I’ve been an extremely lucky mommy to have two girls that nap well. Both girls took 2, 2 hours naps a day until they were around 2 years old (Honeybun stopped when Sugarplum was born and Sugarplum stopped when we moved back to Florida). Even now, both girls still lay down every day and I expect them to lay quietly for at least an hour and a half. While Honeybun does not sleep every day, and sometimes has to be reminded to lie down and be quiet, if she actually does lay down she will usually sleep at least 2 hours.
We have a pretty easy, standard nap routine. Girls use the potty (then Sugarplum gets a diaper). They climb in their beds, get covered up and each girl has a special song/sound machine they use. I give them a kiss and “I love you” (sometimes a “night-night, sweet girl”) and that’s that. Done.
I get a lot of unsolicited advice about how my 4 ½ year old does not need a nap anymore and it’s probably affecting her night time sleeping. If only these people actually knew Honeybun. We put the girls to bed around 8 and Honeybun sleeps until Sugarplum wakes her up after 7 in the morning. I’m pretty sure if Sugarplum didn’t wake Honeybun up, she would sleep at least a bit longer. Honeybun also becomes a raging lunatic monster by dinner time if she doesn’t lay down for a nap. She becomes aggressive, argumentative and generally no fun to be around. Really, nearly stranger? MY 4 ½ year old doesn’t need a nap? Maybe YOURS didn’t, but MINE sure as heck does.
I should be honest, though. It’s not just Honeybun that needs a nap. I need it too. Working a 24-hr a day job caring for two energetic girls while growing another and trying to stay healthy is exhausting and I know my glorious 2 hours of daily nap time isn’t going to last forever (I’m convinced Sugarplum is going to give up her afternoon nap before Honeybun does) but believe me, I’m taking full advantage while I can. I truly enjoy my two hours each day in which I get alone time to shower then sit down and be quiet. Sugarplum is very sensitive to noise and since her room is adjacent to the kitchen and every noise in our house echoes throughout, no cleaning or chores for me. Darn, I guess it will have to get done another time. I hear the couch calling my name!
