{Nap Time Mommy Tip}

When I signed up to be a guest contributor here at Wait Til Your Father Gets Home, I was first thinking about sharing a recipe, craft tutorial, or knitting project but then I had an “A-HA” moment.  I thought, “Meredith has a little one with one on the way so how about I share a ‘mommy tip’ with her readers”.

Okay, a little quiz first.  What is the phrase that mom’s love and toddlers dislike with a passion?  Would you like a hint?  Okay, I’ll give you one.  It happens in the afternoon usually soon after lunch.  It’s….

Yes, the dreaded nap time.  Now before I share my tip with you today, I’d like to give you a bit of background on my three kids.

Yup, this Playskool tape recorder.  “How does this get a child to nap?” you ask?  It’s really simple.

I first determined that even if my daughter didn’t sleep, if she rested quietly for 45 minutes to 1 hour she would be recharged  enough to last the rest of the day.  Most of our kids (music) tapes were15-20 minutes in length so if she listened to a tape 3 times, she would have rested long enough.

So, every day at nap time, I would tuck my daughter in and tell her, “You don’t have to sleep but you have to rest with your eyes closed.  Once you have listened to your tape three times, your rest is over and you can come downstairs.”

Well, you’ll never guess what happened every time.  I would hear the tape play through one time.  Then I would hear it play a second time and then……..complete silence for an hour or so! Then, I would hear the tape play through for a third time.  My daughter had no idea that she had drifted off to sleep and I always had a “warning” that she would be up soon when I heard the music play that third time!  A win-win for everyone!

Now, I know they don’t sell these tapes anymore but I would think you could burn a CD and create the same scenario for your little one.

Thanks for allowing me to visit today.  I’d love for you to stop by 4 You With Love sometime.  I have a Spa Day Saturday series where you’ll find some DIY spa recipes, you’ll find some free knitting patterns along with crafting and DIY tutorials and much more.  In June I am also kicking off a spice party that a long with other things, includes monthly and seasonal spice giveaways!  I hope to see you soon!

Thanks so much to Marilyn for that awesome tip!  I might just have to try that with my toddler once naps become an issue for him {hoping they don’t, but you never know!}