Powder Happens

I try to make the boys have a "Rest Hour" every day. Shortly after they gave up napping (the summer they had just turned three), I instituted Rest Hour to take the place of their afternoon naps. Rest Hour doesn't always last a whole hour, but the idea is they are supposed to be alone in their own rooms "playing quietly by themselves." It is supposed to be some much needed down time to re-charge with some peace and quiet (obviously "Rest Hour" is just as much for me as it is for them). Lately, though, the boys have been strongly resisting Rest Hour. They put up a huge fight every day when I tell them it is time for it. And they beg me incessantly to "be together" and not be separated for Rest Hour. This struggle against Rest Hour really began in full force earlier this fall when they started being in separate classrooms in school. Because of the separate classrooms, they have been spending way more time apart than they ever have in their entire lives, so I've sort of taken pity on them a bit and relented a bit too often to their pleas to "be together" during Rest Hour. When I have let them be together during Rest Hour they have pretty much always played quietly in one or the other's room without getting into mischief... up until just the other day. From downstairs I first noticed too much quiet coming from the upstairs. And then I started to notice too much commotion. I immediately ran up there as fast as I could (by now I know the signs all too well, and I know when to run)... and as I entered Kyle's bedroom I found the two of them covered with powder. Kyle was the instigator (of course, he almost always is), and was not afraid to brag a bit about that fact. They thought it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen looking at each other's faces covered with powder. I quickly grabbed the camera. And then they got a talking to.