Reply to Can you rest while supervising a 5-year-old?

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[quote=Anonymous]I'm going to give this post the benefit of the doubt that it's a genuine question not a troll. I was the main caretaker for 3 much younger siblings starting from around the age of 15 and can relate to OP's feelings of exhaustion.

Can you nap for around 30 minutes while watching a 5 year old? Ideally not, something is reasonably likely to go wrong enough that you will regret it. If you absolutely must, there are ways to make it a 'less terrible' idea. But, first I would recommend several alternatives.

Rearrange your schedule so you do 30 minutes of your homework while watching the child, and then you will have enough time freed up for the extra nap while you are not providing childcare. This can be accomplished by getting the 5 year old to do quiet activities at the table next to you - drawing, puzzles, those little art kits for kids, etc. If the kid is the type to want to copy "big kids" like you, get some kindergarten workbooks and you can both "do homework".

If that will not work because the child is too distracting for you to be able to study, knock out 30 minutes of your chores or anything else that takes up your time while watching the kid, then nap when you otherwise would have been cooking/cleaning/etc.

If you absolutely cannot adjust your schedule - trade favors with a close friend to come babysit while you get an hour of sleep, or find someone you trust with a young relative themselves who can set up a play date (the supervising teens gets to take turns being "on duty" for the kids each time, getting you a nap 50% of those days).

If all else fails and you are completely exhausted so realistically you realize you are going to end up falling asleep no matter your efforts, then the child needs to be in the room with you the entire time, the room needs to be child-safe, and the child needs to have a specific engaging task likely to keep them busy. It's not a good idea, but if life happens you need to make it happen as safely as possible.[/quote]

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