Those who know me are well aware that I've gone and done a zaney thing: I've set Archer's room up with a floor bed instead of a crib. At about 5 months, he went straight from his cradle to a double-sized futon on the floor. This early introduction to a floor bed is part of the overall Montessori environment that is supposed to promote freedom of movement, exploration, and independence. Having Archer sleep on a floor bed, which has no bars to hold him in, means that we had to childproof the hell out of the room, while still maintaining a pleasent asthetic quality and opportunities for him to engage with his surroundings.
For the most part, we have been quite pleased with the results. But sometimes (especially lately)...
...I'll put him down on his bed for a nap and he'll fake like he's drowsy until I leave the room. Then, once the door is closed, I hear him roll over and start talking to himself in the mirror. Shortly thereafter, he'll crawl directly over to his toybox and start banging and stacking and tossing around the goods. Eventually, sometimes after an hour of raucousness, he'll grab his blankey and put his head down for a nap. Wherever he happens to be. Occasionally, he just never settles down for a nap.
Every once in a while this behavior stresses me out. Like he is not really getting the point about "nap time." I keep thinking that babies who sleep in cribs get bored quickly after being left alone, so take the hint and just fall asleep.
So - what is more important? Strict naptime routine or freedom of movement? Immediate self-soothing or exploration? Sleep or play?
