "hear hear" to amy's idea. when my boys quit their nap (and just a warning the second will quit napping way sooner) i made them take an hour quiet time everyday. they could play with anything that didn't make noise. at first i would have them lay down for 10 min. that was for my plan just in case they did need to fall asleep. that worked some of the time for awhile. after 10 min, i would come in and tell them they could play quietly for awhile (if they weren't asleep of course. we all know you letting a sleeping kid sleep!)
ReplyDeletei still do that. granted it is mainly weekends now cause both are in school. i do it for two reasons. they need the down time. they don't know it but they do. their bodies need to rest. and secondly i do it for their little souls. i don't want my kids to be strangers to quiet. i want to train them to seek it out at times. anyway.
all that to say you don't have to give it up yet.
Oh naptime!!! I completely understand.
ReplyDeleteI send my boys into their room for an hour of quiet time during the week.
I need my downtime!!
Right now, it is still dark in their room and they are expected to rest (and I pray they actually nap, Cole still needs one). They are getting close to the point where I will be placing quiet toys and books in their room, and then the struggle will be to remain quiet. 'Cause we all know that if their sister wakes up due to them, oh, oh, oh....mommy is NOT going to be happy!!!
Oh Little Mama, Where are Thou? The next time you get a chance, you need to update your blog. I really miss it. Love, Mom
ReplyDeleteLol, those photos remind me of my childhood. I fell asleep just about anywhere. Once I did it on my grandfather's chopping block which was probably a pretty scary view, regarding the fact that the hatchet was right next to me. :)
ReplyDeleteNice blog, btw. :)