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Power Play

January 29th, 2008

No nap again for Kenny today.   That is, no nap until I’d endured an hour of “quite time” (after the half hour he ran wild during the attempted enforced nap) which involved him standing at the top of the stairs the whole time, shouting down, “Mama?   My quiet time all done yet?”   and I finally gave up, strapping him into the stroller and taking him and Dudley for a walk.   He was asleep in ten minutes.   The exact same scenario played out yesterday.     So he obviously still needs a nap, he just doesn’t want to lay down in his bed and take one.

Can you force a kid to nap?   I don’t want to strap him into his bed, but there’s got to be a happy middle, right?   I’m thinking of just walking at naptime for the next three or four days – the way I first started getting him to nap last year – then going back to the normal routine.     Something about almost two-and-a-half year old boys and the word “quiet” don’t seem to gel…

5 Comments »

  1. Jennifer says

    Maybe you could try laying down with him?
    I have Rheumatoid Arthritis so I need naps as well, so I always take naps with my little guy. I’m going to dread the day that nap time comes to an end!

    January 29th, 2008 | #

  2. Darleen says

    “Can you force a kid to nap?” Yes. You are the mom. Part of being a mom is “training” our children to do what is best for them…and naps are best at this age. Obedience is also trained. I taught my children when they were “down” for their naps they had to stay on their beds…that meant a couple of days where there were lots of spankings. I used to stand outside their bedroom with the door partly opened. I would peek in and as soon as their feet hit the floor, I’d walk in and calmly say, “Mommy said you have to stay in your bed and take a nap.” I would physically put him or her back in bed (there were tears) and then stand on the other side of the door again until he or she learned to stay in their bed. Believe me if you train them, life will be MUCH easier later on. My kids took “naps” until they were older…I required they lay down for at least an hour after lunch. They could read, sleep, play quietly on their bed…but they had to stay on their bed and be quiet. This was a lifesaver since I home schooled and we all needed time away from one another for sanity’s sake. Happy Training!

    January 29th, 2008 | #

  3. julie says

    Ok well my two boys are 9 & 7 they have always had a nap time sometimes they fall asleep sometimes they sit on their beds and they read or just think we went through all the ” Im not sleepy” or “can I get up now” stages and boy has it payed off!!! they are fine with it.If you dont have the Carol Joy Seid cds I would get them ASAP! she has been such a blessing to our family. Jesus really used her. she is a strong woman of God and you can even get a phone appointment with her its so fun to talk with her. so I would say “yes” have your little one take a nap everyday for 1 hour no more no less set a timer and dont let him up till he hears it he will feel so much better the rest of the day it is so good for his little brain to slow down for one hour a day he really needs it and so do you! ~ Julie

    February 1st, 2008 | #

  4. A-Licious says

    I agree with Darlene….and oh the joys to look fwd to! Kai just started the getting out of the bed after I put him in it ordeal….it is def a work in progress! ;o)

    February 1st, 2008 | #

  5. Bea says

    I went through the same problem with my three year old (I think everyone has had this problem at some point.) It just takes some trial and error to see what your child responds to best. I tried many things before I finally found something that worked. At naptime and bedtime, S-man knows he has to stay in bed. My leverage? His teddy bear. If he gets out of bed I take away his teddy bear. I have only had to take it away twice in the last six months. He cried, but the next night he stayed in his bed. I don’t have to remind him every night anymore, but I do remind him several times a week. I know at some point this will probably stop working, but for now it has made my life a lot easier! If you try it, let me know how it works.

    Bea
    beasbookbuzz.blogspot.com/

    February 9th, 2008 | #

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