Tuesday, August 28

constant motion tests devotion

Nap Strike Two: Electric Bugaloo. I can't find the original Nap Strike: 2007 post but I'll be damned, I know I wrote about it back in July. That was a very long week at the negotiation table and won't be forgotten any time soon.

Now here we are in late August and for some reason, once again naps are really beneath her.

She will go as far to sit in the crib, as long as she is surrounded by her things and able to survey all that she rules (which is uh.. pretty much just her room). And maybe she will play quietly for 20 minutes or so but boredom always sets in. Instead of sleep, the whining starts, then the crying, then shouting which always progresses to screams.

And when I reach my limit, break down from my refusal to answer the demands of a mini-terrorist toddler and go to the door, I always find her, standing right at the end of the bed, clutching her doll or animal-du-jour with a big grin. She squeaks "Hi!" and I find it impossible not to melt.

So this all translates to me losing mommy time (aka mommy surfs and turfs online) and I get frustrated and pound out stubs and stubs of incubating posts that never make it to publish.

Major suckage for the Motherbumpage.

Daytime is my writing time, I'm sharper, less distracted, and not apt to drift away to do things like I do at night (which may or may not include reality tv, foraging for food, or falling asleep).

Anyhoo enough whining on my part. Today I will attempt to exhaust the little lady by noontime and then I will try to be strong (stronger than her) and not give into the whining (hers, not mine).

But I have accomplished some stuff:

I have a new review over at motherbumper's laboratory on a dancing and karaoke game called Boogie for the Wii - go check it out - the picture of Bumper is really freakin' cute, if I say so myself.

There is a new column over at mommyblogstoronto, go check out Ask Mama T and send her your questions. You know and love her as Mama Tulip and now she's helping you with your issues over at MBT. Send her your questions (on anything - I'm serious! Wanna know the best way to clean your oven? wanna know what to do with your annoying best friends husband? wanna know how to get your toddler to nap? Go Ask Mama T - I'm off to send her an email right now askmamat@mommyblogstoronto.com).

Shameless plugs are over. And scene.

16 comments:

karengreeners said...

Why don't you just tell her that her naps are a vital service to her mother, and therefore, she is not allowed to go on strike.
No?

Damn. Hope it ends soon.

Bea said...

Bub went on a nap strike sometime after his second birthday. We actually gave up napping for awhile, and then it got to the point where even a five-minute car-ride after lunch would have him fast asleep. So then we tried the silence-and-darkness method: tin foil taped over the window so that it was PITCH BLACK in his room at naptime. That worked for almost a year before he gave up napping altogether a few months ago.

Kyla said...

I know that, "Hi." It is said in the sweetest, most adorable little voice, isn't it?

I've got good nappers (generally) people hate me for it sometimes. BubTar is five and when he gets home from kinder, it is lunch, play, nap.

Sending Bumper all the sleepy vibes we can spare!

crazymumma said...

oh gawd. when the naps go away....

I think you have teh ticket tho...exhaust her at a playgroup. Or take her swimming! Always does the trick..

good luck!

ms blue said...

How do I get my child to nap might be a good question to pose to Mama T. Without resorting of course to hard liquor because that's for the mama's.

Anonymous said...

Ahh, the things I have to look forward to. Luckily, I do my blogging at night. When he get's so big that he demands a bedtime later than 7 and I can no longer squeeze in a full day all to myself while he sleeps, then I'll be going crazy.

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to convince Fric and Frac they need naps. Maybe Mama T will have good advice on how to get an almost eleven and ten year old to leave me alone for a few hours in the day....

I could always hide in the bushes, but that doesn't seem like the smartest way to run...

Julie Marsh said...

Mondays are especially long for me. Maybe there'll be a nap, and maybe there won't. We seem to fare better on rainy days though.

metro mama said...

I hope the naps come back soon. That really sucks. Not fair.

Anonymous said...

It doesn't happen often around here, thank god, but the days that are no nap days are some of the worst. I feel for you, girl.

I'm the same way with writing, too...I'm better and sharper first thing in the morning or during the day. The ol' brain cells seem to be harder to rouse after dark. It's hard because Julia doesn't nap anymore, but one of the things I'm looking forward to with her starting school this year is alone time in the afternoons.

Thanks for the shout-out. :)

Janet said...

I love the headline.

Toddlers who refuse to nap should be outlawed. My first did that. He turned out okay, in the end.

Chicky Chicky Baby said...

That sucks, babe. I'm like you, I need to write during the day while I'm, uh, awake and stuff.

What time is it now? 8pm?

Oh.

Zzzzzzz.

petite gourmand said...

you seriously just described my day.
my kid's on strike too.
there's always tomorrow right?
fingers crossed. (for both of us)

Heather said...

Those nap strikes suck big time. My daughter started one at 2 1/2 and pretty much never napped again. Considering I had a 6 month old at the time, it was not a happy realization for me.

My son is 3 now and still naps almost every day. He did have one nap strike but somehow we moved through it.

Hang in there!

Christina said...

Cordy was never big on naps. She gave them up entirely around two and a half. But she likes to play on her own now, so in theory I could write while she's playing by herself.

Except that Mira is following in her sister's footsteps and thinks naps are for wimps. Three months old and hates to nap. Ugh. They get this from their father, not me, She Who Loves Sleep.

Jenifer said...

Paige gave up naps at 26 months....and has never gone back. The times of just Mommy are a figment of my imagination.... I actually look forward to going to work to "relax".