Working at home seems like the perfect situation because you want to stay home with your kids. But in reality, there are days when nothing is achieved. Certainly, the days are long, but somehow, it doesn’t seem to have enough time to achieve those job goals.
Working while your child sleeps is usually the only way to be productive. If you’re like me, you’re so exhausted at the end of the day you can barely connect the sentences. And when I wake up in front of the kids in the morning, one of them inevitably wakes up and we walk around the zombies all day.
It leaves you with a nap. Before I became a mother, I spent many years working with children, from newborns to school-age children. So I was able to use that experience to prioritize my child’s sleep. That’s the only way I could start a business from home.
Eight ways to consistently nap your kids can do more work:
1. Naps are important.
First, remove the mum’s guilt of wanting your child to take a nap so you can work. Naps are extremely important for your little one’s growth and development. Most children will be at least 2-3 years old and will need to take a nap until they get longer. My 4 year old instead spends quiet time in his bedroom, but sometimes falls asleep.
Lack of sleep can lead to all kinds of problems. Tired babies can get mad or have difficulty finishing the feed. As you know, overstrained toddlers tend to get big meltdowns and gross. Deprived sleep is even a source of noisy food! Children become reluctant to try new foods or sit still when they are exhausted.
summary: Children of all ages (and adults!) need to recharge, so consider nap times unnecessarily negotiable and not luxurious.
2. Routines are everything.
Establishing a NAP routine is key to getting your child to take a consistent nap. Doing the same thing every day will tell you what is expected of your child.
Kids love to know predictability and what comes next. There are naps one day, but if not on other days, it just confuses them. Confusion leads to resistance. Therefore, try to take a nap every day at about the same time. Patience takes weeks to do this and it becomes a normal pattern.
It is essential to set up a wind blowing routine similar to nighttime bedtime. Place as many sleep cues as possible to send a message that it’s a nap. This looks different to all families.
You don’t need to pull it out, but it could be as easy as changing your little ones, putting them in a sleeping bag, drawing curtains, cuddles, singing babysitters and saying good night. Just do the same thing with each nap.
summary: Persistence and consistency are the only ways to ensure your child has a nap.
3. Fill your stomach.
Children have small tummies that need to be filled regularly. If they are hungry, you cannot expect them to fall asleep or stay asleep. Now we’ll continue with the routine again! You may be a mom who doesn’t like routines. You may have more flow (I wish I could do that sometimes!), but it’s important to develop a routine when you’re juggling your kids and working from home.
It makes sense not only to set up naptim, but to eat together at the same time each day. You know what they say: routines lead to patterns. Patterns become habits. Habits lead to changes in behavior. Naps that are timed to follow diets and milk feeds ensure you are not awake to relieve swelling. These meals are nutritious and full of foods that help you sleep (like foods that contain tryptophan), such as chicken, oats, yogurt, eggs, chickpeas, and almonds.
summary: Routine. Routine. Routine.
4. Go outside and move.
Days with kids are incredibly busy. When working on food, when you find time to change diapers, clean up messes, never-ending laundry, errands, and play with your kids, there’s little time left. You can forget downtime for you until they’re shoved into bed at night! Whether it means placing toys everywhere or leaving breakfast dishes on the table, there’s one thing you should definitely try to make time. And it’s been outdoors together.
Fresh air and exercise will activate you, so you can find the energy and motivation to last all day long. But the other obvious bonus of external play is that it tires the kids. Sunlight increases the production of melatonin. This is a wonderful sleepiness hormone. So, walk anywhere, meet friends in the park, go out into the garden and become a child, and make your child regardless of the weather.
summary: Physical activity is essential for developing the body and is also amazing for mom’s mental health.
5. Create the perfect sleep environment.
The world is a large, overwhelming and exciting place for a slightly developed brain. Your child’s nap should be a sanctuary away from noise, distractions and messiness (if possible)! I like to keep my toys away from the bedroom and keep them as calm and neutral as possible. A light room can prevent them from falling asleep (there are many fascinating things to see!). Therefore, it is important to make it black.
To block home sounds, the lawnmower next to you, or a track passing by, play white noise or babysitting very loudly in your bedroom. Move your toys out of bed, except for your favorite comforter (only if it’s been more than 12 months for safety reasons).
summary: Set up a quiet scene that calms your busy little body and mind.
6. Fill in the emotional cup.
They need you as much as they need to eat and sleep. It’s easy to get caught up in everyday life and be completely exhausted by the chaos, a small child. But don’t forget that they long for you and quality time more than anything. You are their world.
You work from home so you can be with them, so stay with them when switching out of work mode. Allocate special times every day each day, including physical play, such as ball games and riding a bike. Time to be stupid together, like dance or tea parties. And she snuggles up against the sofa and shows affection as if she’s looking at a book.
summary: When they had a comfortable moment with you, they will fall asleep feeling loved and safe.
7. Sleep promotes sleep.
Have you heard that the more consistent your child’s nap, the better they sleep at night? All children’s sleep needs are unique and the amount of sleep they need is constantly changing. Follow your child’s clue. Look for signs of fatigue and act immediately. Often those broken nights can be caused by lack of sleep or getting too close to naps during the day. On average, young babies need 14-15 hours of sleep over 24 hours, while infants need between 10-14 hours. This varies from child to child.
Is your little one a cat napper? It can make it seriously and defiant to accomplish anything. Babies often cat until they are about six months old. After that, several resettlement techniques can be attempted to implement to reach the next sleep cycle. Ideally, you’d like to take a nap at least an hour, especially for an afternoon nap, so it’s a truly resilient sleep.
summary: A good daytime nap can improve nighttime sleep and vice versa.
8. Naps don’t always happen.
This brings me to my last thoughts about naps. They don’t always happen. It may be as great as they take a nap, but children are human only and resist sleep for a number of reasons. They experience developmentally normal sleep regression, illness, teething, separation anxiety, developmental leaps, and sometimes want to push yet another boundary. My baby recently started pulling herself. Everything is normal and expected behavior.
The stage will pass as long as you stick to your routine and try to stay calm. They will take a nap again, but for now try to stay patient. Your child is always more important than work. It can be frustrating, especially if there is a work deadline, but you will need to find other time to get it done. Don’t work hard on yourself or your children. Oh, don’t forget to let yourself nap every now and then.
summary: Naps don’t always go as planned, but it’s a child for you!