reinstating quiet time
Rest time, quiet time, nap time, whatever you want to call
it; those glorious moments after lunch when your babes sleep. Oh what a wonderful time that was. Of course, my babes stopped napping a year
and a half ago. Jack was only just two
at the time. I thought for sure that he
would pick up napping again, but he was more interested in hanging out with his
big sister, and climbing on the furniture.
Our nap time was done. Don’t feel
too sorry for me though, when nap time ended, we started putting the kids to bed
*much* earlier. They are asleep by 7:10
most nights, and that has continued quite well.
it; those glorious moments after lunch when your babes sleep. Oh what a wonderful time that was. Of course, my babes stopped napping a year
and a half ago. Jack was only just two
at the time. I thought for sure that he
would pick up napping again, but he was more interested in hanging out with his
big sister, and climbing on the furniture.
Our nap time was done. Don’t feel
too sorry for me though, when nap time ended, we started putting the kids to bed
*much* earlier. They are asleep by 7:10
most nights, and that has continued quite well.
Recently, however, I have noticed that the kids are getting
extremely crabby in the afternoon. I do
not know how they go from playing so well together, doing school, enjoying each
other and generally being kind to one another, to complete insanity after lunch
time.
extremely crabby in the afternoon. I do
not know how they go from playing so well together, doing school, enjoying each
other and generally being kind to one another, to complete insanity after lunch
time.
I decided to
reinstate quiet time.
reinstate quiet time.
What does quiet time look like? Well, yesterday was our first day back at
it. It mainly looked like me putting the
kids in their bedroom, and turning on an audio book. It also looked like, 20 minutes in, them
yelling to me from upstairs if it was time to come down yet. I tried to make it special by promising a fun
activity after the story was done. They
did really well for about 30 minutes, and then they wanted to come down stairs
to see what the “fun activity” was. They
did continue to go back in their room to listen to the story for the entire
hour, but it was definitely a lot of me telling them to go back upstairs. I hope that it gets easier.
it. It mainly looked like me putting the
kids in their bedroom, and turning on an audio book. It also looked like, 20 minutes in, them
yelling to me from upstairs if it was time to come down yet. I tried to make it special by promising a fun
activity after the story was done. They
did really well for about 30 minutes, and then they wanted to come down stairs
to see what the “fun activity” was. They
did continue to go back in their room to listen to the story for the entire
hour, but it was definitely a lot of me telling them to go back upstairs. I hope that it gets easier.
I remember when I worked at a summer camp we had a rest time
after lunch every.single.day. Everyone
did, all the way up to the teens. It was
not an easy time, getting eight girls to sit or lay on their bunks and be quiet
for an hour, but somehow we managed. And
although I was laying in my own bed (praying for an hour of sleep, being a camp
counselor is hard work!), telling them to be quiet for an hour, I am hoping
that being in our own home, and in their own room, will help in this new part
of our day.
after lunch every.single.day. Everyone
did, all the way up to the teens. It was
not an easy time, getting eight girls to sit or lay on their bunks and be quiet
for an hour, but somehow we managed. And
although I was laying in my own bed (praying for an hour of sleep, being a camp
counselor is hard work!), telling them to be quiet for an hour, I am hoping
that being in our own home, and in their own room, will help in this new part
of our day.
My main goals for this time are to have an opportunity to
clean up from lunch as well as catch up on some other chores that are no longer
getting accomplished in the morning due to our homeschool time taking most of
my attention. And once in a while it
would be nice to sit down for five minutes!
I think that as the kids get older (they are five and three right now),
it will be easier to have them sit quietly and read a book or journal, or just
rest. Right now it is still about
training them, wish me well for the rest of the week!
clean up from lunch as well as catch up on some other chores that are no longer
getting accomplished in the morning due to our homeschool time taking most of
my attention. And once in a while it
would be nice to sit down for five minutes!
I think that as the kids get older (they are five and three right now),
it will be easier to have them sit quietly and read a book or journal, or just
rest. Right now it is still about
training them, wish me well for the rest of the week!
Do your kids still
take naps? When did they stop? After napping stopped, did they still have a
quiet time?
Linking up at Anything Goes and the Hip Homeschool Hop
take naps? When did they stop? After napping stopped, did they still have a
quiet time?
Linking up at Anything Goes and the Hip Homeschool Hop
Mine stopped napping when they went to school. When I homeschooled – we had quiet time for 2 hours in the afternoon. There was always a point, though, when the new brother in school bemoaned nap time – and all the older brothers would say, "Dude – I wish we had nap time." Is anyone ever too old for quiet time?
We transitioned out of nap time with a quiet time. But now at 7 and 10 their is no longer a nap time! Miss those days sometimes. There are days when Mommy needs a little quiet time (or even better a nap).
jeannine: waddleeahchaa.com
Love this, my daughter still has quiet time each day. We never stopped, even when she stopped napping! Most days she does a pretty good job. 🙂 I bet it will get easier for you! I found this post through the Hip Homeschool Hop. I think it would be a wonderful addition to my Anything Goes link-up I co-host on Wednesdays at Joy Focused Learning (.com)!
Quiet time is wonderful -I totally agree! I started my daughter (now 4.5) on them immediately after she stopped napping, so the training part was pretty easy for me. She was used to being in her room, expected to sleep, so I think it was actually exciting to switch from napping to being allowed to play in her room. She isn't often very *quiet* per say, but she does stay in her room and I get a break while my 2-year-old naps as well (he will be transitioning straight into quiet times too when he is done napping!! I love my hour on my own!). I make themed quiet bins for my daughter that keep her pretty entertained and I think it is just as important for her to have a break as for me -a break from lots of stimulation, and a chance to make up her own stories. I never thought of using audio books -I'll have to try that! She loves those. Thanks for the idea! And sorry for this insanely long comment….
Love this! We do try (TRY) to have quiet time after lunch or if they are just having meltdowns after school. I used to also use audio books a lot and now that Riley is older, she reads a book and Sydney will look through her books or draw. It's a great idea – especially during these dark, Winter days when there is no opportunity for outdoor play!