I remember my mother being insistent on my brother and me taking naps (partly for her own sanity, I now know!). I fought it, of course, but only when I was old enough to think I should. As I grew older, Mom had a compromise — after a half hour or so, she would tap lightly on the ceiling below my bedroom with a broom handle. If I was awake, I then was allowed to tiptop downstairs while my younger brother slept on in the next room. He was (is) three years younger.

That memory got me to wondering how old children should be before naps gradually disappear. Donna Friener, a nurse at the St Louis Children’s hospital, explains the importance of naps for children and offers a guide as to when they can — and probably should — cease. See that short article here.

Monkey Business: Noah and Amos the Bear Go to the Zoo

One of my inspirations for starting Storybook Quilts was naps — what could be better than taking a nap with a quilt story that’s your old friend? Teddy bears, favorite dolls and other wonderful cuddles are important. The quilts usually win on warmth, though!

I see [Turtle], and the other themes, as both nap companions and an inspiration for children to make up new stories about the fabrics in the quilt — maybe while they are waiting for that tap with the broom!

You can win [Turtle] or one of the other themes by helping us give him a name. Enter the Name the Turtle Contest here. We look forward to you ideas!

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