Mom, Are You Cleaning During Naptime?

More from the article in Parents Magazine.

Attention Moms!
#3 Do your chores while your kids are awake. Using up nap-time to wash dishes is truly soul-crushing.

Appreciate the Help
Yesterday I really came to appreciate this. I realized, and may have said before, that the boys really love to help me do anything they can help me with. They are truly wonderful helpful little men. They can't learn to do it right if we don't let them learn.

Magic Cleaning Fairy
If we are doing chores when our children are asleep, they are going to think that there is a magic fairy who comes and cleans the house while they sleep whenever they are asleep...

How does that teach them to pick anything up? How does that teach them how to work?

Satisfaction and Accomplishment
We need to not only let our children see how to keep things tidy and clean, but we also need to allow them to help us do it and give them the satisfaction and accomplishment. :)

Mom: Rest, Relax, Enjoy Nap-time
When your children are sleeping, do something fun for you! Read a book! Join an online nap party! Update your blog, but only if it is fun for you to do! You deserve the few moments to do what you really want.

Our children need our attention... when they are awake
When our children area awake they demand a lot of attention and it is generally exhausting. :) I know you know what I mean. Take a few minutes to relax and regather yourself and make sure they take a nap every day (if they are still in the age)

Melatonin
I am going to admit that I go to the health food store and get a bottle of 1 mg, orange flavored, Melatonin and I break one pill into 6-8 pieces. I give each of them the tiniest amount and they will relax and go to sleep (It really is a tiny, tiny amount that I give them - don't over do it.)

Horror and Terror
I only give this to them when they are obviously not going to lay down and take a nap on their own and I know that they really need a nap to finish the days activities or there will be horror and terror. I really don't like tired meltdowns and I have to have them rested for me to be able to function properly in activities.

Tired Children Don't Have Ears
My children don't listen to me when they are tired. their brains have turned into themselves and they can't hear anything other than the very overstimulated sounds in their head telling them that there is more to be seen and nothing to be heard. ;)

In Conclusion: Cleaning
Conclusion Part 1: Do your chores and cleaning with your children. Don't let them think there is a sleep time fairy that comes and cleans everything magically.

In Conclusion: Super Mom
Conclusion Part2: You deserve to sit down and rest during nap time. Make sure they get a nap and make sure you do what you want for a minute during the day. :) You are super mom and even super mom has to relax to keep being super mom. :)

You Can Do It! Enjoy right now!
Cara :)