As we were driving home from Pre-K today my 3 yr. old daughter was telling me how she really, really wasn't tired and therefore it really, really wasn't necessary for her to take her usual nap. She had a hard time telling me this as she was trying to hold back the tears that were ready to betray her. She was half crying as she was trying to explain to me how a nap was quite pointless to her well being and state of mind.
"Really though Shayla", I said "Naps rejuvenate us and freshen us up for more activity". She wanted to have nothing to do with that. I just let it go.
Once we pulled into our nieghborhood and she realized that we were really going home she started up for a little bit about wanting to go out somewhere else. On ocassion we do just that, but not today as this little powerhouse needs to get back on her napping schedule, which happens to be better for All parties involved.
As we were rocking a little with the light out before the nap, as is our custom, she asked for a story which we do intermittently before naps. On this day, rather than turn the light back on and find a book, I just started telling her a little oral story about a girl named Shayla that thought that naps were overrated. One day she discovered that she loved them and was forever changed by this crystal clear realization. She had been foolish before to think that she was missing out on something somewhere while her nap was underway....
At first Shayla balked that I was cheating because I didn't have an actual book in my hands and because the story was about the glories of naps wherein she was the star character, but before long she settled. She listened to the rest of the story, and then asked, "Can I get in my bed now"?
"Absolutely", I said.
I tucked her in. Gave her a kiss. Clipped the hang nail she had just told me about, and then stepped back to watch her start to drift away.
Very well. Now all was right in the world. A nap was not only needed, but was warmly recieved at long last.
"Really though Shayla", I said "Naps rejuvenate us and freshen us up for more activity". She wanted to have nothing to do with that. I just let it go.
Once we pulled into our nieghborhood and she realized that we were really going home she started up for a little bit about wanting to go out somewhere else. On ocassion we do just that, but not today as this little powerhouse needs to get back on her napping schedule, which happens to be better for All parties involved.
As we were rocking a little with the light out before the nap, as is our custom, she asked for a story which we do intermittently before naps. On this day, rather than turn the light back on and find a book, I just started telling her a little oral story about a girl named Shayla that thought that naps were overrated. One day she discovered that she loved them and was forever changed by this crystal clear realization. She had been foolish before to think that she was missing out on something somewhere while her nap was underway....
At first Shayla balked that I was cheating because I didn't have an actual book in my hands and because the story was about the glories of naps wherein she was the star character, but before long she settled. She listened to the rest of the story, and then asked, "Can I get in my bed now"?
"Absolutely", I said.
I tucked her in. Gave her a kiss. Clipped the hang nail she had just told me about, and then stepped back to watch her start to drift away.
Very well. Now all was right in the world. A nap was not only needed, but was warmly recieved at long last.