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Nap
Time I am sure that most of
us have probably experienced some
degree of challenges in this area!
Hopefully this page will be useful
to you!!
What I've done with my kids:
Nap time used
to be such a struggle with my boys.
They were all in one room and some
weren't tired...I ended up getting
tired from running up the stairs
whenever I head them making noise.
Giving spankings for each little
offense just wasn't working for me.
My boys are currently 6, 5 and 4,
and I realized that my oldest two
were probably out growing naps, but
I needed the quiet time. This
is what I came up with:
- Nap time is
about the same time every day,
so that it is predicable.
It's always right after lunch.
- I have the
kids pick up toys before they
get lunch, rather than before
nap time. They like to
eat, so they'll clean up
quickly. They don't like
nap time, so they wouldn't clean
up quickly for that!
- Just within
the last year, I started
separating my boys at nap time
(who usually share a room at
night time). They were
distracting each other too much,
and the ones who needed sleep
weren't getting it. I
usually have 1 boy in their room
(and I let him choose which bed
he wants, or even the floor!), 1
in the bonus room our my room,
and 1 on the couch downstairs
(the one who would usually stir
up the most trouble when they
were together--so that I can
keep an eye on him).
- I try to wear
them out in the morning--we
often do jumping jacks, push
ups, sit ups, and stretching.
I'll also send them on on little
"races" around the house. I
recently taught them what a
relay race is, and I've taught
them all of my old track warm-up
exercises. If it's nice
out, by all means, take
advantage of the weather!
- I started
letting them bring 3 things to
nap with them: a small toy, a
stuffed animal, and a book.
This gives me three things to
take away if they are naughty,
instead of giving spankings. :)
Tricky, huh? It also
provides a little entertainment
for the otherwise completely
bored 5 and 6 year old.
Sometimes I let the 5 and 6 year
old bring their small handheld
video game (a V-Smile and a
Leapster L-Max) to bed with them
as their toy.
- Sometimes I
give an incentive for a great
nap, and then I follow through
with the incentive or the
consequences if they didn't
obey. I will say something
like, "Mommy's making cookies
when you're asleep, and I will
give one to each boy who takes a
great nap." This works
well. :)
- My 5 year old
has an especially hard time
sleeping. I have been
teaching him numbers on the
clock in the bonus room, and he
knows, when the big black hand
is on the 1 and 2 (12), he can
come downstairs. We got a
digital clock for their room,
and he's learned that in the
mornings, he can't come out
until the clock says "7" (and he
will wake me up saying "Mommy,
it says 7:01!" :) When he
comes downstairs, if I still
need quiet time, I will
sometimes have him sit quietly
in the family room while I watch
a show that I like (which I've
usually recorded in advance).
I make sure it's clean, of
course. He loves Jon &
Kate Plus Eight, and he doesn't
mind scrapbooking shows.
What
do you do with your 3 year old who
used to take naps fine and now
refuses to take a nap? |
