On The Road

Car naps can be both a blessing and a curse. If I'm on my way somewhere and she falls asleep for a few minutes in her car seat, it can be enough to throw off her entire nap schedule. However, we've discovered at times that the car can be the best way to squeeze a nap in when nothing else will. With gas at $3.25 a gallon right now, it's not the most cost-effective method. And since she usually wakes up the minute you take her out of her car seat, my parent's old suggestion of driving her around the block to get her to sleep and then going home has fallen to the wayside. However, if I have to make the long drive to Great-Grandma's house, I'll make sure to leave around naptime so she'll sleep the whole way. I use the same strategy to try and give her a nap when I'm driving somewhere that's only 10 to 20 minutes away. I'll leave early, let her fall asleep along the way, and then I'll sit in the parking lot playing Solitaire or Scrabble on my pocket PC until she wakes up. Hey, if you can't beat the problem, use it to your advantage!