SOCIAL MEDIA

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Adjusting to Life With No Naps

When Scarlett was born, she initially slept a lot.  As she got older, her shut-eye time lessened and she spent more time awake than asleep.  When she was 6 months old, I put her on a sleep and feed schedule that stuck with her for more than two years.

As a parent, you deal with many challenges over the course of your child's life.  Some areas may be less difficult than others, but I'm dealing with something that I was not prepared for in the slightest.  Today, I am mourning the loss of naps.  How can you say goodbye to something you loved so much for almost 3 years? It's very difficult.  I feel lost and alone and afraid of the unknown!


When Scarlett used to nap, it was from 12-3.  I had three glorious hours to myself to do whatever I pleased whether it was clean, sleep, or just work online.  She would eat lunch at 11 AM and then nap at 12.  When she woke up at 3, I knew that we only had 2 hours until dinner and then bath time and bed would eventually follow.  The day felt easy and worry-free.  Now, I have 7 and a half hours to fill after lunch and it's concerning.  

Scarlett only goes to school twice a week for 3 hours a day.  So beyond those 6 hours a week, it's up to me to fill the time.  We used to go the park, see friends, do our shopping, etc but it seems foreign to me to have so much time on my hands now.  My friend's children no longer nap so they told me this day would eventually come.  It's not a total surprise, but still difficult to accept.  I know in time, I will adjust.

My tiny girl doesn't understand rest or quiet time.  She won't play quietly in her room without making a big mess, so that's out.  I have her in my bed and we watch a movie quietly which is better than nothing.  On the upside, we no longer have to worry about rushing home for nap time and can do more things away from home. 

I'm happy that she napped for as long as she did, but it would be very nice if she said just kidding mom, I'm going to take a nap now!


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