The Importance of the Mid-Day Nap

Naptime. Quiet time. Siesta, if you will. Call it what you want. But do not underestimate its importance for happy family life, particularly with kids about four and under. In actuality, this principle can serve any family of any age and any size.

CHILDREN NEED REST
This isn't anything new, and it shouldn't be a "news flash"... but children need rest. Rest ought to be a regular part of their day. Their young bodies are growing, their young minds are growing, and they need their rest to "catch up" with and to cope with the busy-ness of life.

I've even heard many moms of little ones proudly say, "oh, she's grown out of naps", or "he doesn't need a nap", but then the child quickly reveals his own need for it... disobedience, whiny tantrums, and fussy attitudes suddenly begin surfacing. What that child is saying, even though his words might say otherwise, is: "I need some rest, mom. I've run out of steam."

Recently, in a discussion of homeschooling with toddlers, one mom admitted that she struggled to homeschool at all because of interruptions from a toddler, and that "forced naps" seem too "punitive".

[Siderant: "Punitive" is a really popular, overused word now to describe anything that in any way seems mean to the speaker. It doesn't have to be carried out meanly, it doesn't even have to be perceived as negative by the child, and it doesn't even have to BE a negative action... there seems to be no consistent definition for it, except that if a woman does not like a particular parenting method or style or choice,
or perhaps it was carried out meanly to her when she was a child, and she thinks it sounds mean, then she gets to call it punitive.]

Naps are not punitive. On the contrary, giving rest to a child that needs it (a.k.a, a toddler who interrupts and whines and disobeys and throws fits) is the loving thing to do.

The Lord, our Shepherd, "makes [us] lie down" to restore our souls. He gives sleep to those He loves. Throughout Scripture, peaceful, secure homes, countries, and places are described as quiet resting places. Indeed, a disciplined child gives rest to his parents. God even planned a day of "rest" in the weekly routine. Regular times of rest are a centerpiece of a well-ordered home.

BUILD A REGULAR HABIT OF REST
This has been a natural part of our home-- as infants, our children take multiple naps throughout the day and sleep well at night. Around 5-6 months, they transition to a two-nap routine (a cumulative four-five hours, split between morning and afternoon naps, with eight-eleven hours of sleep at night), and around 12-18 months, they usually transition to a one-nap routine, which lasts around 2-3 hours, and they keep that up until around age four.

Homes that have not built this in through infant routines may have to work at it... but by the time a child is one, he ought to have at least one good long nap every single day. And, please, don't bring out the tired (get my joke?) old "schedule vs. AP" debate-- I'm not saying anything revolutionary. Preschools and kindergartens the world over recognize the value and importance of regular rest for children, so let's not pretend that this is some kind of radical idea.

However you go about it, I would encourage you to build in a natural cycle of rest into your family's daily life. This does mean that you'll have to be "working at home" and won't be galavanting around the town each afternoon, it's true... but there are worse things than having 2-3 quiet hours to yourself. For example, having 2-3 hours of a whiny toddler throwing tantrums and raising your blood pressure until you pop. That would be worse. Or, having two such children who argue and fight with each other and don't obey and allow no one in the home to have a moment's peace. That would be worse.

But getting rest? Some peace and quiet? Oh, yes, please! If you don't already, build it into your family routine. Your kids (though they may not verbally express it) will voice their thanks over the course of time through good attitudes and a cheerful countenance.

WHAT DO THE KIDS DO DURING REST TIME?
Well, the obvious first thing to do is rest. I strongly believe that until a child can cheerfully occupy himself for the 2-3 hour quiet time AND control his own attitude for the remainder of the day, he needs a nap. Every day.

And yes, sometimes that will mean that you try giving up naptime, only to find that little Sally isn't ready for nap-free life yet (which will be evidenced by her emotional fragility and tantrums thrown throughout the remainder of the evening). So, the next day, back down she goes. Trial and error.

But at some point (which, as I mentioned, with our own children typically happens around four years of age), your child will pass the stage for daily naps. Occasional naps may still be needed, but this child has mastered her own attitudes and isn't crying out (literally) for naps each day.

So when a child reaches the age where they may not sleep during the day, that child still can have a time of rest. For us, what that typically looks like is quietly hanging out with a huge stack of books. I'll find that child a spot somewhere in the house (sometimes on our bed, sometimes on the couch, sometimes at the table on the balcony, sometimes in a cozy corner), and he will read quietly. As the child develops a pattern of consistent awake rest and quiet time, I'll sometimes open up that daily time to include quiet toys (by himself) or coloring. The point is that it will be a time of rest... a quiet, peaceful couple of hours for everyone in the middle of each day.

EXPANDING THIS PRINCIPLE AS THE CHILDREN GROW
As the children grow, I can foresee this being a time of quiet reading, research, journaling, or going for a walk. And as they approach adulthood, this could transition to a time of work-- working with dad, cooking or doing chores, or doing schoolwork.

For the homeschooling family, continuing the quiet time will reinforce naps for the little ones (if there are any) and may allow older children to accomplish the heavier "brainwork" of school, or just give them some "down time" after a busy morning.

For the pregnant mom, this principle will give HER the opportunity to nap mid-day if she needs it, as her children will all be in the habit of regular rest for those two to three hours each day.

Whatever the myriad ways it could play out in varying families, I'm convinced that building a habit of a daily rest time into your family life can be a real blessing, for you and your children.

54 comments:

Lori ~ The Simple Life at Home said...

Alas, when I read the title of this post I was looking for some kind of confirmation that we moms need a mid-day nap!!

But I whole-heartedly agree. Even though my kids are older, 13 & 11, they are still required to go to "quiet time" for an hour every day. Especially when you homeschool, you need that time alone as a mom to recoup. Plus it's healthy for them to learn to be alone and to entertain themselves.

Laura said...

My little boy is three and he does still need a nap. He gets pretty cranky without one. BUT when I DO put him for a nap, I can guarantee that it means he will not fall asleep until 10:00 that night. For that reason, I don't give him a nap anymore because I can't handle the late nights. I'd rather have him cranky and then just put him right to bed at 7:00. Do you have any suggestions for getting him to nap AND still go to bed at a reasonable hour? And I should mention, it doesn't seem to matter how long the nap is, it could be 10 minutes in the car, or half hour to two hours in bed, we still face the late to bed issue.

Anonymous said...

I have three children: ages 5yrs, 2yrs, & 9 weeks. My 5 year old doesn't always fall asleep during naptime, but she knows that even if she does not fall asleep, she needs to lie down and rest her body. Every little bit helps!

Oh - I love it when they all nap at the same time...the sound of absolutely nothing is music gives my ears a nap...lol.

Erin said...

I so agree! When our family were missionaries in the pacific everyone went down for a seista for a few hours in the afternoon. My brother and I knew we didn't have to sleep but were expected to play quietly while everyone else rested.
I find that even now I can get so much more done in the afternoon if I have a nap in the arvo. The hour I spend in bed is more than repaid. If/when I have children they'll have to have a rest becasue I plan to as well :).

Karen said...

Amen and amen.
And amen.

We would all be a wreck in our home--children and parents alike!--were it not for our rest time!

Amanda said...

"For the pregnant mom, this principle will give HER the opportunity to nap mid-day if she needs it, as her children will all be in the habit of regular rest for those two to three hours each day."

Amen! My son needs it and I need it! (I'm 9 weeks pregnant.)

Amanda

Mrs. Anna T said...

Excellent post Jess. I love having a quiet time during the day, especially now that I'm pregnant and need more rest. Even if I don't actually fall asleep, relaxing in bed doing crafts or reading a good book is so rewarding.

Deb Burton said...

As a homeschooling SAHM whose children are now teens, I can share my hearty agreement with the purposeful use of naptime. However, just because my children are now older doesn't mean they don't need naptimes anymore. As their bodies go through tremendous growth spurts and they deal with issues that are more emotionally charged (for them), I sometimes forget that they could use more rest. A suggestion to "go lie down for awhile" might be met with some eye rolling, but inevitably when I call them down for dinner, I can see the remnants of sleep still hanging in their eyes, and I know that apparently I was right! :-)

Cat said...

We do this, and have done so since our first child was born (now have four similar in age to yours). This year, though, I've found that some of my oldest's schoolwork (we're using Winter Promise after switching from Sonlight this year and it includes some schoolwork assignments to be done on their own to help introduce good study habits) needs to be accomplished during this time, and she sometimes needs to ask questions or have something explained to her. At the same time, some health issues I have are kicking up and some days I just have to go lie down myself.

I would love to hear from you or any other moms who have done or are in this transition from schoolwork being completely accomplished in mornings, and how they reconcile this with nap/rest time for themselves. As a note, theoretically we should still be able to accomplish all schoolwork in the mornings timewise, but realistically with two little ones (2 and 8 months) and adding our 4 YO in as a kindergartener this year, we have yet to have this happen, despite our best intentions.

anya* said...

Great post! I love 'Quiet Time' in our home. Every day after lunch there is a 2 hour block when my 4,2,and 1 year old sleep. The littlest 2 sleep hard and my 4yo will sleep for 1 1/2 hours then read books in his bed till I come get him. I love this time, I can shower, read, blog, whatever- time to rest.

MY 7 and 10yo go to public school, but in the summer and weekends this 2 hour time is still in the schedule. They do not whine or complain- b/c this is just how we do it in our home. They are allowed to read, write, make a puzzle, just quiet activities on a bed or couch. Half the time my 7 yo still falls asleep.
Recently a girlfriend watched all 5 kids for me and I told her, it wont be so bad because if you can make it till one everyone will be still for you for 2 hours. When I got home she said it wasn't correctly titled 'quiet time'- it was really 'Magic Time'. What a blessing for me as a mom to know a friend can watch my kiddos and not lose it, because that time is built in their day. She went home and instituted magic time in her home.

I always wonder how moms with little ones, who don't nap, survive? The truth is I often find them to be tired, frazzled, and stressed out. Our minds and bodies just need it!

Than ks for an excellent post, again, Jess!

Mrs. Sprinkles said...

Hear, Hear! I heartily agree. My almost-four-year-old still naps, and although his naptime has gotten shorter over the past two years (he's now going for about 1 1/2 hours), he still needs it and wakes up a happier kid.

Laura--
How long is your son napping? You might try limiting his nap time to an hour or so--that way he can get the rest he needs and still get to bed on time.

Tanya said...

Sometimes I wish our culture took siestas.

Nap-time/quiet-time/midday-down-time is very important around here. If the kiddos don't have a decent down time, they usually have meltdowns while I am trying to make supper. Not good.

mrsidotf said...

We always have a nap! ( I try to get one in too) If my 2 year old does not get a good nap it is not pretty for the rest of us. As babies both of mine were/are so good. They were/are always happy and not very fussy. I believed it was/is because they are great sleepers!

We have made the transition into a toddler bed and it had messed with his sleeping. He is not so happy durning the day and I know it is because he is not sleeping as long at night or during the day. I pray this adjustment period will soon be over!!

Any advice on making this transition??

Anonymous said...

Hello Jess,

Thank you for another great post! I'm a new mum, and I'm really glad that you share what works for you as I still have lots and lots to learn!

With love,

Sarah
London
UK

Catherine R. said...

Oh yes, if I don't get my nap I will cry and scream and cause trouble around the home. I find I like to do it after lunch when I've finished my sippy-cup....

oh wait, I see you're talking about kids. I guess that's important too : )

Jen said...

Ironically, day cares enforce nap/quiet time, yet SAHM's often don't! I never knew this until we moved to this home, and our neighbor, who's children were in daycare, was complaining because they didn't feel their child should be made to nap, but the day care wouldn't budge! Too funny and ironic I though!

Christine said...

Naptime is a must in my house, and is such a blessing. I also think it is important for babies/toddlers to sleep at home, as much as possible. Grabbing a nap on the go is so different than getting a good nap in a crib/bed. These things really are vital to establishing order in the home, especially with several little ones.Blessings!

darci said...

so true! my eight year old still has regular quiet time, and in fact, when we tried to cut it out to do school in the afternoons, was in tears that night saying " I miss having quiet time". That is, for my older two, their alone time, time to read, play quietly on their beds, regroup. AND it's my time. :)

meesh said...

To Laura:
I have a 2 year old and 4 year old who no longer take naps for the reason you mentioned...they don't go to sleep at bedtime! They do, however, have a quiet time, for an hour to two each day. They read books, color, etc., something they can do quietly in one spot. This does give their bodies rest, and improves attitudes. They tend not to be whiny or fussy unless kept out past bedtime...like prayer meeting nights!

MamaHen said...

I agree completely. To NOT put a baby/toddler down for a nap IS punishing the baby and yourself. It can be hard to listen to your baby cry (I have four children, and I know), but they will learn to settle down and rest.

And for Laura, I had the same problem with my first son. He just didn't seem to need that much sleep. I moved his rest time up to around 10 am before lunch and then he was off to bed at 7 pm. Maybe that might help?

Anonymous said...

WIth #3 due in just 5 weeks, I heartily agree that EVERY child needs a rest time - and very frequently mommy too. My four year old can't sleep every day or else we're in for late nights, but we try hard to reinforce one hour of quiet rest, where she has to stay in one room and quietly play or look at books. You're right, it's not the schedule vs AP, it's truly a bodily and mental need. Both of my kids have gone through a stage around 1 yr when they wouldn't fall asleep for nap time, and while I'm not normally a cry it out person, that was definitely the stage where I made them cry at naptime. Yep, cleaned up some vomit once or twice, but after that they actually slept better at naptime AND night time. Thanks for your thoughts on sex too, though 35 wks pregnant makes togetherness, uh, almost nigh unto impossible. =) My husband just laughed when I gave him the rundown on that post.

Ticia said...

I found your post very interesting.
And I don't disagree with it but..
Yes there is always a but, My children never napped beyond infant hood. Nor did I even as a very young mother of two little ones. I tend to be very high energy and my kids were too. Now that they are teens they nap. Even I do once in awhile.
Anyway my kids were not cranky or in need of naps so maybe it just depends on the family. Leticia

Jennie Chancey said...

Yes, yes, yes! Wonderful post (and darling pictures!). We have "Quiet Time" every afternoon between two and four-thirty. For the older children, it means reading books, doing puzzles, quietly building Legos on the dining table, etc. For the under-four crowd, it means uninterrupted sleep in a quiet room with a fan going for white noise. This is the time when I am able to lie down myself (especially when pregnant), catch up on email, write a letter, read, or just snuggle.

Earlier today one of my two-year-old twins was out of sorts and cranky. I knew it was because we'd been up late the night before (returning home from a visit to a neighbor way past bedtime). So I pulled him up on the couch and laid him down on my chest and stroked his hair. He quieted down and made happy humming noises. We rested that way for a good half hour. Bliss!

I don't know how we'd function without the regular rhythm of rest included in the routine of a busy day.

Kate said...

I wholeheartedly agree. I enjoy putting down a cranky toddler and a couple of hours later getting a rested little girl with a big smile on her face. Ahhhhh!

I also wanted to comment to Laura who is having a hard time with late bedtimes with her 3 yo when he naps. One of my sons did the same thing at around age 3. And because my husband and I cherish our evenings together, we too opted not to have him nap. Instead we put him to bed an hour earlier in the evening. But I also, as Jess suggested, encouraged him to have a quiet time in the afternoon. I think I brought out some books or "quiet" toys (which isn't always easy with an active boy). But now that he is 10 we still have quiet afternoons.

Also, in our house Sunday afternoons is quiet time for everyone. It's either quiet reading or naptime (because after a long week mom & dad need naps too :)

Anonymous said...

Amen, Sister!! I am a homemaking, home schooling, cloth diapering mama to two girls aged 7.5 and 1.5 and without nap time/quiet time it would not all get done! And it's important to remember is that quiet time is for everyone - not just the kids....very important to set a good example ;)

The Aday Family said...

I completely agree Jess. My one child is now 16 months old. I put him down for his one nap right after lunch. He sleeps for about 1.5 hours, I wish it was longer. Any tips on how to get them to sleep longer? I don't have problems with letting him cry through it if nessecary. Today I left him for 15 mins to see if he would go back to sleep, but no such luck. The other day he woke up after 45 mins I let him cry for 3-4 mins and he went back to sleep for another hour.

Faith Koontz said...

I totally agree with this, but what do you do when your child refuses to stay in bed? I have tried so many things to get him to stay in bed and rest and he just won't. He just turned 3 yesterday and he REALLY still needs his naps, but he rarely takes one. Any suggestions?

deb said...

I never expected my children to sleep but they had to be quiet for a short time period each day.

Some parents give up naps or even regular bedtimes because they expect the child to fall asleep when they are put to bed. But as long as my children were quiet, I didn't care if they remained awake.

Musings of a Housewife said...

Hey Jess. Love the new design.

I so agree, and my daughter is trying her darndest to give up naps, but boy is she BAD when she doesn't get enough sleep. I have just put 2 and 2 together (duh! this is only child #3) but it really makes so much sense.

Great post.

Brenda said...

Kindergartens recognize the need for rest?????

I don't think so!

Where I taught, when we transitioned to full-day Kindergarten, the children were given rest time the first 2 or 3 weeks of school and then that was over.

Full day of school---no rest. I'm not kidding. I suspect that's true elsewhere as well.

Thespia said...

I seriously believe that *I* need a midday nap.

Really though, in some countries (Mexico...I believe?) businesses actually close for an hour or two during the day so that people can go home and eat lunch and take a nap or rest. What a good idea. Imagine not being exhausted all the time and what that could do for people!!

Anonymous said...

Ok, I don't have any children, but nap-time is still a must in our house simply because my husband and I work split shifts and need the rest. We will definately continue the tradition when the little ones come.

-Jen K.

Laura said...

Faith, honestly, do whatever you have to do to keep your kiddo in bed. My mom friends whose kids nap (or rest) well have done some combination of taking away dolls, blankies, toys, water bottles, etc. during nap AND bedtime, and spanking on second disobedience.

I've seen lots of parents try to implement this, and most people give up after the first week, which is usually quite a battle. But after a couple of weeks (plus the occasional relapse -- we ARE talking about little sinners here!) they stay in bed!

Rachel said...

I LOVE this idea. It's good for everyone involved.

Nick & Meg Smith said...

Jess,

We have just hurdled the first trimester of our first blessing. With working from home and helping my husband as he both pastors and ministers - life gets exhausting. How refreshing to be encouraged to rest in our Lord, physically and spiritually!

By His grace,

Mama Meg

Unknown said...

My 5 year old (who attends half day Kindergarten at our church) and 3 year old both nap daily. On the days that the older one is not as obviously tired, she is allowed to get up after 30-45 min (if her brother is asleep since they share a room) and look at books or color. However, she must not wake me or her brother. (I am 36 weeks pregnant and cherish my afternoon rest.)

We have required rest from the time they were babies and even had to fight for them at 12-18 month stage at times. However, it is wonderful to know that the house will be still for 2 hours every afternoon. I think it will be such a help when blessing #3 arrives that this pattern is still in place.

Elspeth said...

I heartily agree, Jess! The midday nap is a must in our house. It usually lasts about 2 hours and it gives me much needed down time as well as a chance to catch up on some things that are just easier to do without a toddler pulling on my skirt, much as I love that!

Johanna said...

I wholeheartedly agree with your post! My 5 and 3 year old children still nap. The 5 year old doesn't sleep every day, but he still does about half of the time. I've told him that as long as he is in his bed and not keeping up his brother (they share a room) he can read or color or play quietly, but he has to be in his bed! It is necessary for my sanity to keep it this way!

Unknown said...

Excellent words of wisdom Jess! Nap times and quiet times are a MUST around here!!!

Joanna J. said...

I enjoy reading your blog, so you've been "tagged"!

Bethany Hudson said...

It's funny Jess that you mention schedule vs AP. I actually practice attachment parenting (though perhaps not as religiously as some), and my daughter naturally came to the exact nap schedule you mention here! She is now 14 months old and about to transition to her second nap. I find that when I used to wait until she was actually showing signs of being tired when I put her down, she would inevitably get cranky or stumble and hurt herself directly before the nap and end up lying in her crib in tears. Now, I put her down before that point, at our scheduled times (or round about), and she goes down sweetly. Even if she's not tired right away, I can hear her cheerfully chatting away to her stuffed rabbit that she sleeps with and then falling asleep soon after!
~Bethany

K said...

Hi Jess, well said. I'm an AP parent and I don't know what AP parent doesn't do naps/rest time. While my energetic daugther started to drops naps almost a year ago now she quickly learned that mommy expected quiet time/rest time. Even now while she rarely naps she has learned to play quietly for about 2 hours each day.
Kelly

mary grace said...

I highly encourage ALL mothers to institute the rest time routine. My kids still rest at 10 (almost 11), 8 & 6 and the toddler naps. It's a lifesaver for all of us. I am so much better as a mother for the little respite I get through the afternoon!

Anonymous said...

Jess, you are so wise! Thank you for speaking out about this. Related to naps is unplugged playtime. (Playtime with out computers, video games or other digital media.) I recently came across the following:

"Today's 5-year-olds were acting at the level of 3-year-olds 60 years ago, and today's 7-year-olds were barely approaching the level of a 5-year-old 60 years ago," Bodrova explains. "So the results were very sad."

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514

and from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

http://www.aap.org/stress/stressparent.htm

Praise and Coffee said...

Beautiful, what a doll!!

Anonymous said...

Wow! A lot of mommies sure got excited about this topic!

I just wanted to emphasize something that's been said in these replies but is easy to miss...and that is, when a child "grows out" of the need to nap they still benefit from a regular quiet time. Part of my plan for giving my children a healthy childhood is teaching them to enjoy being alone with themselves. I know many adults who can't be alone without a t.v. or radio blaring. Children who can comfortably spend an hour or two by themselves (in a house with a mom nearby) are children who will grow up to be adults who can contemplate great things and who can hear the still small voice of the Lord in a world that gets busier all the time.

Finding places for all my many children to be "alone" at a regular time can be a challenge(because we have pairs of children sharing bedrooms). One ends up on our bed, one on the couch in the den, the little one is in his own bed in the room he shares with a sibling, in the summer one son may get to be in the tent in the yard etc.

Jill

annie said...

I totally agree. My 15 mo old daughter was, for the most part, a decent napper. Teething didn't help, but she was generally good about going down twice a day for at least an hour.

Now, though, she's transitioning to one nap and it's been a struggle. Do you ever have days where a child (or children) just won't go down? I don't mean willful disobedience, I mean just can't seem to fall asleep and stay asleep. I wondered how you handled such days.

MamaDuck76 said...

I'm the mom of a 9 month old, and I wholeheartedly agree with what you've written. It's a daily struggle, though, and I'm stumped

Before Alex (my little guy) was born, I babysat three children ages 4, 2.5, & 1. I required all three children to nap from 1 PM to at least 2:30 PM...and often they napped until 3/3:30 PM.

My little guy is NOT a good napper, though. I'm not sure where we went wrong. He only sleeps 30 - 45 minutes each morning. He wakes after 30 - 45 minutes in the afternoon, as well, and I pat him on the back, then let him cry it out for 15 or 20 minutes. Many days, though, he never falls back to sleep. Sometimes he'll take a brief (20 minute) nap around 5 PM if his afternoon nap is really short.

He sleeps well at night - 7:30 or 8 PM until 6:30 or 7 AM.

Any suggestions for increasing his naptimes? I could really use the help, as I've never encountered such a stubborn kid at naptime! :)

Dawn

Anonymous said...

Hooray for napping! Children DO need rest and giving a quiet time each afternoon is SO important. My 5yo comes home from (half day) kindergarten each day and takes a rest. We read and snuggle and whisper to each other a bit and then I leave the room. Most days he falls asleep for a bit but even when he doesn't sleep, he lies there until he's ready to get up (sometimes he'll turn on a light and look at books or play quietly with a toy). I completely agree that naps are not punitive if they are instilled in a loving way and just part of the daily routine like eating, dressing, etc.

Kim & Dave said...

I know a whole lot of people have already said this-but I SO agree!!!

Our 7 year old still rests for 1.5 hours every day, & both babies (13 months apart) rest in the AM & NAP in the PM.

I have found that I need that "down" time just as much as them!

Abbi said...

I appreciated your post. We are a nap taking family too. Having naps has really made life a lot easier for us. Currently my kids are 2, almost 5, 7 and almost 9. Each day after lunch and reading (Bible, something studious and something for fun.)we all lay down on our own beds for naps. The 2 year old always sleeps, the almost 5 year old usually does and the 7 yr. old does very occasionally and the almost 9 year old doesn't. Everybody gets to take books to bed to look at or read. I also spend time reading and then I take about a 20 minutes nap. My nap makes me feel much more awake and able to work(or play!) in the evenings when my husband is home and the kids are all much more cheerful after thier rest time. Those that don't sleep lie down for 1- 1 1/2 hours and the others nap as long as they need too (unless we have to go somewhere.)
Napping/resting really works well for us.

Anonymous said...

I have seen first hand how naps have helped, and then, as you said, as they get older, times of resting or quiet, etc. Even now, napping is so important to us. Your dad naps a lot because of his unusual schedule, and on the weekends napping helps me "gear up and gain strength" for the week ahead.

Anonymous said...

Jess, just found your blog through my friend Dianna's, and I really enjoyed this post. My 7, under age 7, all take a rest time EVERY day for 1-2 hours. Love my rest time!

In Christ, Laura

Rebekah said...

Thank you for this well written advice!! I have two young boys, 4 years old and 18 months. I have struggled with implementing this into our schedule, but I'm determined to overcome my own lax attitude toward it for the good of my boys and the peace of our household. Reading your ideas has been a tremendous encouragement.
Thank you!