Set nap time and bed time, or is it different each day?

[lesorl]

Does your toddler have set nap time and bed time, or does it depend on when s/he wakes?

My 21 mo old has never been on a routine (though not for lack of trying on my part).  Typically, her nap is about 5.5 hours post wake up.  She usually only naps about 1, 20 mins, and then bed time is about 5 hours post nap. 

But she goes to bed anytime b/t 6pm and 7:15pm, and wakes in the morning b/t 5:40am and 6:50am.  Is this normal?  Or do I need to stick with a set time for naps?

Of course, I'd like her to sleep longer for her nap, but she's never been one for long naps.  Only recently (the last 3 months) has she stopped taking 35-40 min naps.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Colin Macs Mom]

Typically, her nap is about 5.5 hours post wake up.  She usually only naps about 1, 20 mins, and then bed time is about 5 hours post nap. 

Leslie this is a routine   It may not feel like it, but with a lot of LOs the A time as you describe is more important than going by the clock. That's the difference between and schedule and a routine. If she's sleeping well at night and waking happy then all is well!

[skatty]

We still go by A times though I wake her at 7 so her nap is bearly always 12.30 and then bed 4½-5 hrs after depending on nap length. L only at 23 months started consistantly taking 1½-2 hr naps everyday! I now wake her by 2.30pm if she is not awake so she can get to bed on time so your day may well come 

[jcsmom]

We are in the same boat for the most part. It has really only been in the last few weeks that I can really stick to the clock without my DS getting overtired. I go by A times when my DS is not in daycare for the 2 days I am home with him. At daycare he naps at 12:30 no matter what. We do 5.5 post waking and 5-5.5 after his nap. But I do have "rules" about the earliest I will put him down for his nap and bedtime as his wake time tends to drift earlier and earlier really easily. Our routine is this:
7am wake
12:30-can be anywhere from 1.25-2 hours mostly 1.5
7-7:30 bedtime
I won't put him down before 11:45am for a nap or earlier than 7pm for bedtime or we go back to 6 am wakings within a day or 2. Also he tends to nap for differing lengths every day so if I stick to the clock it seems to help with consistency in his routine. HTH!

[*Vicki*]

Yes that IS a routine you have there hun 

You do find as they get older that you can vary the day more than when they were young...also its easier to read their cues so on one day you might find as she woke up early that she starts displaying signs of tiredness earlier than usual and so you put her down earlier for a nap, whereas on another day she wakes up later so doesnt need a nap till later and its shorter...KWIM?

 :-*xxx

[irish3680]

Ella is 26 months old and we stick with clock times for the most part because it keeps her on track and she prefers more of a schedule than a routine. she tends to get messed up when things vary day to day. Of course there are days that she goes down a little earlier for her nap if she is really tired. Bedtime usually does not change, except on special occassions when we allow her to stay up a little later. So our day is:

7/7:30: wake-up, out of bed at 7:30
1 - 3: nap (wake her if necessary to protect bedtime and nightsleep)
7:30: bedtime