Nap Time

My baby girl has come to grips with how hard struggling with exhaustion can be. Everything is hard. Sleeping, eating, struggling to rub the itching off your nose, these become impossible tasks that end in tears every time.

I, in my infinite mom wisdom, prescribe a nap and some animal crackers to try and slow the slipping into inconsolable sobbing. 

 Although it may be completely obvious to me that she is just tired and can no longer handle the changes and frustrations of being an ever learning toddler, she is still learning to understand what being exhausted feels like. All she knows is that she doesn't like the way she feels. 

It's going to take her several years to learn to self-prescribe a nap, and that it is ok to do so. It took me until I was at least 13. Some adults I know still don't know when to cut themselves and break. 

I hope that I can help my daughter understand that it's not the tears that are her enemy. Tears are just a sign of being overwhelmed at the moment. They are a symptom of the deeper problem. Never be afraid to shed tears and never be ashamed of them. Chances are they will help you understand what will help the actual problem. More often than not it is the need for some quite, some rest, and the need to cut ourselves some slack. 

For now,  it is a fight to help her carve out some nap time in her day.  In a day that is filled with trying new things and attempting to master movement, frustrations abound. It is part of my duty as her mother to teach her that nap time is not a punishment. 

Now that I've thoroughly bored you with my wisdom I will confess that I am guilty of dragging my screaming toddler to her room and placing her in her bed saying, "for heaven's sake TAKE A NAP!"

no one is perfect.