2.5 yr old refusing to nap....please help me figure out why.......

[JulieNG]

Hello all,

My son was 2.5 at the end of February. His normal routine was wake around 7:30, nap from 1-3 or 3:30 and bedtime 8 (although he would not fall asleep till about 8:45). This was perfect. Well for about a month there has been days (about 4 times a week it seems) that he is not napping. I still put him down at 1 and he will lay in bed till 2 and then start to jump, cry, scream, etc. Well on these days I put him to bed at 7 and he goes right to bed. He has been waking at 6:30-6:45 on the days he goes to bed at 7. This is about the age my DD started to give up her nap, but I was able to get her to sleep 3-4 days per week from falling asleep in the car for almost 6 months. Any suggestions on bedtime (too late, too early) on days he doesn't nap? What about putting him down earlier or later for nap? Any help would be great! Thanks!

[Texomamama]

Julie, I could have written this post myself   Going through the same thing with 2.5 yo DD (who is upstairs talking to herself instead of napping for about the 4th day in a row).  Today is the first day I put her down later (by half an hour).  I am going to see how it goes.  As far as bedtime, my plan was when she finally dropped her nap, to put her to bed half an hour earlier and see if that worked.

Sadly, I think you and I both know what the answer to our question is.........less or no napping.  However, I have to give you credit for driving your DD around for 6 months to get her to fall asleep.  That is dedication.  I will have to think about giving it a try, since I am hoping my kid naps for at least the next 10 years

[We Three]

What if you pushed his nap til 2pm, and woke him at 3:15 or 3:30?   At 2.5, I could see that my dd just wasn't tired for her normal 1:00 nap......I moved it a little later, shortened it a bit, and we're ok for now!

Today she woke at 8, went to nap at 2:15, and I will wake her now, at 3:45.   She'll go to bed around 9. Kind of a late bedtime, but we have much more pleasant evenings this way!

[JulieNG]

Thanks for the help. I may try to push the nap later a bit and see if that helps. I tried that with my daughter when she went thru this and it didn't work, but we'll see! My son will also not fall asleep in the car like she did, so they are different. The problem is my husband works afternoons and I really don't want my kids up till 9 at night b/c I'm usually exhausted by then and that is the only time I have for myself (especially when nobody naps).

[Texomamama]

I hope it works out for you (what Amelia suggested).  That's what I am going to try as well, later naptime, but wake her up earlier.  Like you, though, I don't have the highest hopes.  Today, DD didn't sleep at ALL.  Put her down at 2 pm and finally went up at 3:30 b/c she was screaming.  She was dirty, which might have been part of the problem, but when I suggested changing her so she could rest, she screamed "No rest, go downstairs" several times..............Great

Do either of you have suggestions for getting a 2.5 yo to stay in her room and play quietly?  I don't think she is old enough to "get" this concept yet.  My little one demands my attention at playtime, she needs an audience I'm afraid.  I hate to say this, but if the naps stop, I will highly consider doing something to keep her in her room.