Nap Time for Toddlers!

Ever trained a toddler to sleep in a big kid bed?

If you have kids, I'm hoping the answer is yes. Otherwise, I'm not sure where your kids are sleeping... ;)

I went into Little Man's room Thursday morning to find that he was one step from out of his crib entirely. I think he was just trying to decide if the drop to the floor was worth the freedom. So we went out and bought him a twin mattress.

Overall it's been going very well. I remember being scared as a kid, so I did sit with him till he was almost asleep the first few nights (I know, some of you are throwing things at me now) but I'm trying to be in there for a shorter and shorter time each night as he gets used to it. Overall bedtime seems to be going excellently. It's naptime we're having issues with. I'm thinking we're about 50/50 on that--probably because he KNOWS he's tired at bedtime, but doesn't always recognize that at naptime. And who can blame him. He's not even two.

This, I'm reminding myself, is why kids have parents. Or one of the reasons. We know what's best even though they sometimes don't. I think before I had kids I thought parents pretty much just babysat all day and "raised" their kids periodically. I'm learning now that the "raising" part happens all day. How do I react when he disobeys? What am I teaching him through every. single. event. that happens during the day? Have you ever really stopped to ponder how amazing toddler's brain capacities are? They're learning SO MUCH and I'm so thankful God has opened my eyes to see how much I'm teaching him during the day.

He's down for a nap now (haha, at least, I'm hoping so. He's pretty quiet so we'll see. If he's still quiet in fifteen minutes I'm going to take a nap too. Adults have no need for sleep training. We loooove sleep.) and I'm glad for the time it's giving me to refresh my perspective. I love my little guy and I know every day how much of a privalege it is that God gave him to us to raise. But I want to make sure I make the most of every opportunity for that, while balancing discipline with love and the understanding that he IS just a kid, and a very little one at that.

What are some things you've learned about parenting? It's true, don't you think, that it's the hardest and most rewarding jobs ever?