Monday 15 August 2011

Goodbye naptime - oh how I will miss you!

I guess I've been fairly lucky with naptimes and Blake. Since he was 10 months old, he's had one nap a day, it's always started at some point between 10 and 12noon and has always lasted about an hour (occasionally I was luck enough to get almost 2 hours!) Naptime has recently been a bit odd, maybe 20 mins at the most or it's been slipping later in the day starting at about 2 instead (I don't like him to sleep beyond 3 as it messes with bedtime 8pm to 7am) but now he's nearly 26months old, I fear naptime has disappeared as he has refused naps the last few days.
Might not sound like too big a deal, but unfortunately, without Blake having his nap it means several big changes to our house:
1) I have a very grumpy 2 year old all afternoon who gets to the stage where he flops on the sofa and demands peppa pig and throws mega mega strops.
2) I don't get any 1 on 1 time with my beautiful 7 week old daughter who I feel already doesn't get enough of my sole attention.
3) I don't get any time to do the household jobs I can't do with the toddler around to "help" (By help, I mean chuck all the clean clothes I've just folded on the floor/ try and climb into the dishwasher / empty the dustbin / climb the bookcase or my legs / tip toybox contents all over the floor / put toys or things from the bin into the washing machine / press buttons on dishwasher, washing machine and fridge etc...)
4) There's no chance of a cup of tea (well, a hot one anyway) and 10 mins with my feet up to try and recover from pregnancy and birth and general motherhood duties.
5) Without naptime it's hard to prepare for or tidy up from messy play/painting/craft time so I fear these activities won't happen as much as they should.

Perhaps it's time I consider pre-school in september for a morning or two a week after all! I'd instantly dismissed a september start as I did feel it's too soon but perhaps Blake needs more than a very exhausted me to amuse him all day and Maegan certainly deserves a bit of time with just me too.

I feel very stranded where I live - not quite close enough to pop into town easily and I don't drive so I can't just take the kids somewhere fun for the day, perhaps Blake's lack of nap time is down to a lack of being stimulated, afterall, it's been a little while since we were able to go along to parent and toddler group or baby bounce and rhyme or adventure kingdom and I'm feeling very over tired and stretched.

Goodbye naptimes, I miss you!

Emma in Bromley x



2 comments:

  1. Oh no! C generally naps well but has days where she refuses point blank to go down for one (like Saturday) and it makes me nervous!

    C started preschool just for one morning a week about a month ago and seems to be really enjoying herself. She doesn't like me leaving her but once I've gone she's fine and I think it does her good to interact with others her own age.

    I'd definitely look into it. Maybe go and visit and see how Blake reacts.

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  2. Hey Emma

    Kit is the same age as Blake (he is still napping but much later in the day - about 2 or 3pm, luckily it hasn't affected his sleep at night, he has slept until 5.30pm before, eaten dinner and still gone down at 7pm, I know I'm lucky). He only naps on in the buggy or carseat though! He goes to a childminder three days as I work, but he loves spending time with the other kids, I'm looking for a pre-school for him now, some of the ones in Bromley sound great, and they work around how ready your child is to do things. Obviously every child is different but it might be worth having a look as he might love it.

    Bek
    :)

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Thank you for your comments

Emma x