If you have a toddler, chances are you have experienced the dread that comes when traveling. I’m not talking about the long car ride tantrums. Nor am I talking about the frustration that comes when in an airport…or a train. I am talking about the dread of sleeping. Nap times, bed times…you know, the part of your child’s day that needs to happen to help keep your sanity in check. That is what I dread. However, thanks to the Janiebee Quilted Nap Mat, traveling with my toddler has become bearable again!
Janiebee provided me with this nap mat bundle for review and promotion in exchange for my honest opinion.
Just over a year ago my family and I moved across the country for a new job opportunity that was presented to my husband. This opportunity granted us the ability to live within hours of both our families. Which, as you can imagine, also granted us the ability to travel more frequently as well.
Fun. Right?!
Umm, no. Not exactly.
You see, as a mother of 4 kids, I have had my share of extremely sleepless nights comforting my children who refuse to sleep because they are not in the comfort of their own bed. Seriously, I struggled with every single one of my children as they were toddlers. Oh, the stories, and tears of frustration, I could share. But my fourth child, who is 2 right now, has ALWAYS struggled sleeping anywhere that was not her crib. It has made the joy of being able to travel frequently a nightmare for me.
Then one day, I had a lightbulb moment…you know, a moment when an idea comes into your head that is so genius that you stop what you are doing that very instant and focus every ounce of your energy into that one idea. My lightbulb moment brought me to finding Janiebee.
You see, my lightbulb moment was getting a bed that can be used every day at home and then taking it with us on our travels, so that sleeping was no longer a scary thing but one that was familiar and comforting. Don’t get me wrong here, we always have our special blankets, pillows, stuffies, etc when we travel…but seriously NOTHING ever worked well for us, not with our current 2 year old anyway.
I placed my order for a Janiebee Quilted Nap Mat bundle and picked the perfect pattern and colors that I knew my little girl would love. Not only was she getting a nap mat, but the bundle also came with a backpack and lunchbox!
Once the package was delivered, I couldn’t wait to open it. I was hoping that it would be the perfect solution to my problem. After getting the Quilted Nap Mat out and examining it, I knew I had made the right choice. Our nap mat was carefully crafted. Each stitch crisp and straight.
The beauty of Janiebee Quilted Nap Mat is that the comfort and cuteness easily go with you whenever and wherever you need it. It has a built in pillowcase and blanket that make traveling a breeze. Just roll it up, and away you go.
I knew that I couldn’t just use the nap mat for the first time while traveling and expect my daughter to feel comfortable and sleep easily. I had to introduce her to the nap mat at home, in the comfort of her own bed. Luckily for us, we had a few days to introduce the nap mat before we left on one of our first trips.
So I placed the nap mat on top of her crib mattress and tucked her in at night using the blanket that was part of the nap mat.
When it was time to pack up and get on the road for our traveling, I talked to my daughter and had her help me get her “bed” (the nap mat) ready to go. Together we rolled it up and then she carried it to the car. She was so excited, that I knew it would be just what we needed to bring a little bit of home and comfort with us for a more comfortable nights sleep.
Upon arriving at our destination, I had her carry her nap mat into the place where she would be sleeping. We talked about how exciting it was to be able to bring her bed with us. Then, I had her roll it out and set it up. You could see instantly how comfortable she was with the idea of having her nap mat with her. She loved it, and so did I!
The first two nights she slept on her nap mat without incident. That had NEVER happened before when we traveled. EVER! Of course it wasn’t a perfect solution to our problem, as nights three and four brought a little resistance, but the goal to get her comfortable and sleeping on her own in her own space was achieved.
Since we first got the nap mat, we have traveled multiple times with great success. Giving my daughter a bed that is comfortable to sleep on anywhere we go has been great. My only regret was not getting a nap mat sooner!
What about cleaning the nap mat?
Fear not. The nap mat is completely washer friendly. I had my hesitations about that at first, just because of how big it is…but I had no choice but to wash it one night after my daughter puked all over it. Yeah, I know, it was not fun to deal with. Anyway, I threw it into the washer and gave it a good cleaning, then tossed it into the dryer. Once it was out of the dryer, it was almost better than new. In fact, I swear it has become softer than it was when we first got it.
Soon we will be transitioning my toddler from a crib to a twin size bed, and I know having the nap mat will help her adjust faster.
If you have a little one in daycare, the Janiebee Quilted Nap Mat bundle is PERFECT. The bundle comes with a matching nap mat, backpack and lunchbox. It is beyond awesome. In fact, if I ran a daycare, I would probably recommend that every parent purchase a Janiebee Quilted Nap Mat bundle to give the children a chance to have familiarity and comfort, and to give the parents something that they can use for many years to come.
My Granddaughter would love the Meow set. They sure are cute.
I love the Dreamland design in Navy
I would love either the Dig It Set or the Zoo BOY Quinn. These look very nicely made and I’m a seamstress so I am picky about how things are put together. Many thanks for hosting this wonderful giveaway!
I love the KOHANA 3 Piece Set! It’s so cute!
I can’t decide between the Mermaids or the Narwhals!
I am very interested in this. It looks quite handy and durable. What a great invention.
On the Loose 3 Piece Set.
being cat fans we’d choose the meow set
I love these Janiebee nap mats! If I win, I will choose the Dig It design bundle. My little grandson loves the bulldozers! I’ve been looking for a while and these mats look to be the best made, size, and overall quality that I have seen. Keeping my fingers crossed!
I would choose the mermaids set!