I love sleep, but I manage a household of 5 people, 3 of whom are 5 yrs old or younger, so I don't get nearly enough. Ever. And, while some people are fully functional when tired, I am most definitely not. I get cranky, can't think straight, and feel especially lazy. Even Starbucks can't keep me awake on my most tired days.
As a result, I love to take naps, even if it doesn't happen all that much. Being a Mom, most times are not acceptable for a good, solid nap. In order for me to achieve a nap where I actually get some real rest, a few conditions must be met. First, my brain needs to know that someone is available in the event of an emergency - meaning someone needs to be available to hear the phone or anything else that might happen. I need to know that the kids are being taken care of and won't bother me. My mind needs to be able to rest knowing that it's OK if I procrastinate on laundry or other chores for a little bit. I also need to know that there is nothing happening in the next couple of hours that I need to be ready for. And, last but not least, it helps to know that my house is NOT full of strange men doing construction in my kitchen. Oh, and silence. Pure silence.
Those requirements put every day of the week out of the question for a nap, leaving only the weekends. And, everyone is home on the weekends, making the house quite loud and full of energy. This is where my earplugs come in, and have been one of my best friends since becoming a Mom. I usually look for the perfect opportunity to check out for a couple hours, and that often comes on a lazy Saturday or Sunday, especially when football is on (not my Huskers, of course). My husband has no problem with hanging with the kids at the house, essentially forced to keep the TV on football. I retreat, put in my earplugs and a little eye-mask if it's really bright and my mind can settle knowing that Husband is in control of all kid things. I can't hear, can't see, know everyone is safe and accounted for, and so I can happily catch some zzzzz's. My earplugs are one of my most important Mom-supplies - you can easily find them in the pharmacy section of the grocery store.
I highly recommend this strategy for a weekend nap. Most husbands won't complain if you say "would you mind just hanging with the kids and watching some football (or insert their favorite activity here) while I take a nap?". You might even be able to squeeze in some free laundry-folding while you're at it. And then you wake up a couple hours later well-rested, with baskets of folded laundry, and a happy family. You might even coordinate with the kids' nap time so that your husband gets some quiet alone time in the house. Everyone is happy, especially Mom. And you know what they say if Mama ain't happy :-)
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