I cheated. I brought two chapter books for Ana (one of which she was already halfway through - and I know when she started it (yesterday), so I thanked myself profusely for the foresight of bringing two) and also the wrap.
Wait, you ask yourself. The wrap? Like, to wear her? Wear this great big five year old girl in kindergarten?
Yup. That was my plan. Put her up and let her nap. Worked like a charm, actually - she went to nap with a minimum of fuss (and all of it civilized fuss, whining and chattering instead of kicking and screaming) and woke up two hours (!) later with a cheerful "Well, I'm back!"
And you know, there's one huge advantage to wearing a child who is really absurdly big to be worn habitually. Nobody says anything anymore. Back when Evangeline was a year, a year and a half (really comically small!) I got remarks along the lines of "Isn't she too big for that?" and when she was two it was "Aren't you too big for that?", but that tapered off at three, and now, if I wear her for fun or for nap or anything like that (much less if I put Ana up for any reason!) I get no comment at all, not even any funny looks. It's obvious, after all, isn't it?
(I don't, of course, wear Evangeline habitually at her age, and haven't for a year now. Once in a while she goes up for 20 minutes while I cook dinner, just until she falls asleep. Then I put her in her own hammock. She really is a bit big for that. But I can still manage it.)
Wait, you ask yourself. The wrap? Like, to wear her? Wear this great big five year old girl in kindergarten?
Yup. That was my plan. Put her up and let her nap. Worked like a charm, actually - she went to nap with a minimum of fuss (and all of it civilized fuss, whining and chattering instead of kicking and screaming) and woke up two hours (!) later with a cheerful "Well, I'm back!"
And you know, there's one huge advantage to wearing a child who is really absurdly big to be worn habitually. Nobody says anything anymore. Back when Evangeline was a year, a year and a half (really comically small!) I got remarks along the lines of "Isn't she too big for that?" and when she was two it was "Aren't you too big for that?", but that tapered off at three, and now, if I wear her for fun or for nap or anything like that (much less if I put Ana up for any reason!) I get no comment at all, not even any funny looks. It's obvious, after all, isn't it?
(I don't, of course, wear Evangeline habitually at her age, and haven't for a year now. Once in a while she goes up for 20 minutes while I cook dinner, just until she falls asleep. Then I put her in her own hammock. She really is a bit big for that. But I can still manage it.)