My oldest son will be starting kindergarten on Aug 15th (yikes!!!) This marks a HUGE transition for our family. I'm not a morning person whatsoever (never have been, never will be--despite previous jobs/school, etc), so moving to an earlier schedule is proving challenging for me. I've trained my kids to go to bed around 8:30-8:45 and wake up around 7:30-ish. Summer has had a slightly later wake-up schedule, but now that we are entering the real world of real school, I'm going to have to change things. My main concern is my 2 y/o. He usually naps from about 1:30/2 until about 4:30/5. My 5 y/o will start school just before 8AM and get out at 2:30. Since I have to pick up my older son during "normal" nap time (carpooling isn't an option yet), I'm debating over changing his nap to before pick up or after pickup. I know he will do better with the later nap, especially since he will only be waking up about 15-30 min earlier than usual in the AM and he can last really long until nap time, but I also am really ready to have some time to myself again (thus, the desire for the earlier nap).I would definitely prefer an earlier nap so I can have time to myself, but feel like that will be the more major adjustment. How have you experienced mama's handled this one?
@TL--I thought I would have received more responses too! Bummer!! As of now, I'm going to have my 2 y/o nap after school pick up . He will transfer one time after he falls asleep , so if he falls asleep on the way to pick up my older son, at least the little guy will transfer to his crib once he gets home and then I can have mommy time with my older one. Once the ridiculous time change takes place later in the fall, I'll move him to an earlier nap. I'm still hoping for more responses!!
I simply made my younger child's afternoon nap, to be AFTER my daughter finished school and we came home.
He still had his morning nap.
This was when my daughter was in Kinder and my son was about 1 years old.
I'm not a morning person either.
My mother in law got me the cutest night shirt that said "I don't do mornings".
I DID do mornings. I still do as we all must to an extent.
My kids are 10 years apart so my son was born into life that included mornings and taking my daughter to school and then picking her up in the afternoons.
It might take a little time, but you'll find yourself in the swing of things and you'll get your schedule adjusted in such a way that it works.
I discovered that a lot of things were actually better to do in the mornings.
For instance, after dropping my daughter off at school, the baby and I went to the grocery store to do our shopping. The store was WAY less busy then than in the afternoon. We did errands like going to the post office or bank.
That way, if the baby was fussy in the afternoon, I had all the little stuff out of the way already. We could pick up my daughter and go to the park or the baby would just fall asleep in the car and have a little snooze.
It will be an adjustment and it might feel daunting right now to think of all the mornings ahead of you once your child starts school, but you really do get into a routne and find what works and things level themselves out.
You'll find your groove, mama, and your little one will adjust.
Best wishes.
Wow, I'm surprised you didn't get more responsed to this one. I hear what you're saying about being excited about having some time to yourself again, but from what you've said about the new schedule.....you won't be getting time to yourself. Because if the earliest you can get the 2 year old to nap is 1:30 or 2:00, it will be time to leave to pick up the older one. And if you wait until AFTER the older one gets home, the 2 yr old will be asleep, but the 5 year old will be awake and needing help on homework and wanting attention from you.
I have been in your shoes, in fact, I have 3 kids, and they are all spread out age wise. Might I suggest you consider homeschooling the 5 year old? I know it sounds crazy, but you will be so stoked to be able to work your schedule around naptimes and such. Believe me, because I am speaking from experience, it sounds scary, but homeschooling is MUCH easier at that age than having them in traditional school. I HATED when my oldest was in public school and I had to wake up the middle child from his naps when he was a baby and all the way until he was 3 years old. Middle kid would be SOOOOO crabby! Then in the the middle of the year I pulled the oldest one out and started homeschooling. Best thing I ever did. Middle kid got his naps without interruption, we got all our schoolwork done early, and I even got a nap when the middle kid napped. The older one would read and watch a video while I took a short nap and recharged. It was awesome.
I know it doesn't sound right, but really you get way more family time AND time for yourself when you are homeschooling if you have kids at home that aren't old enough to be in school. Any questions, I'm more than happy to share, since I've done it all....public, private, homeschool, with 3 kids, all very different personalities and sleep habits. I'm pretty unbiased, I say do what works best for your family. I have tried other options, but I keep coming back to homeschooling, it really does work best for us.
My children had similar school schedules. The only way I could get the youngers to nap long enough was to put them down right after lunch. They transitioned fairly easily. Gave me more time to get stuff done around the house. Sometimes, if I was REALLY organized, I could do some dinner prep early. After school seems to go by really fast (homework, activities, etc.). Before you know it it's dinner time (bath, bed, etc.) and it's time to start it all over again.
Enjoy Kindergarten. It's such a magical age.
Oh, and I would rather sleep in until after school starts any day! Just my internal clock.
Put him down earlier. He'll get used to it eventually. Right after lunch just transition him down quicker.
if you get the older child up for school. you will have to get the younger one up earlier too.. so he will get tired and need a nap to.. I have played withnap schedules to make things work in our family... you can do it.
