How Dare He?

Oh, he dared alright. He said it. My husband said those words every mom dreads hearing: Maybe she doesn't need a nap anymore?!

Spoken like a man out of the house about 40+ hours a week, eh?

Any self-respecting SAHM knows that kids need naps until they are, oh, say...well, forever, I guess.

A mom of teenage boys once told me that you spend the preschool years convincing them they need a nap; and then you spend the teen years trying to wake them up sometime before noon! Be careful what you wish for, I guess.

But back to hubby's comment. Keira. Not needing a nap anymore? Hummph. He may have a point. But I don't want to admit it. I made my arguments for why she needs a nap. But in reality, it is ME who needs her to nap. I need that period of time commonly referred to as the nap but is, quite honestly, a period of sanity rejuvenation. I'd really like it if both kids napped, but I'm happy to settle for one napping while the other one gets a little quiet time (in the form of Scooby-Doo, playing card games with me, reading books, whatever). The morning usually consists of refereeing arguments and such; and it simply can't go on all day as well. Hence, the necessity of naptime - an afternoon respite from that which pushes us (me) to the edge.

Besides the obvious benefits of nap-time, there's also this unheralded power: the way that just uttering the words "Keira, it's almost nap-time" transforms her into Little Miss I-Can-Get-Along-and-Stop-Being-A-Pest-To-My-Brother. All I have to do is say those ever-powerful words, indicating that a nap is imminent, and suddenly there is peace and harmony in the Spiderman Tent. It is truly amazing. Maybe they should try this at Camp David sometime..."I'm sorry [insert name of warring countries here] - if you two don't work this out, you'll have to take a nap!" Bada-bing, bada-boom. No more fighting. Problem solved. Ahh, if mothers ruled the world.
So anyway....

Back on the homefront, Keira is still taking naps. For the time being. She's not happy about the arrangement. She is fighting it tooth and nail, baby and blanket. But it's happening.

For now, I'm winning the battles.

Who wins the war remains to be seen.