23 m/o with looong nights and short naps- Help Please!

[lesorl]

that makes sense, but how do i get there?  she's good about playing by herself, but likes to have someone in the room with her.  we don't have a tv in her room, so the DVD is out.  and she'll likely be in her crib, or she'll be standing at her door yelling.

[becky1969]

What I would do is start by going in and greeting her, and then giving her some toys/books in her crib.  Just putter around her room a bit, and then tell her you have to go get the laundry, go potty, grab something, whatever -- make an excuse.  Leave the room for a couple of minutes then come back.  You'll gradually make your exit longer and longer until she's pretty much on her own for however long you want.  She'll get used to you coming in and giving her amusements and then leaving.  You know her personality best, so you'll be able to gauge how long to stay out at first, and how quickly to increase the amt of time you're out of the room.  You could also start a reward chart, giving her a sticker for playing quietly in her crib until a timer goes off that you set.  She could then get a small prize every time she earns 3 stickers.  They LOVE reward charts at this age.  Stickers alone are super motivating, and then add some little prize in too and they're pretty agreeable! 

[Sima]

Hi Lesorl!
I have tried extending A times, clock times, etc...the truth is I found out that when I messed with her schedule---she got chronically OT.
For example, by extending A time in morning- beyond 6 hours--she woke up crying after 45 min -OT-then went back to rock her and slept 2 hours--but the next day she will wake up earlier!!!!!  I have tried less A time - you name it!  But really, she has a preference for night sleep and she feels happier that way.  When she sleeps more for naps, the next day with shorter night she is miserable!!!!
I wouldn't wake your lo up---but that is my opinion.
I have decided that 1 hour is better than NW, EW, and even shorter naps.
If your lo is happy as is---I would not change anything just from experience--but that is just my 2 cents!!! It is hard to reverse OT changes afterward.
(((hugs)))

[wag]

Hi ladies, dd1 started dropping naps when she was about 22 months.  She was ready for a nap say about 3pm which then meant bedtime was nearly about 11pm, murder.  We tried everything then just accepted the fact that we do the running about to things in the morning then have a quiter afternoon as if we go in the car then she will sleep and we will be OT ourselves with a very awake child.  She is now 2.5 and gets up about 8am no nap at all, uness we screw up and have to be in the car pm.  and goes to bed about 8 - 8.30pm.  Hard work all day especially with a dd2 who is 6 months and has decided to enter the short napper club as well at the moment.

Better go house is a bombsite.

WAG

[lesorl]

so get this one...

this morning, M woke at 6:50am (great right?), after sleeping 12 hours.  We had a birthday party in the morning, so we didn't get home til 12:45pm, and she fell asleep for her nap at 1:04pm.  She slept til 2:27pm! 

Of course I have any no illusions this will continue tomorrow, but it was nice today!