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Nap Time
November 7, 2012 3:45 pm | by
I love naps. It’s no secret. I still take a nap, at least once a week, whenever possible. One of the best pieces of advice I received as a new mom was to “Sleep when baby sleeps.” I have now expanded that to “Sleep when any child is sleeping.” Here’s the kicker though: there are no newborns in my house, so I don’t really have an excuse for taking a nap other than the fact that I just like sleep.

Maybe I’m just one of those people who requires more sleep than others. It could also be that I’m simply lazy. But the fact of the matter is I have four children, which can be exhausting at times. Bedtime often get pushed back due to homework or scout meetings, and once the kids are in bed, there are still piles of dishes in the sink and laundry to finish. I never seem to crawl in to bed as early as I want. Which means, if you were to peek into my windows of my home at 3 p.m. on any Saturday, you’d probably see me catching up on some Zs.

When one of my children are sick, I tend to rely on naps a bit more. Those frequent, mid-night interruptions can certainly affect your functionality the next day — whether it’s due to a newborn or a sick child. Thankfully, there’s coffee. In my home, I’ve even declared that “if you are home sick from school, you HAVE to take a nap.” House rule! Even the oldest must submit, as this also applies to any adult who has tended to a sick child during the night and has to stay home from work. Sure,  you’ll have tons of work to make up the following day when you return, but a mid-day nap without judgement is one of the few perks of parenting.
Some days — and weeks — require more naps than others. If my husband begins to notice and comment on my napping habits, I’m quick to say, “Honey, I think I might be pregnant.” For me, extreme exhaustion has always been my first sign of pregnancy and he knows it. Sure, this excuse only buys me a few days until the truth comes out, but it keeps him from not only passing judgment, but trying to steal my precious nap time for himself! It probably would have been kind to add a line about my need for sleep to our marriage vows. But oh well! My only real nap-related regret is that a king-sized Lamby doesn’t exist.

Do you still nap? Do you have any house rules about naptimes? How do you survive sleep deprivation? Share with us in the comments below!

About the Author

Heather is mom to four, born within 40 months (single, twins, single). She writes transparently about her chaotic household to encourage others through the twists and turns of parenting.

Comments

4 Comments

  • Anne D. said...
    November 7, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    Naps are the best! It is sooo important to give yourself permission to nap! I was much better about it when I was pregnant, but now that I am in school with a 3 month old I often forget that I need down time too. THanks for reminding me 😉

  • tempppo said...
    November 7, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    Naps are soooo important! I do find it hard to fall asleep at times, but it helps to have a 3 year old who will not fall asleep unless I am laying next to her. It forces me to relax and hold still long enough for her to fall asleep, and therefore I fall asleep as well. The extra bonus is that I can’t sleep next to her for more than about 20 minutes, which is a perfect length.

  • Sarah S. said...
    November 7, 2012 at 4:47 pm

    I wish I could nap. I have plenty of opportunities with a 22-month-old and a newborn, but I’m just not a napper. It takes me waay too long to fall asleep and then, when I get woken up an hour later, I feel groggy and out of sorts. I’d much rather use that quiet time to clean, get caught up on laundry, take a shower, or check FB. Am I always tired? Yes. But someday (not any time soon, I realize) that won’t be the case, and I’ll just deal with it until then.

  • Anonymous said...
    November 7, 2012 at 3:53 pm

    Yes, I still nap! Every day! I go down with my girls (3 and 14 months). On Saturdays and Sundays I sometimes even get a longer nap, with no worry of children interrupting it, since hubby is home. The rule during nap time is no playing the piano. Because everyone can hear it upstairs if it’s being played!