Buying a house? Location, location, location. Raising a kid? Routine, routine, routine.

A couple days ago, a reader posted this question to the Facebook page:

Have any of your kids decided they were too cool for sleep/naps? Ive got 3 and the youngest is 18 months. I don’t know what happened to the genetics with this one lol. What did you do if so?

 Ugh! I feel your pain!

Most of our kids went through this phase, usually between the ages of 18 months and 2 1/2 years.

If you read this post, then you know how I feel about naps.

They are non-negotiable.

I think bumps in the naptime road are fairly universal, and they occur for a number of reasons, depending on the kid.

For some, once they acquire speech, and in particular, the word “NO”, they will assert themselves and test you.

If they are sick or have a couple of days in a row where their routine is messed up, that can do it.

If they are the youngest and realize that naptime applies only to them, it may not take long for a fight to emerge.

Sometimes it just appears out of nowhere for no apparent reason.

Back when Number 3 was a baby and we were having trouble getting him to sleep through the night and I was reading books on sleep training, I read that sleep disturbances often occur when your child is about to reach a developmental milestone. Like crawling, or walking or talking.

So that could be the reason.

I am a firm believer that kids need sleep.

I am also a firm believer that moms need a break.

All of my kids have napped all the way up until the first day of kindergarten.

Some of them even after kindergarten.

So I just stick with the routine.

And try not to lose my shit when the kids are on day seven of a nap time strike.

Routine. Routine. Routine.

Eventually, they start sleeping again.

And if, for some reason, they never do fall back into dreamland, I would do everything possible to still maintain that downtime.

Send the message loud and clear that rest time is not optional.

If you stay consistent, they will get it. And accept it.

I have a friend who has three boys. They are 7, 8, and 10.

She has never given up this down time.

The boys don’t take naps anymore, but they have about an hour each day (on non-school days) where they still have quiet time in their rooms.

No t.v.

No technology.

Just quiet.

They rest.

They read.

The don’t put up a fight, because they’ve always had that as a part of their routine.

I think it’s great.

I think it’s a good, mindful habit to instill in your kids.

I also think it’s a good, mindful habit to instill in yourself!

So what would I do if I were you?

I would stick with it.

Let that little one know that nap time/downtime is non-negotiable.

If you can do that, chances are good that things will eventually fall back into place.

It may take a week. It may take a month.

So on whatever day it is that you are ready to throw in the towel, don’t.

As long as you stay consistent, things will get back on track .

Keep the routine.

She’s not the only one who needs it.

We all do.

 

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