That we are not much sicker and much madder than we are is due exclusively to that most blessed and blessing of all natural graces, sleep.
~ Aldous Huxley
To me, naptime isn’t an enforced act of leisure but an indispensable habit of life.
In India, or perhaps, specifically in the place I grew up, young girls/ women sleeping during daytime is considered a portent of bad luck for the family. So, no matter how laborious it gets, we continue to drudge in the same pace until the clock strikes ten (or in some houses, eleven) at night.
However, upon the arrival of a newborn, this situation changes in favour of us, the matrons of the household. We are allowed to take a nap (or multiple naps, if the baby sleeps enough) based on the demands of our biological clock.
Once the baby becomes a toddler, familial rules become even more relaxed and in some cases, forever forgotten. These days, my life is all about making the most out of the least, the prime factor emphasized being “Time”.
I have this tendency to overdo chores or undertake unnecessary work when baby D goes to school or returns home for a nap. The energy depletion leaves me on my last legs during the second half of the day and that’s exactly when he expects me to play with him. Sob!
One of the many resolutions I have taken this year is to go easy on myself, physically and emotionally, so that I can serve my world a little better. I have broken down the big resolution into numerous, subtle, easy-to-follow lifestyle changes, not to mention, my mandatory naptime routine being one of them.
Getting some shut-eye in the afternoon is always a good idea, if you are the primary caregiver of a baby or toddler. It is an inexpensive rejuvenation technique that gives enormous energy to spend quality time with the kid, without losing a bit of sanity. And of course, the streak of bad luck the primitives talk about must be an illogical old-wives’ tale whose spell doesn’t work wonders anymore. At least as far as I know.
How important is naptime in your routine? As a parent, what are the other factors you consider important, inorder to stay sane throughout the day?
Please let me know in the Comments section 🙂
Merry Motherhood 