Walking a Wire

Naptime is a difficult balancing act. I must follow every step in the intricate naptime routine, from reading to bouncing on the bed, in a precise order, for a precise amount of time. Any deviation from the routine can throw off sleep for all three children, resulting in a later naptime for everyone.

Enforcing rules is a difficult balancing act. When I see a rules infraction, I must declare the restitution the violator must complete, and implement a progressively harsher series of punishments for failing to comply.

That’s how the kids went down for a nap almost an hour late today. Abbie swiped a box of cereal and carried it into the boys’ room. She dumped its contents on the floor (infraction). I forced her to help clean up the kibble (restitution). When she refused to help, I sent her to her room (punishment). When I gave her a second chance and she knocked the garbage can over instead of helping (worse infraction), I sent her back to her room to nap with no naptime routine (harsher punishment). When I rushed the boys through the naptime routine to make up for lost time, the truncated routine threw them off their sleep pattern. The screams coming from Abbie’s room helped send the boys into tantrums, and the competing screams fed everyone’s tantrum (now I’m being punished for some reason). I needed 15 minutes to soothe the boys and another 15 minutes to run Abbie through multiple versions of an adjusted naptime routine before everyone was content. Even then, everyone banged around their rooms for several more minutes, possibly hoping I’d make an encore appearance.

The boys learned that I’m always available to help soothe them. Abbie learned that I’ll lesson any punishment if she throws a big enough tantrum. If I were on a tightrope, my left foot would be moving perpendicular to my right foot.