(Picture credit Google Images)I've heard many homeschooling mothers declare that as long as she has children at home, there will be a daily quiet time. I've always thought it to be a good idea, actually.
In 1998 I had my first child. He slept a lot. You know, being a newborn and all. In 1999 I had my second child, and my first was only 20 months, so there was still a lot of sleeping going on. Next child came in 2003 and the first two were 5 and 3.5 and both still napping. By the time child #4 came in 2007, we were well established in a quiet time/nap lifestyle. All of my kids have napped well into age 5 and 6, and my older children have been easy to train in quiet time ways, since it has been a daily habit and also quite a privilege to be allowed to play quietly or read or color instead of sleep.
Enter Canaan. (And if we're being honest, I sighed loudly here.) He *just* turned three. Not even two weeks ago. And he flat-out DOES - NOT - NAP. Period. Not only does he not sleep at naptime, it has been VERY challenging trying to teach him to play quietly for an hour while everyone ELSE is having a quiet time. He sneaks out ("But I *LOVE* my Sissy!"). He sneaks out again. He sneaks out YET again. He plays loudly. He comes downstairs.
He drives me insane. At quiet time.
And in light of the obnoxiously non-quiet behavior of the smallest child, the older children are acting a little less quiet during quiet time as well. Today I had two calls for help with a movie on the laptop, one child yelling for help with an annoying brother, another child coming OUT of his room to ask for supplies for tonight's potato head night at Awana, and yet another child yelling for help, resulting in annoying brother being banished to the downstairs with lots of tears as he went.
NOT relaxing.
Which got me thinking: who is this for?
Off the top of my head, I'd answer honestly that it's for them and for me. The children are rested after quiet time. After a busy, hectic morning, everyone seems ready for some downtime - some alone time. They come out with smiles on their faces, ready to face the afternoon.
But if I'm being really BRUTALLY honest, I think quiet time must be more for me than it is for them. Because if a disturbed quiet time leaves the children happy and Mother decidedly UNhappy, maybe Mother needs to suck it up and find other ways to help the children recharge during the day.
Will be praying and will update when our precious, wise Father answers.
In 1998 I had my first child. He slept a lot. You know, being a newborn and all. In 1999 I had my second child, and my first was only 20 months, so there was still a lot of sleeping going on. Next child came in 2003 and the first two were 5 and 3.5 and both still napping. By the time child #4 came in 2007, we were well established in a quiet time/nap lifestyle. All of my kids have napped well into age 5 and 6, and my older children have been easy to train in quiet time ways, since it has been a daily habit and also quite a privilege to be allowed to play quietly or read or color instead of sleep.
Enter Canaan. (And if we're being honest, I sighed loudly here.) He *just* turned three. Not even two weeks ago. And he flat-out DOES - NOT - NAP. Period. Not only does he not sleep at naptime, it has been VERY challenging trying to teach him to play quietly for an hour while everyone ELSE is having a quiet time. He sneaks out ("But I *LOVE* my Sissy!"). He sneaks out again. He sneaks out YET again. He plays loudly. He comes downstairs.
He drives me insane. At quiet time.
And in light of the obnoxiously non-quiet behavior of the smallest child, the older children are acting a little less quiet during quiet time as well. Today I had two calls for help with a movie on the laptop, one child yelling for help with an annoying brother, another child coming OUT of his room to ask for supplies for tonight's potato head night at Awana, and yet another child yelling for help, resulting in annoying brother being banished to the downstairs with lots of tears as he went.
NOT relaxing.
Which got me thinking: who is this for?
Off the top of my head, I'd answer honestly that it's for them and for me. The children are rested after quiet time. After a busy, hectic morning, everyone seems ready for some downtime - some alone time. They come out with smiles on their faces, ready to face the afternoon.
But if I'm being really BRUTALLY honest, I think quiet time must be more for me than it is for them. Because if a disturbed quiet time leaves the children happy and Mother decidedly UNhappy, maybe Mother needs to suck it up and find other ways to help the children recharge during the day.
Will be praying and will update when our precious, wise Father answers.
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