Naptime is My Time

Naps are like a battery charger. Not just for my kids but for me as well. No, I don't "sleep when baby sleeps" but I do get a small break when the kids nap.

My kids vary rarely nap at the same time but when one is down I get a little bit of down time with the other. Or I get to work without being interrupted twice as much. And sometimes, if I'm really lucky, both overlap their naps by a half an hour or more. And when that happens... oh yeah, it's great. In that half an hour I either am very

We stick with the same routine most days.

Wake up, eat breakfast, clean up a little, play in the front yard, go enjoy a playdate, gym time, or another activity outside of the home. And then we return for lunch and naps no later than 1pm.

Then, depending on how much I tired the kids out, either one or both goes down for a nap. Each kid takes a 2-3 hour nap so when they stagger them we're home for the whole afternoon. And that can be good and bad. Sometimes I go a little stir crazy. I want to go do things, run errands, etc.

I mean, come on... the kids don't need me right at that moment. They're sleeping.

But instead of running errands and enjoying our afternoon I get sucked into the internet. I write, I work, I read up on the happenings of my friends and family. (And I get my daily Pinterest fix.) It's pretty much the same routine each day. Sometimes, although very rarely, I also get to do a little crafting. And that makes mama happy.

When my daughter naps, which is usually the first thing that hapens, I get a little time to play with my son. We create things, make fun art projects, bake, and play. I'm able to work one-on-one with him and focus on our colors, shapes, and other tot school activities. He knows it's his time and he tries his hardest not to get tired and miss out by falling asleep.

Then he goes down and my daughter quickly wakens. She knows that she needs to be quiet when her brother is sleeping although sometimes she gets eager to wake him up so I need to keep his door closed most days or else she will find a way to get him up. She usually enjoys a little swing time outside and playtime with the dog. She also loves playing with her brother's toys. You know... the ones he never lets her play with.

But that overlap is my time. My time to myself. 

It gives me the break I need to recharge, regain my control, and prepare myself for the whirlwind that is our evenings. And if my kids didn't take naps I wouldn't be able to get everything done. I don't know what I'll do when my son goes to preschool in the fall. Probably cry. But maybe he'll hold onto nap time and maybe I'll still get a few days of overlap.

I love naptime. 

What do you love to do with your time to yourself?