How to Keep My Kids Quiet When My 5 Month Old Is Sleeping.

Maybe schedule something fun and maybe crafty for the three of you to do while the baby is sleeping. Some painting on the kitchen table. Something to keep them occupied & quiet.

Are your older children in school during the day? And is the baby's room/crib separate from where they play? Have you tried to get them to do their homework quietly when coming home from school...a snack while watching a cartoon? Fun workbooks to keep them busy? You could use the ice cream as rewarding rather than bribing for doing as you asked.

Try adding a little "white noise" to your sons room. I use a humidifier on low and it helps drown out my 2 1/2 year old's screeches!!
If you don't want to buy or don't have a humidifier, try turning the radio on static for white noise.
Could one of his nap times be a quiet, reading only time or coloring/ art time for your girls? Then, if they are good all week you will take them out or something at the end of the week or some other reward system.

My kids always want to watch movies all day long and I've tried to make it a special treat only for when baby is sleeping. That if they can keep quiet for that hour or so they can have their special 'movie time' you could even have special snacks or drinks just for this time. A fan or humidifier is also great to help drown out some of the noise.

I have an 8 year old stepson and a 13 month old who still takes two 2 hour naps (I'm blessed with a great sleeper!) - who's my 'son' also - he's been living with me since he was 3.5; I never have any problems really getting him to be quiet during his brothers naps on weekends, or the afternoon nap - I simply offer him 3 choices. #1) take a nap (he never opts for that obviously) #2) read quietly and/or do a quiet craft activity in the kitchen #3) watch TV quietly and do 'quiet-play' with the door shut (our TV for him is in a seperate room)... usually he respects this 100% - I've NEVER had to make him take a nap - but my promise to him is that IF he can't respect 'quiet time' - which is a max of 2 hours, a min of 45 min, then he will need to take a nap too! It does seem like alot for a 8 year old to handle, but he manages his time w/ multiple tasks - like playing xbox for maybe 20-30 min quietly, playing quietly 30 min or so, doing a craft like activity for 30 min or so, or sitting w/ me and playing UNO or go-fish.

Hey S.
YOu can go to Walgreens and for 20.00 get a
noise maker...sounds of the rain, ocean etc...
whenever baby goes down for a nap or to sleep for the night turn it on (don't set it to shut off..make sure or it will break the sleep cycle....your baby will sleep better, and let your other children know that when that noise maker is on it's quiet time..no tv, no rough playing...quiet time...and you could set the oven timer for 90 min and say that when the timer goes off then they can play something other than quiet games. Hope this helps. T.

Youmight want to try planning a quiet activity that the kids only get to do when the 5 month old is sleeping. that way they will look forward to the naps everyday. Maybe some kid of craft. You can get a glue gun and some neat stuff they can make with your help at Michaels pretty cheap. hope this helps. T. P

Hi S.,

Another option would be a "white noise" maker for the baby's room. It's about the size of an alarm clock and makes different sounds that help block out any stray noise to help him sleep better. Target has one for about $15-$20. My sister uses one and she says it makes a huge difference.

Good luck!!

I am a believer in not trying to keep it quite when baby is sleeping. With both of my girls I had as much noise as I could around them. I had a sister in law who, when we went on vacation, would tell everyone to leave the house because her baby was sleeping and that was just not right. When our families went on vacation with my children no one had to go anywhere, my babies slept thru anything. It was a much happier atmosphere.

Good Luck!