Tips For Making Nap Time A Good Time

By TheNanny612 On May 26, 2007 · Leave a Comment

There comes a time
in every child’s life (really, there comes in time in every day for most
young children) when she needs a nap and doesn’t want to take one. Kids
don’t like naps. They feel like they’re missing out on the world
of adults when they have to lie down and take a nap. But they are obviously
happier and healthier when they’ve napped enough. So how do you go about
making nap time more fun for your children so that they get the sleep they need
and you can get your rest?

Make nap time
a ritual. Whether you are running a preschool daycare or just trying to
get your own two-year-old to lie down for a nap, having a ritual for the
nap time will make it go more smoothly. If your kids always eat lunch,
go outside to play and then come in for nap time, they will know that
this is what is going to happen and they’ll begin to get used to
it. They may still fuss that nap time has come around but there shouldn’t
be long drawn out arguments of the “I’ll take a nap later”
variety because nap time will just be a set time.

Include comforts that make
nap time fun. Favorite blankets, stuffed animals, a much-listened-to CD, a ritual
storybook, a back rub … these are little things that can make a nap more
pleasant. Just think about how much easier it is for yourself to fall asleep
when you’re in your favorite pajamas and have the sheets that you love
on your bed than when you’re in a strange environment and you can see
why these comfort things make nap time easier.

Make nap time something to
look forward to instead of a time when your child is “missing out”.
Kids feel like something exciting is going to happen when they take a nap and
that they’ll miss out on it. If the nap IS the exciting thing, this isn’t
so much of a problem. Teaching your child about dreams and discussing their
dreams when they wake up is one way of making nap time a exciting time. If your
child doesn’t understand dreams yet, you can have a time when your child
lies down and closes his eyes and just imagines. Follow the nap with an activity,
such as drawing what your child dreamed, which reinforces how fun the nap was.

And finally, don’t
fight with your child about naps. You don’t want to get involved in a
power play with your child about nap time because then it becomes a negative
time. If your child really doesn’t want to take a nap, it’s possible
that she actually doesn’t need to. Give her a quiet activity to engage
in instead of taking a nap so that her body can get refreshed and enjoy the
peace and quiet. No one should have to battle about sleep!

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