To be productive or to not be productive; that is the question.
Like Clockwork
Nap time happens everyday around these here parts. I consider myself one of the lucky ones, in that my kids nap just fine. I do my best to stay on a schedule, so roughly 1pm is the normal time they go to sleep. However, I can tell them it’s naptime at 11 in the morning and they would, though a bit reluctantly, begin the naptime routine.
When the timepiece is broken…
There are also days when we are out and about and naptime either doesn’t happen or is a quick car seat nap. Either way, the hooligans almost always nap well…I’m sure this will change as Zoe gets older, but for now, it’s a sweet set-up.
Back to the point:
The nap-time dilemma. Once that afternoon slumber time has come I have usually already worked out, endured “learning time” or an outing with the kids, made them very particular breakfasts and lunches and had one or two cups of coffee.
One-cup-coffee days…
On these days, I have to decide whether to take a snooze myself or make some more coffee. It’s a more difficult decision than you might think. If I take a nap, I forfeit any chance of household chores getting done or Netflix shows being watched (they’re equally important, you’ll see). Also, taking a nap when the kids nap makes me anxious sometimes because I strongly dislike being woken up on on someone else’s time. Whether it be a child or an alarm clock, it’s no good. So, it could be pointless for me to go to sleep and not get a “full” nap. High maintenance, I know.
On the other hand…
When it comes to coffee, I just really enjoy drinking it (even decaf) without any children around, so nap time is perfect for that reason. It’s my favorite when I can sit down with a coffee, a book or my iPad and slowly drink the whole cup while its still warm. However, if I opt for the afternoon coffee I then feel obligated to do something somewhat productive, which leads me to think about how I can’t relax and enjoy my coffee when I know that I have to do real things when I’m done.
I know. Welcome to my brain. It’s a mess sometimes.
What’s more is that either choice (snoozing or making another coffee) is equally helpful for me to stay awake past 9pm, like a normal human being, to spend time with my husband.
Two-coffee-mornings
Days on which I have two coffees in the morning aren’t any easier; the options go directly to watch Netflix or [insert household chore here]. I’d like to say that the household chores outweigh Netflix time, but in truth, both are very valuable. Doing things around the house physically takes care of my family, in obvious ways, but Netflix takes care of them mentally.
Here’s how: mommy needs a break.
(There I go with that 3rd person speaking again!) Nap time, or right after the kids go to bed at night, is the only downtime I get in a normal day. It is the only time where no one is yelling for me from the playroom to help them put the Peppa Pig stairs on the Peppa Pig house, or from the bathroom to, well, you can probably guess, or from the kitchen to get them something to eat or drink. It’s the only time of day I can relax…maybe watch a show, shower, or work out if the kids bothered me too much earlier in the day when I attempted to go on the elliptical.
This is time I (and other parents) need…
For our mental health and the mental health of those around us, we all need time to ourselves. My parents and husband can attest to the fact that if I am without some down time, or nap time, I am kind of a b-word. I really don’t do it consciously; it’s just the result of the incessant “needing” from the kids. Anyone would be overwhelmed if there was never a break in a day full of children. Day care workers, nannies, teachers…trust me they all need breaks. And so, naptime is a welcome break…a needed break.
Don’t get me wrong…
That’s not to say that household chores aren’t also significant. Just last night as I was watching a show after the kids went to bed, I noticed my clean floors. I gave myself a mental high-five and told my husband that it felt great to have clean floors, even if they won’t last very long. Keeping the house clean keeps my family healthy and clearly makes, at least, me happy (after the fact, of course).
Quite the Conundrum
Nevertheless, this predicament I find myself in almost everyday gives me either a nice dose of mom-guilt or an overpowering sense of pride. Can you guess which nap-time choice yields each result? Alas, the inner battle I have over whether to be productive or relax will probably happen again tomorrow…so, today I’ll just watch Netflix.
