Transition to a Big Girl Bed - Having Difficulty at Naptime

We just transitioned too and my son will be 3 in a few months- don't feel like a late bloomer! Our pediatrician suggested keeping him in a crib until he figured out how to get out!

As for naptime, many children give up their naps entirely around age 3, so it could just be the timing. Having said that- 2 hours is a long time for a preschooler to be napping in the afternoon unless she really is exhausted. What we've done with our son is replicated what they do at his daycare.

They have a designated "quiet time" for an hour each afternoon. They try to get them all to sleep and the infants/toddlers usually go down without a fuss. However the 2.5+ kiddos are a crapshoot. During that time, the lights are low and EVERYONE is quiet- if the children aren't sleeping, they are quietly reading books or doing puzzles for that time. On the days that my little guy doesn't want to nap, he lays down and they just rub his back for a while.

You can't force her to nap if she's not tired, so unless she is crabby without a nap and needing to lay down every day around the same time each day, just insist on quiet time for an hour. I would leave out "quiet toys" and books for her and make sure that you are quiet too for the first week or so until she gets into the routine.

Your 3 yr old still naps?!?!? My youngest quit naps around 2 so let me just tell you how jealous I am! We replaced nap time with quiet time. I don't care what he does (looks at books, quietly plays, etc) as long as he is quiet for about half an hour so I can relax and have some coffee.

If she doesn't nap and plays does she get cranky? If not let her play quietly or rest if she chooses. She may be giving up the nap... one of mine did by this time.

I'd just carry on as you are, when the novelty wears off she may decide to have a nap. She may nap every other day for a while or even less.

I would shorten the time down to around an hour. An hour and a half, two hours is a long time for her to be playing in her room.

R. M. - Parenting Consultant & Children's Sleep Specialist
www.rebeccamichi.com

Hi there - you are totally not alone - we just switched my little one from her crib to her toddler bed in December at age 3 and a quarter! She LOVED her crib and didn't want to give it up - but it's gotten difficult to lift her in and out as she gets bigger etc so we finally convinced her that all we were doing is taking down the front rail and replacing it with a lower rail with an exit (it's a convertible crib) so she finally let us. ANyway, she's slept and napped fine for the most part. She generally naps from 12 or 12:30- 2 or 2:30 and I feel she totally needs it to be herself and not a crankster. There are days she doesn't nap - if we get her in too late that's usually the problem, or if there was just too much excitement. Maybe you should try putting your little one in a little earlier ? I agree, keep it up and she may go back to napping you don't want to let that opportunity go by if you can help it, gotta love the naps!

Good luck.

You didn't mention that she's cranky, so I think it's most likely a coincidence. My daughter just turned 3 in Feb, is still in her crib, and still won't fall asleep at nap time most days. I still put her down for one, but give her a few books to look at because I think a little down time is good for her. If it were me, I'd just let her play. (My 3 sons also gave up napping a little before they turned 3.)

IDK what it is about 3... the crib hits the bricks, often the nap ends, MAYHEM!.....LOL

I think you were SMART to let her stay in her crib until 3. Now she's a little better to understand the concept of staying in her room.
My son NEVER napped once the crib was gone (sniff, sniff) but we did institute "quiet hour" and he played quietly in his room for an hour or watched a movie.
Maybe that would work for you?
Good luck!