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How long is your afternoon quiet time?
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2-3 because the 2 year old is still napping and the 4 year still does occasionally. And I’m pregnant so I am still napping too :-). Also both my kids need that time to themselves or they are grumpy pants
We do an hour. My boys are 5 and 7. Younger naps occasionally; just quiet downtime with books and perhaps a quiet activity on separate beds. They share a room, but don’t rest well together, so one rests on my bed.
It took a while to train them up to an hour. I think I started with 20 minutes, gradually adding 5 minutes at a time.
For the longest time, we did an hour or a bit more. My children, (newly 10, 8, 6 and 3) all loved it.
Trouble is, we’re really out of routine lately because we’re finding it hard to fit in a quiet time now (for the older ones) because the volume of schoolwork for the older kids has increased enough that they need this time to work! (school seems to take a long time for us these days, but that’s another story, LOL)
Don’t want to highjack the thread, but I’d love to hear from misscegee and others with older + littles as to how you get in a good, long quiet time and still get school completed before the day is cooked? Our QT is/was always in the bedroom… do some of you assign your older kids independent work during QT and just call it QT because it’s in a different location?
We all do quiet time in the living room, sprawled about on the couch, recliner, or floor. It includs our read aloud time, during which the 3yo falls asleep (hopefully!!!). Then, after the read aloud, they are supposed to lay quietly or read quietly until I get up (about 20-30 minutes “Rest” for me). Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. It used to go so much better when our stereo system worked and I would play our listening piece right after the read aloud. They had to stay still until the piece was over….of course, I never told them when it was over (and so they’d listen to the whole CD!! Or i’d have the listening selection on repeat! *L* Sneaky mom!!! *L*).
On days that we’re home (4/5 school days most weeks), each person finds a place in the house. We usually spend it in quiet reading time. Ds3 gets to play quietly in his room with music or audiobook. Dd6, ds9 read or occasionally listen to an audiobook and work on a project. Dd12 often uses time to complete her schoolwork. On days we aren’t home, then we lose quiet time which makes me sad.
M-F I have a 2 hour rest time for my 5 (still at home) children. They are 13, 7, 7, 6, and 3. And I SO NEED that time!
Pam
I want to add to Angelina’s questions of fitting it all in, but also outdoor time. How much time outside and how do you fit that in as well as 2 hour quiet time and get all school and chores done?
For the older kids who read during quiet time, is that their school assigned reading or personal reading?
What do you moms do for 2 hours while your children are in quiet time?
Some of you who read aloud during quiet time makes it sound more like “story time”. Is that true? I am still trying to understand what quiet time is and what the whole point of it is. It has always intrigued me but I never really understood it.
Ours is every day for 1 1/2 hours starting at 1pm. Little ones who fall asleep are allowed to keep sleeping after 2:30, I don’t wake them. After quiet time is outside time, usually until dinner. My kids are 12, 8, 7, 5, 4, 2, 1, 4wks. Everyone does quiet time. Even Mommy and Daddy! We allow books and audio books. No getting up or playing with toys.
Oh, wow, I haven’t had quite time for years. I’m missing something, I guess! My 4YO gave up on naps when she turned two. What do preschoolers/toddlers do during quiet time? My 5YO and 4YO are so busy all the time.
For us quiet time is naps for littles and books for older kids (even if they can’t read yet) that’s quiet time is minimum of 2 hours for my non napper, if ds2 is still sleeping after 2 hours (almost always is) them dd4 can get up and we color, or bake, or start dinner prep.
Outside play for us is 30 min before lunch, so I can get it made in peace, and 30 min before dinner if the Mosquitos aren’t bad. We also like to go for family walks in the evening after dinner.
We also have independant play time every day we are home and not running errands. This consists of 1 hour of at time and entertaining yourself. Ds2 goes in a pack and play with 1-2 toys and plays. Dd4 is in the kids room and she can read or play dress up or what ever she chooses.
During independant play/room time (usually 9-10ish) do morning chore work laundry dishwasher stuff and shower and get dressed and pick 1 weekly chore to get done. During rest time in the afternoon (12:30-2:30/3) I usually sit for 30 min and read or nap, and then work on a project, do another weekly chore and fold laundry.
My kids are young. School consists of me reading to them during lunch and before bed. And my dd4 wakes up usually 1hr before ds2 so any “school” she does is before her brother gets up in the morning.
My kids both NEED independant time. On days where they don’t get that 1 he in the morning I can see a noticeable difference in behavior later in the day.
Sibling play is after breakfast from 7:30-9:30 ad that includes helping each other/me with their chores.
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