Why do naps stop at 4 yrs?

[zoumeri]

Hi everyone.I read in Tracy's book that 4 -year-olds stop napping.I wonder if there is a biological reason for that.My 3,5 year old boy used  to take a long nap from 3 to 5 or 6 pm and then go to bed for the night at 10.30.Recently he started protesting about naps. I wouldn't mind cutting his naps and move his bedtime earlier but I'd like to have some solid argumenta for hubby who prefers our boy to nap so he can have his siesta too.He works long hours and goes to his office 9-2 and 5-10.Any ideas?

[Archies mummy]

I think it's because Tracey assumes you lo is having a 12hr night and going to bed at 7 ish.

[franchick]

I am not sure if there is a biological reason or not - I actually think it is more to do with custom and where in the world you live (hot countries - siesta in the afternoon). I know my DH would love us to have a sort of day where we all siesta and stay up late, but we live in Scotland, so not much chance of that happening here!

I guess you maybe need to think about some kind of compromise between you, your DH and your LO to get something that will work for you all - it may be that your LOs body clock will eventually adapt to a 'natural' 12 hours or similar a night and give up naps altogether or it may be that he will just start taking a later and later nap and still stay up late - whatever works for you all, in my opinion, is what you should do.

I think my daughter would 'naturally' get up at 7am, nap at 4 - 8pm and go to bed at 11pm or midnight, but that doesn't really suit us, so she normally goes to bed at 7.30 / 8 and gets up at 7. Not sure if this helps or not, sorry!