Rest Time Benefits for Kids
We all need rest, don’t we? More than we probably get. As our babies get older they start to drop nap times, and as they become preschoolers those naps go away altogether.
This is normal, they need less sleep. It’s also a bummer. Having those quiet times are so beneficial to the entire family!! (Not to mention I put a lot of work into teaching my babies how to sleep well!)
The end of formal nap time does not mean the end of quiet rest time. Let’s take a look at the importance of rest time and how to make it happen.
What's In This Post?
Rest Time Benefits
A few days ago I wrote about how preschoolers specifically can benefit from rest time. Quite honestly, they still need the physical and mental break during the day! Preschoolers are learning so much and playing so hard, having downtime can really help them out.
Having this sort of quiet time helps the whole family too. Requiring rest time for one member makes it easier to encourage other siblings to rest. (Ali and Sammy don’t complain about nap time because big brother Ben is resting too.)
This rest time is so valuable to me as a parent too. It gives me a chunk of adult time during the day to get some work done. And it reminds me to take care of myself and rest when I need it too.
This rest time doesn’t have to be boring for preschoolers. They can read, play, create, anything they can imagine. If you would like a list of activity ideas check out this post—> Rest Time for Preschoolers
What Should You Do When Your Toddler Refuses to Nap?
Toddlers can quite often refuse to nap. What do you do when that happens? Number one: Don’t give up the nap time. Katrina from Mama’s Organized Chaos has gone through this.
Seriously, regressions are common and it doesn’t mean that your toddler doesn’t need to nap anymore. It does mean you might need to change what nap time looks like though. That’s right, time to consider rest time.
Katrina does a great job outlining exactly what their rest time rules were and how they worked out for them. There is nothing wrong with giving your child limited options while they rest in bed. You can make your child stay in bed, but you can’t make them sleep.
Check out her post to learn more: Toddler Refuses to Nap? Implement Rest Time Instead
When Do Kids Stop Napping?
We know kids will push back against naps at times. And we know that two-year-olds really shouldn’t be giving up their naps entirely. But when exactly do kids stop napping?
I’ll give you a hint. It isn’t when your child is 2 and just decides to play through nap one day. There are actually a lot of factors to consider.
How old is your child? What are their sleep needs? Are they sleeping well at night? These are just some of the questions to consider.
What do you do in place of nap time (when you feel your child is ready)? Rest time of course. (I know, it’s the theme of this post.) Rest time is a great transition from nap life to no nap life.
Besides giving pointers on recognizing when your child is ready to move to nap time, Valerie from Chronicles of a Babywise Mom has tips on how to make this transition. She has experience with four kids, so she knows things.
Learn how the Babywise mom knew it was time for rest time and how she made that transition—> When Do Kids Stop Napping?
What Does Rest Time Look Like for the Child?
It is tough for moms to give up the nap, especially when we put so much work into teaching our babies to sleep. Rest time for us looks like a much-needed recharge time during the day. But how do you enforce it?
Emily from The Journey of Parenthood has four kids and she has mastered enforcing rest time. Her tips include reminding the child of your expectations for rest time. She also utilizes a monitor so her children know she is serious about resting.
Emily has for children ranging from 9 years old to not even a year yet, so she has a great perspective on how rest time helps the entire family. It is easy to see the benefits when you only have toddlers or preschoolers. But it gives me such hope for future rest time to see a 9-year-old still getting some!
Check out Emily’s post to learn how she handles rest time and what her children do during this time period—> Rest Time for Older Children
Rest Time For Life
Look, kids just don’t understand the glory that is nap time. (We as adults do though, right?) But just because they think they don’t need to nap doesn’t mean it is true.
As parents, we need to look at the big picture and decide if our children need that daytime sleep or not. We also need to remember that the end of nap time doesn’t mean the end of rest time. Kids still need quiet time to recharge during the day.
How this rest time looks can vary from family to family and child to child. But if there is one thing this collection of posts from 4 different moms teaches us, it is that rest time matters.
Here are more posts to help!
How To Transition from Nap Time to Rest Time
Transitions: Turning the Morning Nap Into Independent Playtime
How To Get Twins on a Schedule
Twin Sleep: Your Resource Guide for the First Years
