My son is 33 months. He has always been a great afternoon napper, literally up until three days ago. Previously he would sleep like a rock for 2 to 2.5 hours typically from 1-3 ish, always very easy to put down for his naps, falling asleep almost right away. Three days ago he started becoming horrible to put down, then yesterday after an hour of trying to get him to sleep I gave up. Today, same thing, will not nap. Is it too early for him to be giving up his PM nap? Should I keep trying to get him to sleep, or should I let nature take its course and adjust? He did fine yesterday when he didn't nap in terms of not getting super unmanageable at the end of the day - in fact he was just fine and today, with no nap, he appears just fine as well.
The big benefit of no nap is last night he went to bed about an hour earlier than normal and he fell asleep in about 30 seconds, but the big (BIG BIG) drawback is that I also have a 12-week old who still wakes 1-2 times at night, so mommy really counted on having her own hour of sleep in the afternoons!!! I will miss my afternoon nap :) but I'm thinking I'm going to have to learn to live without it.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
Thank you mommies for taking the time to write. You know, my "sleep bible" has been the book by Dr. Weissbluth, and it says 33 mos is too early which is why I was concerned enough to write. Clearly, not everything "follows the book". After reading many of your postings, I should be grateful he has been napping for as long as he has. 4 days now, no nap, but he's fine during the rest of the day (with a little quiet spell to get him through), lights out at night is earlier, it's a breeze to get him to bed, and he's sleeping later in the AM, all of which were minor issues "before".
As for me, I will just have to turn in a little earlier and adjust. Before kids I never thought I could survive on anything less than a solid 8 hours of sleep. Now, if I get 4 hours, I feel I can take on the world. How life changes in so very many ways! Motherhood, I'm learning, is all about trial and error, and as soon you think you have something figured out, it changes. Great advice from everyone - thanks again!
My first daughter was done napping by the time she was 3, she just didn't need them anymore. Like you, I did miss when she started napping but some kids just give up their naps earlier than others.
Sorry! Sounds like you may be loosing the nap. My 3 yr old - who was also always a good napper - gave hers up just before her sister was born - who is not a good napper... I know it is hard, but I found it worth it to have bedtime less stressful. I was told to at least try to get in a "quiet time" - maybe when the baby sleeps - to give you some down time too. Good luck!
My 34 month old son has not been napping for months. I have a 13 week old boy, so like you, I would love the rest. My older son is not getting enough sleep; anywhere from 10-12 hours a day, but usually on the lower side of that. He isn't cranky during the day, but is so cranky at bedtime that he is difficult to get down. I can't put him down any earlier (we start at 6:30) because my husband gets home at that time, and I need him to help since the baby is often awake at that time.
Anyway, good luck.
My now 4 year old did the same thing at the same age. I would tell her that she did not have to go to sleep but that she needed some quiet time in her room she could read books do puzzles anything that did not make any noise since her nine month old sister was sleeping. It seemed for a while all I was going to get was about 45 minutes of quiet time; then she started to take naps again on her own she would fall asleep reading. She is now 4 and some times it is just quiet time but at least 4 out of seven days she takes at least an 1 1/2 nap.
Make sure to do an hour quiet time, if you let him give it up. I have a 4, 2, and 7 month old and mom needs it. Books on the bed, cars on the foor, anything that will give you and hour break. Even an hour of seseme street.
Also some kids go through stages, he make still take the nap if you keep at it consistenly. If you really want him to you could put him in a pack and play in a quiet daark spot. When my oldest was three, the only place she'd nap consistently was in a pack ad play in the master bath. It was the only place quiet and dark enough.
Decide what you really think would be best for your family, and go that direction for a week or so, then reevaluate.
I have 3 and when my oldest gave up her naps and I was up every couple of hours with the baby, I must admit I plugged her into the TV. I locked her in my bedroom, which is babyproofed and put on a video. She did very well and I was able to sleep/relax.
I don't think it's a big deal that he's not napping, but I think he should have some "quiet time" for at least an hour. He can read or do anything quiet in his bed. Who knows, maybe he'll just fall asleep!
My kids wanted to stop napping around two years old. It was a battle in the transition because they and I really needed their naps. Mine still used a binkie, so I only let them have it at nap time so there was an incentive to nap. I also tried with some success the "quiet time". They had to go to their rooms with some toys or books and spend quiet time. Sometimes they'd fall asleep. I also used to time our outings so that I'd be driving home about nap time. If they were tired they'd fall asleep in the car. The trick was transfering them from the car to bed without waking them. Good luck.
Hi L.- I am a mom of 4 who have had kids give up naps from ages 2.5 to age 5.5 so there is definitely a range per individual child. That being said we still have "quiet time- even for my 9 year old. It is an hour of quiet reading, biiks on tape, drawing etc (without me so I can prep for dinner and clean the house while my 1 yr old naps). When the kids were smaller we had a quiet time in their rooms with books in their bed (just in case they might sleep too.
Good Luck with your little guy.
Beth
PS My thoughts are once a nap becomes more stressful for the parnet to make sure happens than useful to the child it is time to drop the nap
At 33 months giving up his nap might cause problems. In an type of daycare situation until the age of 5 children are required by state law to have a nap/rest time, so if he is in any type of daycare his no napping at home could pose problems in daycare. I have a son that was in PreK 4 and required to take a nap as he will next year in whole day kindergarten. So maybe if your son doesn't fall asleep he should still be in his room in bed for a rest period, that way you can keep him on track and still have a bit of time for yourself.
Hope this helps!
J.
Congrats on the new baby! I know the feeling of NEEDING our little ones to take a nap and second what the other moms have said -- a rest time is definitely approprate at his age. If he doesn't already, maybe put some books in his room and tell him he doesn't have to nap, but you need him to stay in his room for 1 hour and read quietly or just rest. You may find that he falls asleep, or he may not. Either way, you get your time and he has his time to rest.
I'm just confused - with you saying he's not taking his PM nap, it sounds like he still takes a morning nap? If he does, I'd nix the morning nap and only do one in the afternoon. My kids always go to one nap just after one year of age. If he's only taking that one nap a day (or not taking it), then it sounds like he might be ready to give it up early. My son is three, and it's a battle to get him to take a nap, but he definitely still needs it some days. Your son may just need one occasionally now instead of every day. I hope you are able to figure it out and not lose too much sleep over it. I feel your pain with the lack of sleep! My son is 3 1/2, my daughter is 18 months, and I have another one due by Thanksgiving! Hang in there!
My son stopped taking naps before he was 2 years old. Once they get to a certain age there bodies do not need that nap to regenerate. He should now either go to bed earlier or sleep later in the morning to make up for his nap. Do not force the issue. Now you can go out for the day and not have to worry about being back for his nap. You little girl can nap in a backpack or snuggy if you have one.
Best of Luck,
S.
My son gave up his naps at 2 1/2 - he does great without them and is a champion sleeper at night! It is absolutely no problem for your son to give up his nap if he is OK during the day. And don't worry about the nap issues at school - some kids don't nap and that is OK.
I also have a 33 mo. old and he has not been consistant with his naps. Some days yes and other days no, he has always been a super high energy kid, and reluctant to taken naps or going to sleep at night. But, we still do the quiet time for a hour a day, and at daycare he has 2 hrs of quite time. Like others have mentioned each child is different but it still is important that they do have rest/quiet time because they need to "recharge" thier little energizer batteries. Good luck, it's a hard transition.
Sounds like the p.m. nap days are over. I had that situation but unlike these other moms who can give their kids quiet times, my boys were not into that at all. So, it was just zombie time for mommy, no ways around it.
I think this is completely within normal range for giving up nap.
Try laying him down an hour later, just to rest. Tell him mommy needs rest too. Maybe he'll fall asleep but if you get that hour, it'll be worth the try. Even if you lay down next to him.
All kids are different. My daughter gave up her nap just after she turned two. I had a newborn at the time so I had her have "quiet time" in her room instead of a nap just for a break. She'd play and look at books. My oldest son napped consistently up until kindergarten. My now almost four year old still naps a few times a week, but I call it "quiet time" so he either plays in his room or naps.
That is great that he goes to bed earlier now for you! Good luck!
Turn his "nap time" into a "resting time" where he spends quiet time in his room reading a book or some quiet activity....
Then you still get time to rest, even though he's not napping.
Its working really well for my daughter and sometimes during her quiet time, she will still fall asleep! Which i also need since i have a 6 week old at home too!
HI L.,
I'm sorry to tell you this but I think the days of PM naps are over. If he's fine the rest of the day, he doesn't need it anymore. My son gave up napping alltogether at 3 and my daughter (God help me) at 2. I feel your pain. My son (10 yrs old) goes to bed by 8:00 but gets up at 6:00 am. My daughter (7yrs old) loves to stay up until 9:00 or 10:00 and sleeps until 9:00 if I let her. I wish they were both on the same schedule so I can get some sleep. Good luck.
Hi,
My kids stop taking naps at 2! We just gave them some down time in the afternoon like watching a movie! They were always ready for bed! Good luck!
Dear mama- My oldest stopped napping AT ALL by the time she was one year old. It was so hard at the time! She is now 16, and she is a very bright, sweet, and cheerful girl, and one of the greatest delights of my life. But she still requires very little sleep! I did require/train her to have a "quiet time" in her room for at least an hour each day. She learned to play quietly and creatively by herself, and I think it really benefitted her in the long run. I have three kids, and they are each so individual- so take a deep breath, and enjoy the joys of the moment. This moment will soon pass, and I promise that you will eventually get a full nights sleep again!
Really, you have to decide what you want for him. Some kids do fine...here is the skinny. There is no magic formula with sleep ...depending on your parenting style, he may go to bed earlier and he may not. When I say parenting style, I mean do you allow him more leaway or are you more firm about making his choices depending upon what you think he needs?
Also, consider that staying up may REALLY affect his afternoon--later afternoon and how he feels. He may not be able to stick it out without sleep for that long without feeling really icky--and he may express this in ways that do not seem directly related to lack of sleep.
There does come a time when the afternoon nap becomes a behavior issue rather than not really needing the sleep. Consider that he might be testing limits. If you think he needs the nap, tell him that his body needs the rest, and/or that you know he needs to rest. Ok, this doesn't always set in right away. It will surely be a battle, yet one that will (eventually) come with rewards knowing that his mom is setting limits for him and makes decisions that are in his best interest.
If you don't think he needs the nap, this all goes out the window. I advocate for sleep anytime, yet have had my share of mishaps and mistakes in letting my children call the shots on this one. I really want to allow them some freedom, yet have concluded that sleep is not a place where they get to make all the decisions--frankly, I have given in to movie night and have been too tired to pursue wrestling the children to bed my share of times. Nevertheless, we are all a whole lot happier overall when we have the rest we need...
Good luck on whatever you decide. From mom of 5 under 9 years old and 5 year School Director (pre-k / k)
