Hi Moms,
My son's just a bit over 4 years old. He's still napping at home pretty consistently but I found out that he's not sleeping very long or at all during nap time at daycare. He's not being disruptive at all to the other children, he's just not asleep. I'm luck that he's napping at home, but I want to be prepared for the transition to when he won't sleep at home either.
Any ideas on how to make that transition as smooth as possible? What do you usually allow during quite time for your no-longer-quite-so-little ones to do? Thanks!
When my SD wouldn't nap in preschool, they made her have quiet time. She just had to be quiet and let the other kids sleep, even if she lay on her mat and read a book to herself.
When my 2.5 yr old won't nap, she at least needs to have about 20-30 minutes of quiet time. If she's still staring at the ceiling then I get her up, but at least we had a moment's rest.
Nap time hung around for years after we really needed it, mostly because I needed the break. When my kids hit school age, weekday naps disappeared. On weekends, we'd all lie down to rest or read on our beds for at least an hour. More often than not, my sons would fall asleep for an hour or two.
These days, if we need a siesta of sorts, my sons and I will throw in an afternoon movie. More often than not, I'll fall asleep and my boys will enjoy a film. I find the irony of them being quiet so I can sleep (rather than the other way around) absolutely priceless. If nothing else, they've learned to be considerate of others.
Good luck.
i stopped calling it a nap and called it quiet time. i let my daughters read a book, quietly in their beds. most of the time they still fell asleep! if i slipped and said nap they got made, but for some reason quiet time was ok! on days when they didnt sleep but just layed or read quietly i could still tell a difference in their behavior at night than on days when i didnt enforce it. if they didnt sleep they usually layed their for about 30 min or so before they wanted to get up. i would get a snack for em and put in a movie or short video and they would sit and watch that and be ready to go about their day! i enjoyed their "nap" so mommy could have quiet time but i also enjoyed cuddling on the couch with em watching a show!
We made this transition last summer when my daughter turned 4. She hadn't really been falling asleep very often during nap time, so I told her when she turned 4, she didn't have to nap, but she did have to have quiet time. And here are the rules of quiet time:
1. You must stay in your bed
2. You may have books and quiet toys in your bed
3. You may read, play quietly or sleep.
4. Quiet time is 1 hour long
If she follows the rules of quiet time, she gets to watch a tv show after (that was the incentive for napping prior to that). The funny thing is once we instituted quiet time - she went back to napping most days! Though that only lasted a few weeks, until school started again. But we've had nearly a year of quiet time and it has worked - and mommy has needed it b/c we also have twin 1 year olds - so the rest of us nap while the oldest child is quiet!
Post Script: Now that she's almost 5 she's asking how long she has to have quiet time. I told her once she goes to Kindergarden in the fall she only has to have quiet time on weekends....(LOL only b/c she won't be here!)
My daughter just turned 4. She is in that in between stage of sometimes needing one and not. Every day, we have nap time at the same time. She sometimes zonks out and other times will play, color or read books in her room (no TV because it is supposed to be quiet time). I think it is important for you and your child to have that quiet time. I put my 2 year old son down for nap at the same time too so I can have at least 1-2 hours of down time. I hope this helps. Good luck!
My daughter is 4 1/2 years old. Starting at around age 4 she too still napped but not every day. Here is the rule we have: ONE HOUR quiet time. This means reading/looking at books, playing with quiet toys (barbie dolls, play food, stuff aniamls).
The main reason to have quiet time is that kids do need down time, away from everything/one else (to be honest I am the same way, I need that hour in the afternoon as down time to reboot too).
My son quit napping just before he turned 3 but I needed him to have a rest time! :) It took awhile for him to get used to but I would set the timer and he would have to do 30 min. on his bed "reading" or playing with stuffed animals. After 30 min. I would go up and tell him he could play for another 30 min. in his room quietly. Sometimes he would fall asleep but a lot of times he wouldn't. At least I had an hour to get things done! Sometimes I would catch him playing on the floor when he was supposed to be on his bed and I would reset the timer. He eventually got used to the rules and everything was fine.
when my kids were little I definitely had quiet time, just sitting and reading a book or soft instrumental music, didnt mind if they were upside down or side ways on a couch or chair, I too was being quiet. worked pretty well when at church or restaurants.
