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Hooray for Nap Time!
Parenting is a journey without a guidebook. When explaining this wild ride to friends who don’t have kids, I often liken it to being a scientist. Each child, at various stages, is akin to forming a hypothesis and then testing it out. Every day, you slip into your lab coat (a.k.a. yoga pants), fire up your Bunsen burners (microwave), and mix your beakers (formula bottles), all while keeping detailed notes (sticky notes plastered on the fridge) about your observations.
This summer, I made the grave mistake of dropping my three-year-old’s nap. It was an idea that has turned my hypothesis upside down, proving my toddler’s late-day personality to be a total wreck. I fully accept the blame for this miscalculation.
He was not ready.
He is not ready.
But here’s the catch: kids are not like scientific data that you can easily manipulate. No amount of tinkering can reverse the effects of reality. Once my little one tasted the freedom of the no-nap life, there was no turning back.
As summer approached, we thought sending both of our older kids to the same day camp would be a great idea. My 9-year-old loves it, so naturally, we figured his little brother would too. The only hiccup? The camp ends at 3:45, which is just 45 minutes after my toddler would typically take his nap.
“No problem,” I confidently declared. “He can handle it.”
Oh, how wrong I was. Naps are essential for three-year-olds!
Now, a month into camp, he comes home excited yet utterly exhausted. Getting him to relax at four in the afternoon is a fruitless effort. There have been a few rare occasions when he dozed off in the car on the way home, but those moments are few and far between. And even when he does fall asleep, he rarely stays that way once we reach the house.
To put it bluntly… I’m in trouble.
The afternoon nap was a blessing for everyone involved. My toddler got the much-needed rest he craved, and I enjoyed two precious hours of peace. I was able to tackle chores and enjoy a little quiet time. I’ll look back on those nap times fondly, reminiscing about the calm before my foolish dreams of a nap-free existence took over my household from 3 to 5 PM.
So, let me pass on a nugget of wisdom from my blunder: if you have a child who still naps, hold onto that time tightly. Channel your inner Jack from Titanic and “never let go.” Forget about letting it go like the movie Frozen suggests. Trust me, you don’t want to endure the chaos I’m facing. No one should have to deal with a three-year-old clinging to your leg, wailing, “MOMMY!!!! MOOOOMMMYYY!! I WANT MOOOOMMMYYY!!!” repeatedly while you attempt to prepare dinner as your partner is running late.
I’m sharing this as a public service. Learn from my mistakes: long live the nap!
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In summary, nap time is a treasure that should be cherished. Don’t make the same mistake I did by underestimating its importance!