In line with setting routines, I’d say another important part of the day is nap time. This is especially so if your kids are still toddler to preschool age. For one, they need all the sleep they can get so they can grow up big, strong and healthy.
Also, sometimes nap time is essential for us parents to keep our sanity intact!
For adults, nap time can also be called “power napping,” which is especially popular in the office setting. Getting a few minutes of rest (from 15 to 30 minutes) helps keep us alert. Or at the very least, this can help us catch up on some sleep if we don’t get enough at nights. Research tells us that 15 minutes is the optimal time for power-napping because this is the time when our brain waves reach those patterns wherein we feel most alert after waking. Too little time and we don’t get enough rest. Too much, and we would only feel sleepy and less alert.
For kids, meanwhile, they need as much sleep as they can get. The brain’s pituitary function–which tells the body to grow–only works when we’re asleep. So sleep is important, especially in those growing years.
Another very compelling reason to take naps, aside from the growth factor, is that children usually get very cranky when they’re sleepy. And cranky kids can be such a headache for parents! Believe me, I’ve had those times when both my kids missed their afternoon naps and they end up very cranky in the early evening. This can potentially spell trouble, especially if you’re looking forward to a good dinner or catching up with quality time in the evenings.
Originally posted on February 7, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
