Keeping Peace in the Home With Successful Naps

By Donna Stark

Now that many schools across the country have gone remote and are turning to online lessons, it's more important than ever before to make sure your daily life at home runs smoothly. And every parent knows that if a toddler does not get their nap in, the rest of the day can be kissed goodbye. So, in the interest of keeping sanity and productivity in the house, here are some simple tips on how to ensure a peaceful transition from morning playtime to afternoon nap time. Take a look.

Establish a Routine

Believe it or not, children love a good routine and nap time is no exception. Establish a schedule that suits everyone's day the best and stick to it! It may take several days of repetition before your children get to the point of knowing what to expect, but don't worry! It will happen.

Wear Out Your Child

By engaging your children with both mental and physical activities in the morning, you will end up preparing them for some serious sleep in the afternoon. So go ahead and take them outside for some physical play and then stimulate their brain with arts, crafts, music, and books. They will end up being so tired, they won't even know what hit them.

Design a Healthy Sleeping Environment

Your children won't be able to nap well if their room isn't sleep-friendly, so take the time to create a healthy sleeping environment. Here are some suggestions on how to do so.

• Keep the room reasonably dark and cool
• Run a fan or purchase a white noise simulator to drown out disturbing sounds
• Keep the rest of the noise in the home at a lower level
• Keep toys and stuffed animals out of reach (unless they need one for comfort)

Avoid Morning Car Rides

If your children are prone to falling asleep in the car, you may want to run your errands after their naps instead of before. Even just a 10-minute doze in the car is more than enough to keep them awake but not nearly enough to keep them in a good mood for the rest of the day.

Keeping Peace in the Home

Getting your toddlers to take their naps can make everyone's life easier but remember, what works in the beginning may not work after a couple of months. Children are constantly growing and you may need to adjust their nap schedule as the months pass by. But that's OK. A little bit of peace is definitely worth all your work.

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Avondale, Ariz.