Ulterior motives

I know I sometimes come off as though I think I'm an expert on parenting.  I don't think that.  How could I be?  I have one kid who is only 18 months old.  Perhaps I appear that way because I'm just an extremely conceited person.  I choose to think it's because as a stay-at-home parent, I want desperately to feel as though I am knowledgeable about something.

A few weeks ago I said I judged other moms for a few a things, one of them being have a cranky toddler out when it was clearly nap time.  I shouldn't have said that, both because I shouldn't judge, and because it didn't accurately express what I was trying to say.  I know that I can be judgmental, and I shouldn't be. I don't know the circumstances that cause a person to act a particular way, and I shouldn't pretend to understand them.  We all judge, but that doesn't make it right. I don't like being a judgmental person, and I want to change.  I want to set a better example for B.  My husband and I often discuss the fact that we don't want to screw him up too badly (working on the assumption that we are all screwed up in some way!)

Young children need naps.  Healthy sleep habits aid learning, decrease obesity, etc. Here's my confession: I'm not such a stickler about naps because it's good for B.  I want to be home for nap time because it's good for me.  If all he gets is a 20 minute snooze in the car we're both going to have a bad day.   Nap time is my time.  I spend part of it doing the housework and chores that are difficult when he is awake, and then try to spend some time doing something for me: writing this blog, reading, even answering e-mails.  There are going to be days when we're out and it's unavoidable, but I try to limit those, because it really is worth it to me to be home every afternoon.  When we're out for consecutive days, I get nothing done.  It's my sanity. 

I'm not an expert; I'm just figuring it out as I go along.  As a mom I truly appreciate hearing what has worked for other moms and I'm just hoping that what I learn can help someone else and that I can stimulate some discussion that can help us all.