Author Topic: 3.5 yo ready to stop napping and figuring out bed time  (Read 2253 times)

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Offline Tabathagucci

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3.5 yo ready to stop napping and figuring out bed time
« on: July 15, 2019, 21:57:29 pm »
Baby girl will be 3.5 in about a month.  She hasn’t napped in a week even though we put her down for a nap every day except once.  Before this she would nap anywhere from 3-5 days a week.  We put her down and she plays in her crib for about an hour and then asks to get up. On days she doesn’t nap she mostly does fine.  I guess it’s my personal preference as to whether we put her down and keep trying but struggling with what to do with bed time.  I’ve been trying to put her down about 12 hours after she wakes up in the morning but sometimes I feel like she’s undertired and others overtired and I’ve always had trouble telling the difference.  Is she old enough to just choose a bed time and stick with it?  How long does it generally take for them to get used to it?  Thanks!

Offline Katet

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Re: 3.5 yo ready to stop napping and figuring out bed time
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2019, 23:58:40 pm »
At that age it's not so much the clock time, but the rituals that go with bedtime. So you probably can get 30mins buffer as long as you have the rituals. Some 3/4yo only need 11 or so hours others 13+ hours, so its more about knowing your child and having the firm rituals in place to show it's bedtime. So if you know you've had an active day with lots of outside time you start rituals a bit earlier, or a slow quiet day you could start them later or throw in some active time before bedtime rituals, such as rough and tumble play or dancing or make it a slightly later one with a Family movie night. It's more about having the rituals that help a child (either under or overtired) to relax. Often they can be a mix of over stimulated overtired, second wind making them seen undertired, but generally if they get lots of physical play, it's rare to be undertired, more unable to unwind due to overstimulated and so need the relaxing rituals of things like baths, cuddles, chats and being read books to.
dc1 July 03, dc2 May 05

Offline Tabathagucci

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Re: 3.5 yo ready to stop napping and figuring out bed time
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2019, 01:00:08 am »
That makes sense!  I guess what I’m confused about is where to start.  She was sleeping until 7/7:30 am but the last two mornings after getting her to bed late for a couple nights after no nap, she’s been waking  at 6:30-ish and having shorter nights.  Thinking she’s overtired I put her to bed at 6:30 and she took till 7:40 to fall asleep and woke before 6:30 am again.  So putting her down at 6:15 tonight to see if that helps, but feel like it’s soooo early!

Offline Tabathagucci

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Re: 3.5 yo ready to stop napping and figuring out bed time
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2019, 01:43:16 am »
Ok she fell asleep at 6:40 so guess for now about 12 hours daytime works for her!  Maybe when I get her caught up on sleep I can do a set bed time?  Do you think there’s any harm in foregoing the nap process if she isn’t sleeping for it?  My logical head says it’s fine to give it up but my son napped till he was 4.5 so I feel like she should still be napping!

Offline Katet

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Re: 3.5 yo ready to stop napping and figuring out bed time
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2019, 02:41:10 am »
If she happily stays in her crib even if she doesn't sleep I'd keep giving her that down time (it's rest even if not sleep) if she's tired she'll sleep, otherwise nothing wrong with her enjoying some down time on her own...just call it 'rest time'
dc1 July 03, dc2 May 05

Offline Tabathagucci

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Re: 3.5 yo ready to stop napping and figuring out bed time
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2019, 14:45:56 pm »
Good idea!  Thank you so much!