Parenting often feels like conducting a series of experiments without a manual. Each child represents a new hypothesis, and as they develop, we find ourselves testing various theories to understand their behavior. Each day, we don our metaphorical lab coats (often yoga pants), utilize our Bunsen burners (microwaves), and measure our findings with beakers (formula bottles) as we document the outcomes on sticky notes plastered to the fridge.
This summer, I made a critical error by discontinuing my three-year-old’s naps. It was a hypothesis I thought I could test, but it has been thoroughly disproven by my toddler’s post-camp demeanor. He simply wasn’t ready for this transition, and I own that mistake wholeheartedly.
Unlike scientific data, children are complex beings who cannot be manipulated to fit a predetermined outcome. Once a child has experienced the world without a nap, there’s no going back. When we enrolled both of our older children in the same day camp, it seemed like a seamless choice. My nine-year-old thrived there, so why not his younger brother? However, camp ends at 3:45 PM, which is inconveniently 45 minutes past my toddler’s usual naptime.
I foolishly thought, “He can manage without it.” Clearly, I underestimated the importance of naps for a three-year-old. Now, after a month of camp, while he enjoys his new friends, he returns home cranky and overtired. Convincing him to relax at 4 PM is currently an exercise in futility. Sure, there have been a few rare instances where he snoozed on the way home, but they are few and far between. When he does fall asleep in the car, he rarely stays asleep once we reach home.
To put it bluntly, I’m in a tough spot.
Naptime was beneficial for both of us: my toddler got the rest he desperately needed, and I enjoyed two precious hours of uninterrupted time. I now long for those peaceful afternoons, which have been replaced by the chaos of a tired child. My once-quiet home now echoes with cries of “MOMMY! MOMMY! I WANT MOMMY!” while I attempt to prepare dinner, all because I let go of that sacred time.
So here’s my plea: if you are fortunate enough to have a child who still naps, safeguard that time with everything you have. Do not be tempted to abandon it. As they say in the movie Titanic, “don’t let go.” I share this wisdom with you to spare you the exhaustion and frustration that I am currently enduring. No parent should have to endure the sounds of a distressed three-year-old clinging to their leg while trying to manage daily chores.
This is a public service announcement: Naptime must be preserved!
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Summary
Naptime is essential for both toddlers and parents. A mother reflects on her mistake of discontinuing her child’s nap and emphasizes its importance in maintaining peace and sanity at home. She urges others to hold onto naptime and not to underestimate its value.
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