I relate! My daughter took three-hour naps until age 4, but my son dropped all naps by 2-1/2. My kids were on opposite extreme ends of the nap spectrum, lol.
Like you, I was terrified of nap dropping, but it was a surprising positive. Freed up so much time! Also like you, I guarded "my time" intensely but was surprised the need was not as pressing as the kids grew and I adapted to motherhood.
My daughter is now 15 and my son 11.. every year more fun than the last. :) It's an incredible privilege and joy to be a mom!
As you’ve shared your journey with your son and different details around sleep with him, I swear we have the same baby ha! My daughter and your son seem to very similar in sleep needs and I have experienced a similar sigh of relief now that she isn’t napping. She’s more independent, helpful, mindful, and I’m actually a better mother knowing I won’t get my two hours of alone time. I actually really enjoy that time with her as my son naps. Something I dreaded really turned into a blessing for us both. Like your son, she also is a better sleeper at night!! Thanks for sharing your mothering journey on here, it’s helped me realize we all walk the same roads.
I appreciate your positive perspective. I only have one toddler and it can be hard to manage the day especially now that the nap has disappeared from the schedule! It was actually from one of your posts that I was first introduced to the idea of a nap schedule. Up until then I was just winging it! I also learned about the sposies and a few other helpful things from your posts, so thank you. 🙂
I wanted to ask how you negotiate the house chores with your husband. This has been our biggest ongoing challenge. Since I stopped working and we decided that I would stay home to raise our child, I decided I should do everything related to the running/cleaning of the house (out of guilt maybe?). But lately that has not been manageable for me. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this subject.
Apologies for the question (this is probably just an omitted detail), but do you have your parents or a sitter looking after your sleeping toddler(s) while you run errands or go for a walk? Failing that, do you use a baby monitor while you're out? It's never safe to leave an infant or toddler home alone.
I don't ever leave my baby at home alone! My husband works from home, so he is able to call me if our baby wakes up early from his naps. If that doesn't work, one of my parents will stop by to keep an ear out.
I feel this. Expectations of getting things done when the baby is napping (or asleep right at his scheduled bedtime) makes it feel sooo frustrating when things don't go as planned. I'm working on holding those plans more loosely, but it's hard when there's so much to get done and that small window of time for productivity disappears.
Abby... When are you gonna reply to my based comments? JKJK just playin fam, that was my impression of a "rapper." Like 2PAC! I remember the first time that my inferior triplets started quitting mid day naps. They were like alcoholics for the baby bottle - they would NOT go down for sleepy sleepy without warmula (that's what I call warm formula). Those three ugly big headed babies had to come with me to my AA meetings from the ages of 59-62 to get off the bottle because of how dependent they were! Once they finally got off, those disgusting unicycle riding slackers were 3 grades behind from where they needed to be! They were all 6'1" in Kindergarten! Too bad we didn't have Gracie Abrams back in the day! Would've knocked em right out
Same!! Our son dropped his nap around 2.5, when our baby was born. He now loves his "quiet" time (really just him roaring and jumping off of furniture in his room), and we try to get a hike in with just the two of us during baby's morning nap. (I'm not SAH just yet, but it's also much easier to plan around one child's nap rather than two children's naps.)
We are right in the middle of this transition with our three-year-old. On the days that we do a rest time instead of a nap, there are sometimes big tantrums in the evenings. I think it’s because we are struggling to get him to bed by 7:15! Any tips for expediting dinner? He also has a two-month-old brother who might also be to blame for his brother’s tantrums.
I relate! My daughter took three-hour naps until age 4, but my son dropped all naps by 2-1/2. My kids were on opposite extreme ends of the nap spectrum, lol.
Like you, I was terrified of nap dropping, but it was a surprising positive. Freed up so much time! Also like you, I guarded "my time" intensely but was surprised the need was not as pressing as the kids grew and I adapted to motherhood.
My daughter is now 15 and my son 11.. every year more fun than the last. :) It's an incredible privilege and joy to be a mom!
As you’ve shared your journey with your son and different details around sleep with him, I swear we have the same baby ha! My daughter and your son seem to very similar in sleep needs and I have experienced a similar sigh of relief now that she isn’t napping. She’s more independent, helpful, mindful, and I’m actually a better mother knowing I won’t get my two hours of alone time. I actually really enjoy that time with her as my son naps. Something I dreaded really turned into a blessing for us both. Like your son, she also is a better sleeper at night!! Thanks for sharing your mothering journey on here, it’s helped me realize we all walk the same roads.
I love this!
I appreciate your positive perspective. I only have one toddler and it can be hard to manage the day especially now that the nap has disappeared from the schedule! It was actually from one of your posts that I was first introduced to the idea of a nap schedule. Up until then I was just winging it! I also learned about the sposies and a few other helpful things from your posts, so thank you. 🙂
I wanted to ask how you negotiate the house chores with your husband. This has been our biggest ongoing challenge. Since I stopped working and we decided that I would stay home to raise our child, I decided I should do everything related to the running/cleaning of the house (out of guilt maybe?). But lately that has not been manageable for me. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this subject.
Apologies for the question (this is probably just an omitted detail), but do you have your parents or a sitter looking after your sleeping toddler(s) while you run errands or go for a walk? Failing that, do you use a baby monitor while you're out? It's never safe to leave an infant or toddler home alone.
I don't ever leave my baby at home alone! My husband works from home, so he is able to call me if our baby wakes up early from his naps. If that doesn't work, one of my parents will stop by to keep an ear out.
I feel this. Expectations of getting things done when the baby is napping (or asleep right at his scheduled bedtime) makes it feel sooo frustrating when things don't go as planned. I'm working on holding those plans more loosely, but it's hard when there's so much to get done and that small window of time for productivity disappears.
Abby... When are you gonna reply to my based comments? JKJK just playin fam, that was my impression of a "rapper." Like 2PAC! I remember the first time that my inferior triplets started quitting mid day naps. They were like alcoholics for the baby bottle - they would NOT go down for sleepy sleepy without warmula (that's what I call warm formula). Those three ugly big headed babies had to come with me to my AA meetings from the ages of 59-62 to get off the bottle because of how dependent they were! Once they finally got off, those disgusting unicycle riding slackers were 3 grades behind from where they needed to be! They were all 6'1" in Kindergarten! Too bad we didn't have Gracie Abrams back in the day! Would've knocked em right out
- Alan, 65, Wichita, KS
Same!! Our son dropped his nap around 2.5, when our baby was born. He now loves his "quiet" time (really just him roaring and jumping off of furniture in his room), and we try to get a hike in with just the two of us during baby's morning nap. (I'm not SAH just yet, but it's also much easier to plan around one child's nap rather than two children's naps.)
We are right in the middle of this transition with our three-year-old. On the days that we do a rest time instead of a nap, there are sometimes big tantrums in the evenings. I think it’s because we are struggling to get him to bed by 7:15! Any tips for expediting dinner? He also has a two-month-old brother who might also be to blame for his brother’s tantrums.