Has anyone successfully restored a nap in a 2.5yo

[Peek-a-boo]

Random thought . . . I had a friend with a 3 yo in a big bed who suddenly stopped napping.  She was getting up and playing.  My friend removed all the toys and LO went back to napping.  I see how that could backfire though too, but just a thought. 

[Deb_in_oz]

that is what i was thinking for Liv but 1) the girls share the biggest room in the house so that we can contain their stuff - there is nowhere else for us to move their gear and 2)she has to have her doll and blanket in bed regardless as i could never take them away and my clever spirited one can find 20 different ways to make those 2 items into many play games which include banging her heavy doll against the bed or wall 

[Peek-a-boo]

LOL Resourceful little darlings, aren't they?   

[Deb_in_oz]

yes - alex naps / has quiet time in my bedroom and there are no "toys" in there - she will play with dh's alarm clock (i now hide it in a drawer), a couple of times we heard loud noises and it was alex trying on all my high heels  , she will pour out her sippy cup drop by drop, climb into our pillow cases, hang upside down off the end of the bed - the list goes on!!!! i think my kids would need a bare room to go to sleep out of boredom.  if they are not tired (according to them) it takes ages to give in and just REST! so their body can decide to go to sleep

[Layla]

Deb - Isabella is still in her cot (I am sure in the middle of all this jumping up & down during "nap time" she will figure out if she jumps high enough she can get out!!!). So the toys are not an issue. The light is however since when she got scared 2 mondays ago she has asked me to leave her blinds open so maybe that has something to do with it??? She's always fallen asleep in the dark & even now with the night light on at night she asks me to switch it off but during the day she is dead set on the blinds being open.... thinking of what to do here ... she will let me close the roller ones (the ones that roll down from the top) but the sun comes in from the sides... she won't let me close the curtains which would ensure darker room.

Funny you made that comment about her telling you at 10am she's not sleeping... this morning at 6am when she woke the 1st thing she said is "Bella is NOT taking a nap today" ... followed by "I WANT porridge!!!"....

But she's been rubbing her eyes & yawning already & its only 8:40 here so I would like to think that she will take a nap...

I might try an earlier A time - I think 6-6.5hrs is waay too much for her now considering she is so overtired. So we'll do an early lunch & see how we go.

[donna_issabella]

HUGS Layla. Obviously nil to add, but just saying hope things get better VERY soon!

xx
DI

[Katet]

LOL Layla, we have ALWAYS had naps take place in a room with the curtains open so maybe that is a factor.
But if she is waking up & saying no nap, then possibly she already sees it as a power struggle & one she can gain some power... If you think she is really needing it don't talk about a nap, just suggest that you & she spend some time reading a story on your bed in your room... 9/10 times both my boys fall asleep doing that if they are really tired but pushing a nap will cause a problem. I have on occasion fallen asleep with one or other of them.

[Deb_in_oz]

just an update that Liv is currently asleep - i thought i was hearing noises so went in to tell her to quiet down but she is ASLEEP in a different direction etc from when i left her and i don;t know how long ago she fell asleep as i was afraid to go in but HOORAY i will take it!

[Layla]

Kate - would LOVE to have her fall asleep with me while reading books... but Jasmine is on a totally different schedule & I am not sure how that would work...

Well today dh was with her & at 11am she was REALLY rubbing her eyes & yawning & he thought she would fall asleep. He started dosing off himself on the floor but then left & she stood up & started calling out. 30mins later & no sign of her settling down & I went in with a whole stack of books. She started reading then up again & protest then down again to read until finally she went down & fell asleep at 12.22.... does it sound like I am "forcing" her to sleep

Anyways.... she stirred at 45mins, 1.25hrs, 1.5hrs & woke up at 2hrs . I was considering waking her up at 1.5hrs but I couldn't bring myself to do it. So I think the key is to convince her that I am not trying to force her to sleep & she has the choice of reading books as well

Is this how naps end??? 10days of no nap then 1 day of 2hr nap then no nap for 2 days then nap for 2hrs??? 

Deb - posted same time.... success for both of us then

[*Natasha*]

Just wanted to send you guys HUGS. I dread the day i start going through this with my DD.

[Deb_in_oz]

Layla it is 5pm here and she is already cranky (has been for 20-30 min) and crying over little things etc

yay that she slept for you though!

we have been through 2 week periods with alex where we went through this in the past - always by 2 weeks when i was about to give up, she would resume napping (i think between 2 1/2 and 4 we had this 3 or 4 times) that's why i was giving liv 2 weeks at least

[Layla]

I've decided to stop fighting it (the idea that she might be giving up her naps). Today was another battle & I got her out of the cot at 1pm & took her to my bed where I read books. She was laying there, snuggling up to me & it was such a beautiful moment. I haven't really done that before but put Jasmine to bed way earlier so that I could give Isabella a break rather than putting the tv on or just saying "ok this is your quiet time"... & giving her some books.

Ok so she is a total nightmare from 3-4pm but then we do dinner & a really really long bath (she loves her bath), potty & before I know it its nearly time for bed . Today I put her down at 5:38pm & she was asleep by 5:45pm so I am going to do even earlier than 6pm cause she is woken up every morning by our neighbour (who goes to work super early - just before 6am)... so that the sleep debt doesn't carry over to the next day. I've decided to watch her more than plunk her in the cot at set times. If she is a total nut case by say 10-11am then I will try my hardest for a nap (even if that means I have to sleep with her). I am sure on those days she will zonk out herself (as she has a few times before).

I have to face reality - that is - she is growing & this was meant to happen some day. Its just that I didn't mentally prepare myself for this until she would be close to 3 & who knows.. maybe this is just a phase.... but I have to take each day as it comes rather than waking up in the morning & thinking "what if she doesn't nap today". My DH keeps telling me I should be grateful that she is sleeping at night as much as she is & that she has been a perfect sleeper all her life. I met a woman in the park today & her lo has just turned 2yo & she won't nap at all & she's up until 11pm every night (& crashes in the hallway) & starts her day at 5am. She won't sleep in her bed at all & will only sleep with her mum (who has a 6mo sleeping with her as well). The mum is totally exhausted & is at her teether. So I really should be grateful!!!

At least now when there are posts of toddlers dropping naps I will write based on experience rather than hypothetically. All I have to do now is make the final transition - to a big girls bed... this one should be FUN!!!!

Thanks to everyone who posted back. I was in a panic at the start but I have to face the truth - I cannot MAKE her sleep & I would rather have her sit by my side than have her jump & scream in the cot for a whole hour. Plus I need to transition her sister to 1 nap (she's been desperately wanting this too) & I don't want all that screaming to wake Jasmine up....

 

[lilmonkey]

I got her out of the cot at 1pm & took her to my bed where I read books. She was laying there, snuggling up to me & it was such a beautiful moment.

Yes isn't it wonderful?  I too have long given up on planning dd's nap routine and just take her lead on whether she needs it or not.  DD is not very good with quiet time in her room all by herself so I often end up reading stories with her in her room.  Sometimes i would catch her falling asleep in my arms.  They grow up so fast that it is so nice to just sit and relax with her.  BTW ds is with us if he isn't already asleep.

[Deb_in_oz]

hugs layla.  it sounds like you have thought it all through.. (although my money is on the murphy's law of parenting - now that you have resigned yourself to go with this and let it happen as necessary, i bet she starts napping again  )

Liv has napped 3 days in a row now - thanks to 1) yesterday's swim class where the other 2 kids were absent due to illness so it was an intense 1 on 1 lesson (and i put her down earlier than usual) and 2) today she has come down with a cold and was already rubbing her eyes in the car at 12:30 so we got home and read a story and straight to bed early again. I am thinking she might have been reverting to how she was as a baby - acting ok about being awake but needing me to step in and get her to bed earlier (she would play all day if i let her).  i am going to try the 1pm (or earlier)  naptime rest of this week  as i think 1:30pm + might have been too much.  I put alex down at the same time and she also napped last 2 days so maybe it is a good idea overall.

good luck with the big bed transition too and let us know if she is napping (even at 11:30).  if not, at least you can enjoy the time together like you said rather than battling the situation

[lawnseed]

Oh no! You mean they don't nap til they're 5! Pants - well I guess I'll be dealing with this soon and will need you to guide me through! Happy cuddling, that sounds lovely.