What Do You Do During the Kids Nap Time??

I often have guilt when I take a little time for myself too when there seems like there is so much to do. But you NEED TO for your health and mental health!! Mom's need quiet, brainless, down time too every once in a while!! Every Night before bed, I always make my top 10 list of things that I want to get done the next day (and I limit it to only 10). Once you get done and cross those things off the list in the morning or by lunch, it feels so good and you don't have that guilt!! This is REALLY working great for me. Then in the afternoon you can take that down time. Then I usually do a 30 min.-45 min power clean/picking up before my husband gets home. Or you could always clean for 15 minutes or so during nap time and then do your own thing for the rest of the nap time.
Don't feel guilty, you deserve your own quiet time!!!!
C.

Amen to taking "me time" while the kids nap. That's what I do without guilt. It really rejuvinates me and gets me ready for the next round of play time.

My mom once said to me when i was a young mom..."In 5, 10, 20 years, are you going to remember if your floor was clean?"
Give yourself some "me" time and do not feel an ounce of guilt. Being a stay-at-home full-time mom is an amazing job, but in many ways a thankless job. You have to give yourself some thanks.

I make sure I do one thing as soon as the kids go down to sleep, like clean the kitchen, unload the dishwasher, wipe down the bathroom...pretty much whatever needs to get done that's bugging me. After I do that, I take some downtime for myself. It helps me be more patient with the kids. Don't feel guilty...you need time for you too...and if you won't take it, no one will force you to! Good luck! :)

Being a stay-at-home mom is work. You're the boss and your success at achieving the type of home and children you raise is up to you. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by this concept, but at the same time, I am up for the challenge. I find that I do a chore and then I can reward myself. When I lay my daughter down for her nap, I have a mental list of 3 of the most pressing things I should get done. For example, sort and start the laundry, empty the dishwasher and mop the floor. Then once I do the 3 things I needed to do most, I reward myself with a break. When I was working outside the home, I got 2 15 minute breaks and a 1/2 hour lunch break for 8 hours of work. I equate that rule of thumb into my new job of being a SAHM. I take about 15-20 minutes to reward myself with online time, phone time, reading or whatever. I get the main things I need to get done, and I don't feel guilty when I take a break.... but I also don't waste away all my free time on a phone call or online.

It depends on what I need to get done but I never ever feel guilty about not getting the house clean - MOM's are busy - the house will get clean eventually. Do what you need to to relax.

Enjoy it.

Feel guilty, your aloud a break every 4 hr by law that's 6 times a day. Not much of a break when your working 24 hr shifts, but remember to punch back in after the 15 minutes is up, make sure your check is right, you don't get repremanded, or even fired. April Fool!!!!!

I say take a break, no one is going to tell you when you feel you need to, but you'll know when mommy needs a little me time.

Hi Lisa,

Don't feel guilty!!!!! Mom's need down time too! If we don't take care of ourselves then we can't take care of the ones we love.

So, for me ... it really depends on the day. Some days things just NEED to get done and it's so much easier to do some things when my daughter is napping. Like yesterday I really really needed to clean the oven and scrub the kitchen floor. It was beyond disgusting. ha ha ha But, trying to scrub the kitchen floor when my daughter is awake is absolutely impossible. So, I did it while she was napping. I also cleaned the oven.

The great thing was, it didn't take me that long and those were the 2 things I had planned to do during nap. So, I allowed myself the rest of the time to work on something I wanted to do. I was trying to sort through our home videos ... what a task!

Anyway, some days I will nap too. Other days I will surf the net, catch up on e-mails, read, or just sit and stare at the wall.

Obviously we have to maintain the house and what not, but I've found if I just try to do 1 or 2 things every day then it isn't so overwhelming. I always make sure to take time for myself though. I really believe it is important. Being a mom IS exauhsting!! We need the rest. We need time to recharge and reconnect with OURSELVES! We spend so much time being mom and wife we often loose sight of ourselves. So, it's important to keep in touch with 'us' beyond mommyhood and being a wife.

Don't feel guilty!!!

I work from my home so I typically go to work when my son naps.. especially since now it's the ONLY time I get all day really to get things done. I usually do high priority things first like phone calls for biz things or getting thigns together for working in the afternoon. However, if I didn't work.. and I didn't get a little break (I consider working a break in a way cause I love it), then I'd take it for myself!!! Why not.. you need a break!

If I am really tired I will take the first 25 mins and lay down myself. The rest of the time I will waist time on the computer or get dinner started. I have to say, most of the time I don't do anything productive.
Reading other peoples' responses is motivating me to do more during that time. I dread the day I loose that precious NAP TIME!

Sometimes I'm "productive" and get things done around the house but I've made a new rule for myself - essentially, as happy as it would make me to say, have a clean bathroom, I'm not going to punish myself and not allow myself to do something I enjoy just to get the bathroom clean. So I read or paint or watch something utterly brainless on TV or nap instead. Before I made this rule I was completely and totally burned out AND the house STILL wasn't clean because there really aren't enough hours in the day.

Don't feel guilty. Moms need timeto recharge, too. Being a stay at home mom IS work! :)

I work, but on the weekends I tend try to balance my time when my son takes naps, although he has really just about outgrown them now. I might throw in a load of wash or fold clothes while I watch t.v. or talk on the phone. I have come to accept the fact, though, that it is O.K. to not multi-task every second of the day. You work hard and deserve down time, too!

Hello Lisa,

I look at it like this, what other time do you get to yourself? None, I am always busy with one of my kids, house work, and everything that needs to be done in the day, that when my kids lay down, I take that time and do what I want. Shower is the big one, lol but even to read or watch TV, get online, I enjoy that hour to myself, and I know that my 2 year olds are almost done with naps, so I am not looking forward to those days. Don't feel guilty, you need time for you and if that's the only time you can find it, at least you are finding it:o)

My kids don't nap anymore, unfortunatly, but when they did I split up the time. If they napped for 2 hrs, then 1hr work, 1hr for myself. Somedays, like Mondays, I had alot to do, so I would work/clean the whole time, but most days I took some time for myself to recharge.

Lisa,
Don't feel bad. A relaxed mommy is a better mommy. I used to spend naptimes cleaning and then by the time my son woke up, I was irritated, anxious, and exhausted. Now.....I wish he would nap because I need so badly some time for myself to get homework assignments done. Enjoy those naps while you can. They don't last long enough. :)

In the event I get all three kids down for a nap at the same time, I really try to NAP MYSELF! :) I find that when this happens, I have more energy after the kids go to bed at 8pm to do the stuff I need to get done and I'm not cranky all dinner/bath/bed hours because I'm exhausted.

I work during the week, so my answer is only for Saturday and Sunday.

Right now, I do nothing productive. I am usually on the computer. Why? Because my husband sits on his you-know-what and plays video games for 2 hours while the twins nap. I refuse to be productive and work while he does nothing. :)

Guess that's a statement on my marriage too!

Ha!!!

I always tried to do a little of both - like watching TV while doing chores that don't require leaving the room a lot. Or set a timer and rest for a short time then move on to get things done.

I either nap or fold laundy, but usually nap myself. Sometimes I surf the net or talk on the phone too. This is mostly since my daughter is a light sleeper despite all my best efforts when she was an infant. So needless to say the house needs to be pretty quiet during nap time. We all need time to ourselves even if we just sit and vedge. Don't feel guilty about it.

I sit on the computer, watch TV, or curl up with my son and take a nap.
I work from the time he wakes up in the morning until the time he goes to bed at night (what's that, a 14 hour shift?). So I feel I can take those 2 hours and be lazy!
If the house is still a mess and I know my husband is coming home, I throw a load in the laundry, start the dishwasher, and spray some bleach in the kitchen sink. Then it looks and sounds like I've been productive all day!!! :) SHHH...that's my little secret

lisa; its ok to take care of yourself, if thats the time you get to shower, or do what you need for you wether on phone or crosswords, do it, its ok, its even better than ok, cause when you clean, while kids are awake they want to be with you , and they learn how to clean, and watch you do so or eventually help, so dont fret over taking care of yourself, even on a job y ou take breaks and get yourself in shape for next round, ahahah enjoy life and have fun, without the guilt! D. s

Ummm, with a 3 year old and a 22 month old, I think you've more than earned that break!!! But I do know what you mean - if I take my daughter's nap time to just relax or nap myself, I often feel guilty for not getting things done around the house. So I've compromised with myself and sometimes I relax, sometimes I clean. It's good to find a balance :)

For me it depends on the day and what's going on. Monday I mopped and cleaned because company came Tuesday. Today I will do nothing because I have worked hard all week. I feel it is important to find balance in life. My 4 yr old doesn't nap anymore, she stopped at 2.5yrs. I fought giving it up, but then switched to quiet time in her room. All work and no play, makes mommy no fun, so give yourself a break.

I too watch tv or surf the net while my son naps. Don't feel guilty for not cleaning. I ususally set a goal or one task a day. I throw a load of laundry in or a quick clean the bathroom, then the remainder of the time is "my time" to relax. If it's the only time you get to have a break....TAKE IT! You need it and it helps you feel better, then trust me, your kids are better for it! Good luck, I know it's all balancing act. :) Certainly, don't feel bad for doing something you enjoy.

I think feeling guilty is something every mom feels at one point or another. We are programed to put our family before us and it really wears on us...at least me! This is what I do to try and balance it all. Monday is laundry day, yes, I only do it once a week, however, that means I usually have four or so loads. Tuesday is cleaning the bathroom and kitchen. Wednesday I don't do a thing. Thursday is cleaning the basement. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, I do nothing!! I vaccuum every night when the kids go to bed, they (3 year old and 1 1/2 year) know they have to pick up the toys before bed. I do little things as they come along, but the major things I do on certain days. On Wednesday I usually catch up on phone calls and emails or nap. On the weekend, it is usually family time or we are off visiting someone, so we dont' really have time to do anything any ways. I feel by breaking things up during the week my husband doesn't expect a spotless house every day and he pretty much knows what I do every day. Now there is always the case if you are really busy on one day the chore gets moved to another day, or if you have company coming etc. I'm flexible, I'm a mom, I have to be!

The house work will always be there, take a few minutes for yourself.

I usually give myself small chores to do that take about an hour. Than with the second hour I do things I enjoy. It doesn't always happen that way and I don't beat myself up if I sit in front of the TV the entire time. I just know that there are things I need to get done. I have a running list and hope their checked off by Friday, otherwise I have a long weekend of cleaning!!

Nap time and bedtime are your time you use it for what you want to use it for. House cleaning can be done while there up.

i get the cleaning done first thing in the morning so when nap time comes i don't feel as lazy when i fall asleep too :) than i get a boost of energy to finish around 4pm, so it looks clean for my husband.

Lisa,

When my kids are napping I try to think of anything that absolutely MUST be done soon. If there are high priority tasks that need attention then I use nap time to tackle them, but if there are things that need to be done that are not urgent, then I tend to take some time for myself and do what I want, like, or feel like doing.

Really as moms we are on duty 24/7 and sometimes thats the only time we get that will potentially be uninterrupted. Take what you need for yourself and don't think twice or feel guilty about it. It has been my experience that the work will always wait for you : ).

Hello,

The issue with splitting up the naptime, is that you really never know how long they may sleep. I have a 7mo. old, so sometimes she is out for 20 min. and other times 4 hours. I normally do the small things I need to do first, like empty the dish washer, pick up toys, boil pacifires, wipe down the counters, things like that, then I will have some "me" time, on the net, phone or napping myself. That way at least I have accomplished something, and I will do the big things when Daddy gets home.

Good luck!
Hope this helps!
A.