To nap or not to nap?

This post was supposed to happen a few days ago, when we were actually considering this question. We've pretty much now decided. No.

When we first got home, we were trying to keep the boys on the same schedule they had in the orphanage, which included a nap from about 1 to 3pm. However, we were finding the boys were having a hard time going to sleep at night. Once they got to sleep, they would sleep for about 11 hours, but the getting there was hard even with lots of playing outside. If I had to guess, the boys weren't getting enough nutrition in the orphanage to have much energy so it wasn't a big deal to take a nap during the day and then sleep all night. But here they're being fed a little differently. ;) So after some consideration, we have stopped the nap during the day and the boys go to bed earlier at night and get up a little later in the morning. It seems to be working pretty well although the boys are whinier in the late afternoon. But bedtime at night is MUCH easier. They're still getting more sleep than they "need"--they get about 12-13 hours at night and they're supposed to only need 11. But if their development is delayed and they are closer to 3yo physically, I'm not sure how that would affect their sleep needs. Point being, we let them sleep as long as they need to.

Our usual schedule is something like this: 7:30-8am wake up, get dressed, breakfast by 8:30. Brush teeth then play for an hour or so (cars, blocks, etc.). Do puzzles and work on flash cards. If we go someplace like the Science Center we try to do that in the morning since it is less crowded. Lunch around noon or 12:30. By 1:30 we try to be outside--either in the backyard or at a playground close by. We play for about an hour or so then head home for a snack. More playtime and usually some more puzzles. Dinner is about 5:30 and we start getting ready for bed at 6:30. They're in bed by 7 and usually asleep by 7:30pm. I try to run errands in the morning if we need to do that, as they get pretty wound up in the afternoon and it's harder for them to control themselves. While I think it's important that they learn self-control, I don't see the need to force them into situations where it will be difficult. :)

The boys do not yet know we own a TV as they have never seen it on or the entertainment center open. :) We're not interested at this point in using TV to help with their language skills as they tend to zone out when they're in front of the TV (we see it even when they see TVs when we're out and about). We are open to them using the computer for learning, since it is usually more interactive. I tried a Blues Clues interactive DVD with them the other day, but after about 10 minutes they just lost interest. I think the lack of language skills prevents them from becoming really engaged. So we'll wait a while and try things like that again. I think some of the interactive children's learning programs will be really good for their logic and problem-solving skills.

We're continuing to see their English language skills develop. There are a few words now where the English word has completely replaced the Russian, and several others where they will use the Russian and English interchangeably. They still talk to each other and to us in Russian, I guess hoping one of these days we'll "get it". :) :)