When youre a parent, naptime is the second most-looked-forward-to moment of the day.
My older son dropped his nap by age 3.
Plus kid #2 was on the way and I needed him quiet during the babys midday nap.
Buthowto make that switch was the million-dollar question.
This gradually turned into play quietly in your room, but dont comeoutof your room.
As the months (and years) went on, he fell asleep less and less frequently.
(This is similar to the silent return in sleep training.)
This can go on for a while, so be patient.
We both had more challenging second children.
(I go into my room or my office.)
Something about getting to choosewherehe is lets him win a battle and short-circuits the complaining.
So for dinner, I sometimes serve their favorite meal, and sometimes I servemyfavorite meal.
They complain, but they learn that in our home, everyones wishes should be accommodated.
For quiet time, I stress thatIneed a rest, either on my bed or in my office chair.
When our babysitter is on duty, I say, You have to be quiet so Sarah can haveherrest.
Everyone needs a rest after lunch.
It helps that my first son has a pretty mellow temperament, so he was relatively easy to transition.
My second son, even though hes more fighty, models his behavior on his big brother.
Just like when tired babies cant sleep.
Its rare that we have a two-hour quiet time in which both kids are perfectly chill.
Even now, four years in, my 7-year-old will sometimes ask me how much longer?
several times (even though he can read now and actually enjoys quiet time).
They get a break from the stimulation of activities, from each other, and from me.
They get a moment to look at books and even be bored.
Or arguing about whether its Tuesday.
