naps???

Adrienne - posted on 05/31/2011

Thank Goodness it's not just me! Whether my son naps or not really depends on his activity level during the morning. But he always has quiet lay down time - at least an hour where he needs to lay quietly and watch a movie. Then bed at 8:30. He sleeps around 11 hours each night and rarely wakes up. From what our doc has said, as long as they're getting enough nighttime sleep, don't stress over the naps. Our older son napped until he was 4 and sporadically after that like if he had a rough night or wasn't feeling well.

Koree - posted on 05/31/2011

My son does the same thing, i'm glade to see that i am not alone. We still make him have quiet time, where he can lay down and watch a moive or Nick Jr for anywhere from an hours to two hours. Sometimes he just watches his shows and then gets up to play afterwards, othertimes he will take a nap.

Jayne - posted on 04/06/2011

We do quiet time in the bed. The current logic is :"Your body needs to rest even if you are not tired". He plays and reads and talks to stuffies, then usually falls asleep for a bit. We wake him up at the usual time to prevent the bedtime dramas. As long as he gets 30-45 mins the evening goes OK.

Elizabeth - posted on 04/02/2011

You don't have to make your child take a nap..I have never thought of it as making them nap...For us it has always been YESSSSS! it's break time!!!

You know..a few minutes where you get to do something YOU want without someone asking you for something ..screaming or complaining...LOL can you tell it's been a long day here.

What we did was we started calling it "relax" time because the kids hate "nap" time. So during relax time you have to stay in your room (we use gates at their bedroom doors..they are able to knock them down but they know better) you can read, play or nap, but you must stay in your room.

Brooke - posted on 04/02/2011

My daughter hasn't napped in a long time! I try to do quite time at least for an hour which I try to have her go into her room for and she can do anything as long as it's quiet! When my daughter is really crabby I know I can't mention a nap so I'll ask her if she wants to watch a movie and snuggle on the couch. She's usually out within 10 or 15 minutes!

Dianne - posted on 03/21/2011

My daughter rarely naps anymore, but I do make her have quiet time in her room every day from 1-3.

Christina - posted on 03/18/2011

My daughter is 3 and a half and it's a struggle everyday to get her to nap. My husband or I will feed her lunch around 1130 and lay her down as soon as she's done. Most days, she'll get up and play or run back and forth to the bathroom every 5 minutes. By 5PM she is so cranky and crabby I'm about ready to pull my hair out. She goes to bed at 8PM and is up by 6AM so I know she's tired by the time her nap time rolls around. I've tried everything under the sun to get her to take a nap but nothing has helped. I'm almost ready to throw in the towel and get rid of her naps but my husband is against doing that. Sorry this doesn't help but I just wanted to let you know that I share your frustrations! If you ever find a method to get your son to take a nap let me know so I can try it on my daughter!

Melissa - posted on 02/26/2011

My daughter is having the same situation. We have started new system that seems to work...
1) start rest time at 1pm
2) I pick 4 books and 1 Leapster game and put them in her bed
3) Go over the rules that she may play her Leapster or read the books that are in her bed. There is no talking or playing with other toys during rest time. If she gets tired then she can nap. She is allowed out of bed at 3:30 (clock in room).
She usually reads/plays her Leapster and then falls asleep on her own. I think the fact that she feels in charge because she knows when she can get up helps.

Amanda - posted on 02/23/2011

my daughter is the same way but she fights even quiet time. I started warning her when her mood starts getting crabby and explaining the exact behavior that was going to tell me she needs a nap. i.e. ``You are not allowed to yell and throw things, that kind of behavior tell me your tired and if it continues i will take that as you need a nap" or if she is just throwing tantrum after tantrum i let her choose either a time out or nap, if she is tired enough she chooses the nap. I have also tried 'breathers' which is just a twenty minute quiet time, enough to keep the moodswings in check. if she naps she usually fights bedtime so those are my last resort, hope that helps

Jessica - posted on 02/04/2011

i would still make him have some quiet time for a little bit. i am going through the same thing with my daughter. she takes preschool in the afternoon and often times falls asleep on the bus or when she gets home on the couch without my knowing. i usually let her sleep but then she wakes up at bed time and won't go to bed until midnight!!

i don't want to prevent her from sleeping but i can't stand the late nights and i also can't stand her really tired. we can't go anywhere or she falls asleep in the car or she is an absolute bear. all i can say is it is a phase and it will pass when her body gets more adjusted to not taking naps. i would move his bed time up to six and that might help a little. the phase will end around four. i would make him have some quiet time with books in his bed or something because sometimes they will need a nap... like once or twice a week. i generally have my daughter lay down for 20 minutes. if she naps, she naps, if she doesn't, she doesn't. if she is really tired and won't sleep, i put her in front of the tv with a pillow and blanket and tell her to watch tv. she usually falls asleep then! if she doesn't, i still get some quiet time.