Is DD ready to stop taking naps????

[rachbzymama]

Hi, mostly I'm a lurker here. 

I'm a huge believer in EASY and routines and all that, and my 2 kids do very well with them.  I try to be flexible when needed, but lately, my DD (28 mos.) just doesn't want to nap.  It's not that she's not tired - she gets ancy and cranky and tired, and if she doesn't take a nap during the day, by the time it's her bedtime (7:30 pm) she's totally had it (as have I).  It seems like for the past 2-3 weeks, every single day is a battle just to get her to lay in her bed at naptime.  She does not want to do it.  I have to go up there 2 or 3 times every day and put her back in her bed before she'll settle down and sleep.  I've tried to be flexible about the time of day, etc, but it doesn't seem to matter.  I'm wondering if this is the end of naps for her...at what age do toddlers usually stop napping? 

TIA

Rachel

Abby 9/28/03
Nolan 9/20/05

[Lici's Mum]

Well I think if I had let her, dd would have dropped naps a while ago. She goes through a little phase every so often about whingeing about having to go for a nap, yet when she doesn't nap, she has completely had it way before bedtime.
To get around it I simply tell her that "of course" she doesn't have to sleep but she MUST stay in her bed. Sure enough not long after she is asleep. I would suggest that you try something similar - get away from using the words nap or sleep, and assure her it's a rest time or quiet time. Make her do it in her bed and then let nature take its course.
Hope this helps.

[imsmum]

If she won't stay in bed even after explaining that is "quiet" time (as opposed to "nap" time) a friend of mine used to give her kids books to keep them in bed.  She swears they AlWAYS conked out, but it may take up to one hour!

[sacmommy]

Most kids nap til at least 3, many much longer. My now 4-yr-old really started resisting naps around 2 1/2, and I think that's fairly common. I'd try to stick with your routine as much as possible, and least try to get the quiet time if not a nap.