About Sweetmama Editor
Nadine Silverthorne’s love of journaling began in Grade One with the entry, “I am the greatest dancer!” Two babies (and countless diaper changes) later, she has found her home away from home as editor of SweetMama. Don’t miss her humorous bi-weekly accounts of the joys and pains of working while raising them fabulous.
Don't Rain on My Parade
silver spoons canada
(Nov.16.09)
Yesterday, downtown Toronto was overtaken by the Santa Claus Parade. We Silverthornes LOVE the parade. Not because I need an annual dose of marching bands and licensed characters on wheels, but because of shared hot chocolate, mittened hands enveloped in mine, faces lit up like Christmas trees... and because traditions are nice.
(Also, because the parade helps to reinforce the "Santa Clause" in which I attempt to scare my kids into cooperation with the threat of a bearded man in a red suit, who watches them 24-7 and withholds presents from those who give their mommies a hard time.)
There's a slight snag each year though -- the parade runs from noon to about 4PM -- a.k.a. PRIME naptime window for little kids. What to do? Do you skip the nap and risk the terror that occurs at the hand of an over-tired two-year-old? (In a crowd of thousands no less?) I couldn't take that chance. So I sent my kindergartner to the parade with Grandma, Pop-Pop and our 12-year-old niece, while I hung back waiting for my toddler to wake up from her nap in hopes that we could hop in the car and catch the tail end of the parade.
Needless to say, Lucy and I missed the parade. And while I normally relish what I can do during naptime in a nearly-empty house, I felt disappointed for having been so strict about sleep. Children thrive on consistency, it's true, but was I right to choose between my kids based on their individual needs?
Then my pal Corinne of @hvbabywilltrvl tweeted a reminder that Lucy is only two; "Naps are important - don't 2nd guess. Next year she'll 'get' it more anyway." This was followed by, "since when was extra sleep a bad thing? I'd be relishing the quiet! record the parade- no biggie :)" from Stefanie Bourke of @Straight_Stitch. (What did moms do before blogs, Facebook and Twitter?)
This reminded me of one very important fact: Kids don't nap forever! In fact (halp!) most kids give up their nap between ages 2-4! I won't be sidelined by naps much longer. Oh wait... uh-oh! Why am I rushing us out of yet another phase?
Nate came home with a boatload of freebies and an enormous grin, as he told me of seeing Handy Manny and Lego Pirates and the big guy himself. (Santa gave him Gogos, which -- as his latest obsession -- blew Nate's mind.) He didn't miss me at all and Lucy was happy to spend the afternoon with me alone.
Plus, I made her watch the parade on TV for a bit... you know -- so she could put a face to my empty threats.
What would you have done? Do you find yourself missing fun family outings that take place midday to stick to routines, or do you skip naps and figure they'll catch up later?