I don’t remember exactly when I decided that I was going to add a nap into my daily routine. I think the start of our family nap sessions originate back to the days when my secondborn didn’t sleep and a nap was essential to my survival. Before then though, I had never been a napper. It seemed counterproductive to sleep during the one quiet period of the day. But I’m here to say, just take the nap. I promise, you won’t regret it.
My son eventually started sleeping, but I kept napping. He’s 7 now and I had two more children, and every day after lunch all the kids know that it's time to snuggle up and rest. Naps are part of our family rhythm and I suspect it’s so woven into our days that we will always adhere to this pause in the day.
And that’s the key: the pause
These days it isn’t as much about the sleep as it is the opportunity for rest and reflection. Cross my heart there is nothing more peaceful than holding your child for a calm, afternoon nap. Whether they're a baby or a 7-year-old, a nap provides the perfect reset.
I often listen to an audiobook or music while nursing and rocking my youngest and then we tiptoe to bed and climb in. I reach over and hold hands with my oldest and we drift off to dreamland together. Sometimes we sleep for just an hour, sometimes up to three if we’ve had a really rambunctious morning. And I love it. We all do.
Having a daily nap time breaks our day into two segments
We have our morning tasks, lunch time, rest, and then our evening routine full of outside time, dinner, cleanup, and bedtime. I’m a big fan of organizing the day like this. In fact, I’d venture to say that running four shifts — morning, nap, after nap to bedtime, and after bedtime — allows me to be more productive than if I was to skip napping since my body can easily stay up later at night.
It’s a win-win. In the afternoons, I get to snuggle and rest with my babies and at night, I get to enjoy some quiet, productive time alone.
For me, naps have become a necessity
The calm sleep brings is the perfect recentering in stressful times. And during our current unplanned never-ending days at home, a nap is the perfect thing to schedule into your day.
So, let go of the extra project, the bread we’re all supposed to be baking, the closet that needs organizing. Disconnect from social media, snuggle those you love most, and refuel with a refreshing nap. Then, when you’re abuzz at 11 p.m. like I am, you can recategorize your recipe book, fold laundry, or binge the latest streaming craze.
Mama, just take the nap
Start tomorrow. It might take a few days for your kids to settle and embrace the new routine, but I promise, your presence — even your sleeping one — will bring a sense of stability to your children and the rest you get will give you the boost you need to keep going in these trying times. And, as the center of your family, holding it all together, I'd say it's not just a luxury — it's a necessity.
