Need Help with 2 1/2 Year Old Not Taking Naps/behavior..

Maybe he isn't into the nap thing. I stopped taking naps at the young age of 6 months, i just went to bed earlier so my Mom said. My son stopped at age 2, my middle child stopped at 10 months, and my youngest stopped taking naps at the age of 2. All kids stop at a certain time, I feel you just need to deal with the new change.i honestly don't believe in forcing a child to nap even if they look tired. They will eventually run out of batteries,and fall to sleepin the evening. Good Luck.

My son has started doing the same thing. He has "rest time" where he goes to his crib with some books and stuffed animals. I tell him is it ok if he doesn't sleep, but he needs to sit in there and rest. He has been ok with it so far! Good luck!

HI
I hate to say it but I had to sit with my son on my lap and watch a grown up show on TV (not a kids cartoons which are very interesting) Then he would settle down and doze off in 5 minutes. Than I'd just pop him into bed.

Is he getting outside in the morning to romp around and get his energy out? That is a sure bet to have them tired enough to have a nap after lunch. Boys, especially need the extra energy out of them before they sleep.

Try changing the time you put him down for a nap-before lunch instead of after lunch or visa versa. Not sure you will get the nap thing back again but maybe just some "down time" as a regular thing. They do get really cranky when they are tired and it is hard to find anything to quiet,comfort or calm them. Hang in there-this time will pass. Try finding the book "Children the Challenge"-it is old but has great advice on lots of things.

Hello!
I would give him a couple of books, make sure he has water and anything else he might "need" before going to bed, and let him rest for an hour or so. Don't let him get up until an hour goes by. He might look at his books for the hour, but, even if he doesn't sleep, he has at least had some down time for an hour! Good luck!
L.

Hi C.,
Try changing nap time to "quite time". Let him bring books and some toys into bed with him. Maybe this will give him time to settle and if he's really tired he'll fall asleep. 2 1/2 was about the time my son stopped napping and he was pretty grouchy for a while.
Good Luck

Will he take a 'rest time' in his room? My son seems to do well at that. I also lay down on the couch with him and read books for a rest. Does he fall asleep in the car? Sometimes I time our outings about when I think he'll fall asleep, so that he falls asleep in the car and then I can put him to bed. This does not always work, as he also is a 2 2/1 y.o. giving up naps...Hooray for a 7:00 bedtime, though!! Sometimes he asks to go to bed at 6:30. :) GOod luck!

My son, who is just turning 2, has just started occassionally not taking his naps. My suggestion is that you still lay him down in bed at the same time that he should be napping and keep him there the entire time. I find that even if my son doesn't nap, he still gets some rest time, which always helps towards a more pleasant afternoon.

I always put my daughter down for a nap weatehr she is tired or not. I sugest you just put him n his crib and let him stay there. Even if he isn't naping at least he is resting. My daughter stays up in her crib sometimes as long as an hour and never sleeps but I know that at least she is resting. If he cries when you put him down just tell him it's nap time, give him a hiug an dkiss and walk out of the room. I would just let him cri if he cries. If that doesn't work then take him for a car ride that might help him fall asleep.
Good Luck

It could be a phase or this could be the end of naps for him. Rather than fight it I would try giving an extra snack - protein/carb combo - just before you think he needs a nap and see if that gives him a pick me up to his attitude. Cheese and fruit. Spoonful of peanut butter, etc. Then try just spending some quiet time with him reading or doing a puzzle. If you aren't pushing him, he may choose to lay down or be quiet with you after a few days of missing his nap. Or you may establish a new quiet time routine. Transitions are hard but he will either go back to the nap within a week or he will adjust to your new routine within a few weeks and just be going to bed earlier. Good luck!

even if he doesn't sleep, a quiet activity can help him rest. my boy quit napping the day my girl came home from the hospital. he was 16 months old. he loved books so i would give him one on the couch and he would look at the pictures. i think that helped him to recharge.

when it is near nap time(before the crankies hit) settle down with him for "quiet time" Have some simple books he can choose for you to read to him or some "quiet music" you can listen to together. Once he gets used to the routine he may go back to naps after a good book and if not you will both get some quiet time to relax together.

I look after kids and naps for some kids are a real problem. I do not require the kids to nap, but do require them to have some quiet time. This helps them to calm down and have a little bit of a rest which tends to help with their behaviour too. My daughter is 2 1/4 and she does not sleep quite often. I will lie down with her in the afternoon and read stories to get her to rest when she won't sleep and she enjoys the Mummy time too.

When her behaviour is bad I will often tell her it is because she is tired and so needs to stop the bad behaviour or she needs to go to her bed and have a sleep - this tends to work quite well too as she then does not want to go to bed so tends to calm down.

Good luck with this - it is hard when they start having bad behaviour because they are tired,but they also refuse to sleep.

K. M

This is a tough age for you and him. I have been there times five and know what you are going through. This has been a normal experience for me. At ages 2 1/2 to 3 each decided to stop having naps. But for my sanity and theirs, I did insist on a quiet time. an hour after lunch with no toys, no TV and no running around. Sometimes we would cuddle and read books. It would take awhile to establish the routine, but everyone would look forward to it. Don't we all like Quiet time? Good luck

The "transition" stage is so hard. I asked my daughters to take "rest times" that they could bring a book or two to look at and either snuggle in their beds or (if really necessary) on my own. Sometimes they would drop off, sometimes not - but they were "requested" to stay there for at least 20 minutes and again, if necessary, I set a timer.... Sometimes the novelty of the situation works with a cranky child. I did not allow television to be down time. it was always quiet play or books.