nap schedule and life
What do you do when you are invited to events that conflict with nap time? Fortunately, we haven't had that many and if it were really important, I guess we'd just go and deal with the consequences. But I'm feeling kind of guilty because my cousin is throwing a birthday part for her son next weekend and it's down in Richmond at 12:30pm, right at Warner's nap time. So basically, he'd be in the car for at least 2 hours where he probably wouldn't fall asleep, then at the time he usually sleeps, he'd be over-stimulated at a party full of 2 year olds.
We have a bunch of stuff going on next weekend, so it would have been difficult to go anyway. But when I saw what time it was and imagined the previous scenario in my head, I thought "there's no way that will work". Warner is a good napper, but he's terrible when he doesn't nap--this kid needs his sleep. Just yesterday I got him down for his nap late (bad mommy!) and he had a hard time falling asleep because he was over-tired and then he didn't sleep as long as he normally does and he was fussy all afternoon.
Does anyone else deal with this? I hate to be a slave to his nap schedule and be that mom that's all "oh no, MY CHILD MUST SLEEP! it's most important thing in the world" but it seems like whenever we mess with it the results are bad :-(
Re: nap schedule and life
can you wake him up earlier in this scenario and hopefully he'll fall asleep? that's a pretty long car ride, he just might
we do often attend events later or leave earlier b/c of nap time
it'll only last a couple of years...
I'm "that mom," too. The start of DS's nap time is a little flexible, meaning that he's usually OK if it starts anywhere between 12:00-1:00 if he's kept busy up until the start time, but generally, we avoid committing to any events starting in the 12:00-2:00 range. Everyone's happier that way
For a party in Richmond, we might consider bending a bit because DS will often sleep in the car, even if it's not quite nap time yet, so we might be able to adjust things for that day. If you know, though, that Warner won't sleep in the car on the way, I'd just skip the party and plan a morning or late afternoon visit another time.
My kids nap between 12:00/1:00 and 2:00/3:00 and neither of my kids sleep in the car - ever - and I really try to stick to nap schedules...and driving for two hours, to be at a party for what, maybe 2 hours, then driving back two hours - all falling within naptime for my kid, sounds like torture to me. So if I were in your situation I would either skip the party or bring the Peapod for LO to take their nap when we arrived in Richmond. But I guess that only works if the purpose of going down there is for you to visit with these folks.
If the purpose is for Warner to visit with them, I'd weigh it in terms of importance - as in, is it really important for Warner to see these people at this particular event, you won't get another chance for a long time, etc? Or are these folks that you'll see at other events and this is not the be-all-end-all event you need to attend.
I'm always thrown when little kids' parties are at noon - every little kid I know naps between 12:00 and 3:00 so parties are usually before and after that time. I think it's just my reality because my kids go to daycare and preschool where the kids take middle-of-the-day naps. But I do remember several ladies on this board commenting on this one time, and they made me see the light - not every kid naps when my kid naps!
this posts makes me feel better because other people have tried to make me feel bad about how rigid we are with the naps but DD is a bear if she does not get sleep. Also, she does not sleep in the car or really anywhere that is not her crib.
Could you go to Richmond earlier in the day to hang out with your cousin and then put him to sleep at his normal time at their house (even though it is during the party)?
I've found that in DS's case, he can be kind of flexible when it comes to nap time. He'll go down any time between 12 and 2. If I want him to go down early (at 12) then I just run him extra hard in the morning so that he'll go down easily.
If it were me, I'd try to make the party at 12:30, then leave early at 1:30, hoping that DS would sleep on the way home.
yes, lol. exactly.
the event itself is not crucial for us to attend, but I'd just really like to visit with my cousin and her kids. I guess I feel guilty because she has three kids (ages 6, 4, and 2) and manages to do all kinds of stuff without getting all hung up on nap times. And here I am with only one....oh well
and I guess the other non-baby/nap part of the equation is that I don't want to spend most of the Saturday of Labor Day weekend driving up and down I-95. talk about torture...