The No Cry Nap Solution by Elizabeth Pantley

Author:Elizabeth Pantley [Pantley, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

126 Solving Napping Problems

Zanon, four years old

Touch

Many children respond well to massage, back scratching, or

gentle touch as a way to help them rest and relax. Massage is

also proved to stimulate circulation, digestion, and neurological

development. It can even boost the immune system. If your

child suffers from any aches or pains, massage can bring relief.

Massage can also increase bonding and connection between

parent and child. If you can, build in a time for massage, back

scratching, or cuddles as you set up your Hush Hour routine.

Ritual

The key to making Hush Hour work is to understand that it may

not result in sleep but that an hour of peaceful rest can be won-

derfully rejuvenating.

Decide on a time and place and create a simple daily rou-

tine leading up to Hush Hour, since a child will usually need to

wind down a bit from playtime in order to relax. The pre-Hush

Hour routine doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be

consistent in its sequence of events and occur at roughly the

Shifting Schedules: Time to Give Up Naps? 127

same time every day. The routine might consist of having lunch,

cleaning up, changing a diaper or visiting the potty, choosing a

stuffed animal to rest with, picking out music to listen to, setting

a timer, and settling into the Hush Hour nest.

One way to help your child relax is to assure him that the

Hush Hour has a specifi c beginning and a certain end. You can

do this by setting a white noise alarm, iPod, or clock radio to

play for the entire one-hour period of time. Choose soft music

or gentle sounds. Tell your child that he can get up when the

music or sounds stop. This is a wonderful method because if

your child actually does fall asleep, he will likely continue to

sleep even after the sound stops.

Another Benefi t of the Hush Hour

A hidden benefi t of maintaining a regular Hush Hour routine is

that it can help capture the reemerging nap. Many children stop

napping for a while but then return to naps. This is sometimes

a result of change in their daily schedule, bedtime, or awaking

time. It may also occur in conjunction with a growth spurt or

burst of physical development. No matter the cause, if your

child doesn’t take a break during the day, you’ll never know if a

nap lurks below the surface.

Mother-Speak

“Maddison is allergic to the word nap. I could be two counties

away and mention the word, and she has a total meltdown!

Tantrum, cries, stomps, you name it! I really love the Hush Hour

idea and have started using it. Yesterday, I picked up Maddison

after school, and she got in the car and asked, ‘Mom, am I tak-

ing a Hush Hour?’ She’s accepted this in a way that she could

never accept a nap. It’s been a lifesaver for all of us.”

—Patti, mother to Maddison, age four, and Mason, age two

Continued

128 Solving Napping Problems

The Hush Hour for a Baby

There are times when your baby should be napping but simply

won’t. If you put him in bed, he just plays or cries. If you take

this as a cue to skip the

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