New Mom: The $40 Nap

I never paid much attention to gas prices before they became topic #1 on the evening news. Pre-baby, I had a dependable, dated, but very fuel efficient compact car. My commute to work is less than five miles round-trip (sorry, Commuter Mom). We would use my husband’s much more comfortable SUV for long trips, and I filled my tank once every four weeks or so. But then I got pregnant and bought my first real grown-up car, a lovely pre-owned gas-guzzling SUV, which calls for premium unleaded, of course. And then gas prices soared above $4/gallon. And then New Girl decided she would no longer nap in her crib at home. She naps just fine at the center. She sleeps just fine all night long in her crib. But just try putting her in the crib around noon, and I’m met with inconsolable howls of protest. With only two weekend days to work with each week, it’s been impossible to “nap train” her the way we did for bedtime sleep. Plus, if it’s after 10:00 a.m. and we get in the car, she falls asleep like a champ.

So, we’ve gotten in the habit of simply planning our weekend errands around long drives in the car. I will go a very very very long way anywhere and everywhere as long as New Girl gets her zzzs. In many ways, it’s not as inconvenient as you might think. As much as we may be tied to the car, I have a friend who struggles with the fact that she MUST be home from 1:00-3:00 — no ifs, ands, or buts — in order for her son to get the nap he needs at home. At least we’re mobile. But with sky-high gas prices, I’ve calculated that these mobile naps may be costing us as much as $40 a weekend, not to mention the cost to the environment. My mother says it’s common for children in child care to refuse to nap in their cribs at home. However, I think her entire survey sample includes myself and my sister. Has anyone else had this experience?