Mom says paying her toddler a quarter for every nap works wonders — and many parents are inspired

Parenting isn't easy. Every day comes with its own set of challenges, demanding something new, and you've to handle them with love and resilience. Most kids, especially toddlers, are mostly rebellious, and 'no' is their answer for everything. In such situations, feeding them healthy and nutritious food and putting them to sleep are the two most critical tasks for the parents. If you, too, are struggling with putting your child to sleep, then you might consider paying them money. Sounds bizarre? Well, ask Sam Previte (@findfoodfreedom on Instagram), a dietitian and mother of two, who has been using this little hack for her daughter, and it just made her mommy life a lot easier.

"Sh*t no one tells you about parenting. I pay my daughter to take naps. Not the baby, the toddler," Previte said, as she asked everyone to refrain from judging her because this parenting cheat code is an absolute game-changer. Her daughter, a toddler, is very "defiant," as she explained, and had decided that she wouldn't nap at home on weekends. "I saw someone talk about the nap fairy, and yes, the nap fairy comes, brings a penny, a nickel, a dime, a quarter if she falls asleep," Previte said, explaining how she made her daughter believe in the "nap fairy" concept.

While the woman never thought that she would have to pay her daughter to take naps, she said that her child loves it. "We also got a unicorn piggy bank, and she loves putting her money in there," Previte added, talking about how she plans on telling her daughter about saving. "We're going to talk about how to pay us for some food, for some rent," she added. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that a toddler (12 to 24 months) requires 11 to 14 hours of sleep, including naps. So, if your children also give you a tough time in putting them to sleep, then you must try Previte's hack. 

Meanwhile, Sam Previte's video received an overwhelming response on social media. Some people, particularly the moms struggling to put their kids to sleep, thanked her for sharing the brilliant parenting hack. For instance, a user, @laura, said, "As a fifth-year preschool teacher, I see parents dealing with this all the time. Parents say they don’t nap at home on the weekends, and I think there’s one huge reason why there’s such a difference." Another user, @emilysguidetokrakow, revealed, "My parents paid me to do all sorts of stuff, and I was so money motivated that now I own multiple homes — teach her to invest that money, lol!"

Someone else, who goes by @meetthelobsters on TikTok, shared, "OMG, what a great idea! Ok, I like that. I’m trying this with my toddler, and mine is Miss Independent too, and she’s 2 and a half, and she decided she doesn’t want to take naps anymore." On the other hand, a person, @shaillesacino, shared, "We listen and we don’t judge because this is genius! My girl is 20 months old and starting to refuse naps at home only. I’ll be doing this." Yet another user (@ae) chimed in and wrote, "That's witty! I'm so going to try it. I think sprinkling a little fantasy here and there in their childhood is the magic trick. I'm sure they will remember it someday and laugh with us."

You can follow Find Food Freedom (@findfoodfreedom) on TikTok for more parenting content.