I want to get rid of them... UPDATED

...at least for 2 hours or so!

We switched to twin beds (long story, Aiden broke his crib) and now naptime is nonexistant. I'm a full time night student and I had really relied on naptime to study. Now I'm tired, stressed, frazzeled, and I've looked everywere for a drop off program for 2 yrs and can't find any. In August they'll start preschool 2 times a week, but I do not see how we are going to survive this semester. Every day I think about quitting.

My parents work; dh's parent already come on Thursdays so I can get to clinicals. DH helps a lot, but there is still just not enough time in the day anymore. I think I'm going to have to look into a regular babysitter, but I don't even know were to start to look for someone good. You know? And daycare is both too expensive and they want at least 4 days a week. Ugh. Is it summer time yet?!?!?!

UPDATE--- I think I solved the nap time issue! I taped tin foil over the window (under the curtains) so now the room is so dark that even if they wanted to play with their toys, they wouldn't be able to see their toys. So far they've slept 2 hours!!!!

 

...at least for 2 hours or so!

We switched to twin beds (long story, Aiden broke his crib) and now naptime is nonexistant. I'm a full time night student and I had really relied on naptime to study. Now I'm tired, stressed, frazzeled, and I've looked everywere for a drop off program for 2 yrs and can't find any. In August they'll start preschool 2 times a week, but I do not see how we are going to survive this semester. Every day I think about quitting.

My parents work; dh's parent already come on Thursdays so I can get to clinicals. DH helps a lot, but there is still just not enough time in the day anymore. I think I'm going to have to look into a regular babysitter, but I don't even know were to start to look for someone good. You know? And daycare is both too expensive and they want at least 4 days a week. Ugh. Is it summer time yet?!?!?!

UPDATE--- I think I solved the nap time issue! I taped tin foil over the window (under the curtains) so now the room is so dark that even if they wanted to play with their toys, they wouldn't be able to see their toys. So far they've slept 2 hours!!!!

 

I wouldn't give up on nap time just yeat. We had to do "quiet" time in their room for a while & then they started napping again. If they are safe in their room than maybe you can squeeze a little study time in.

 

I agree on the quiet time. you can spend a few days in-forcing it and then you will have the rest of your semester back.

 

UGH!!! This happened to us too. They stopped napping the minute they went to toddler beds. I was rehearsing a play at the time and needed nap time to learn lines....It was so stressful.

I found a sitter on a website called sittercity.com. You can advertise a position and babysitters log in and answer your ad. I think it was like $20.00 to sign up and $4.00 a month to remain a member. I was able to find a college student in my area who would sit for 3 hours here and there on days when I needed to get things done without the kids.

HTH. I really feel for you! Nap time was so precious to me.....

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the replies. We've tried quiet time and enforcing nap time and it usually results in them jumping and wrestling until someone gets hurt. Enforcement was a joke. I spent a few days going in there constantly to put them back in bed; threats, time outs, and spankings did nothing. The minute I left chaos resumed. I've even tried one at a time, but it doesn't work either.

He thinks we should turn the lower level den into a toy room. (Like a basement, but open to upperlevel. Maybe think loft in reverse.) Put all the toys down there and gate the stairs. Baby proof outlets, etc. Perhaps they'd play quietly down there for a few hours so I can get some work done.

I've also looked at babysitter ads online and might consider that if I have to. I wish we could afford the local Montessori school since they do 6 months and up, but its not an option with twins and one income.

Thanks for listening!

 

I finally had to seperate them. One will lay down in my room and the other in their room. This has been the only way i can get them to nap anymore. Otherwise, they laugh, talk, giggle, jump, pull, push, I think i may be missing a few but you know what I mean!

 

I can't even imagine what will happen to my boys if I put them in toddler beds at this age. My boys are around the same age as yours, way active now. Is it possible to get an used crib? We had to get two crib tents and this seems to be the only solution for them to stay in bed. I too think sending them to a full time toddler program is very expensive, preschool gets a little cheaper after they are potty trained. In my area, average fulltime daycare is $1300/month for one child, times two that is $2600. Ouch! I hear you totally!

 

if you really need the time then you probably need to find someone to lend a hand.

maybe you could find someone to be a 'mother's helper' since you'll still be home. the cost probably depends on what part of the country you're in and if you want them to be fully responsible for the kids or just to entertain them for a bit.

good luck to you!

my boys stopped napping around the time that we went to toddler beds. i couldn't take it so i ended up putting them in the car around naptime, they'd fall asleep and then i'd carry them back in the house and put them in their beds. it worked until i got pregnant and couldn't carry them up the stairs anymore. if their sound sleepers it might be worth a shot to try the 'car nap' until you can find some help.

 

I know I'm a little late in responding, but I read your post and had a thought I wanted to share. When I went to college, we had a bulletin board to post things like "roommate wanted", items for sale, and misc. jobs. If your college has a board like that, could you post an "ad" for a student to come by daily for a couple hours in the afternoon to give you that study time back? True you wouldn't know the new sitter, but it sounds like you would be studying in the house, so you'd be there. Hopefully you'd get more than one possible sitter and could do reference checks and interviews and choose. I would negotiate the salary too. When I have my sitter come to help out while I'm there - I don't pay as much. Maybe you could do the same. Even if you're able to get the play room set up the way you described, you're likely to have your study time interrupted for a variety of reasons.

I hope you get something figured out. It's so hard to try to finish school when you have little ones. My husband just graduated last May with his nursing degree. It was a long haul, and I'm SO glad it's over. Keep up the good work!

 

my dd napped until the day before she started Kindergarten. I wouldn't give up yet. If they won't sleep. I believe a quiet time is a necessity for you and them.

 

There is a website callled babysitters.com. You just enter in your zip code and state. Good lucK

Michelle

 

My DS plays in the living room alone, the girls in their room while my DH works from home 2 days a week. Sometimes they will just fall asleep playing...James on the couch or the girls will fall asleep curled up with the big stuffed dog we have in front of the fireplace.

He has on monitors etc, and most days it works out fine. If you need to, have one play in the "safe" toy room and the other in the bedroom. As long as they can not see each other they should be ok to do their own thing for a bit...it might take some training. But that is where a temp mother's helper, or extra time with the IL's, would come in handy. Just someone to train them to be good on their own for a bit, or to re-train them for naps. That way you do not have to commit to anything long term, and can get them trained for both some quiet time individually and nap times.

Otherwise, I know that the only way I was able to finish my Thesis was to get DH to watch all the kids for several hours, several Saturdays in a row and I went to the library to study/write, getting out of the house and away from the dirty dishes and laundry was a must.
Good Luck!