Nap time is one of those magical windows as a stay-at-home mom. Right? That is, if you're not completely worn out by the time the kids are in bed.
Both boys are on a really solid sleep schedule right now. They go down at 1 and usually sleep until about 3:30. Honestly, for their ages, that's really good — most kids fight naps like it's their full-time job. Not mine. They love to sleep, I have a feeling it's genetic.
I've kept them on a very strict routine, and I truly believe that's the reason it works as well as it does. The hard part? I don't always use the time wisely once I have it.
The Nap Guilt Is Real
Most days I end up napping too — especially when Ben, better known as Pippy, has had a rough night. He's been working his way back to his normal routine after being sick, and it has been tough. A lot of night wakings, and for a while he was getting sick in the middle of the night, which meant no sleep for either of us. It was a whole thing. Getting him back to his usual twelve-hour nights has been a battle, and on the hard days, it feels like I am on a newborns schedule.
So yes, I nap. And then I wake up feeling like I got nothing done. But hey, at least I am rested, and ready for the evening rush hour. The cleaning is either taken care of or planned for — I do that early in the morning and again during their independent play after nap, because I'm noisy and our home is small and one story, which means one loud dish bang and they are wide awake. So I can't use nap time for that anyway.
"I wake up feeling like I got nothing done. But hey, at least I am rested, and ready for the evening rush hour."
The One Thing That's Been a Lifeline
Here recently, at least once a week, I've been going to the gym during nap time with a friend. I cannot explain how much this has helped. Getting out of the house and talking to another actual adult — it's been exactly the reset I needed. My husband works from home, so on that one day I'm able to go while the boys sleep and not worry, he is usually off by the time they get up. I'm so grateful for that, and I know not every stay-at-home mom has that option. Most days I don't either — it's just the one day a week that works out, but it certainly helps get me through the week. I have been trying to make more time to go in the evenings, but it is hard to have the motivation or time.
What I'm Trying to Do With the Quiet
I used to crochet during nap time, thinking it would be productive without being loud. The problem is it relaxed me so completely that I'd fall asleep. So that plan didn't hold up long.
Now I'm trying something new: this blog. Writing during nap time feels like the right fit — it's quiet, and it actually means something to me. It is my own personal journal. That I of course share with you guys. I want this to be a space where moms can come and feel a little less alone in the middle of the day. Because one of the hardest parts of staying home is the isolation. You're with your kids all day, which is its own kind of fun — but adult conversation, a moment to process your own thoughts, a place to share with other moms? That doesn't happen often.
So if you're sitting down during your own nap break right now, eating lunch in the quiet, scrolling for something that actually feels truthful — you found it. Come join. Share your chaos. I've got plenty of mine to share too.
