No napping for one week (30mo)

[deenz]

Dd1 (2.5yrs) has had ongoing napping issues for at least a year that I can think of (ie. skipping naps).  However she has just gone one full week with no napping.  Does this mean she's done with napping?  I do try to put her to bed early when she doesn't nap (ie. between 6.30-6.45pm), and 7pm on napping days.  She wakes around 7am (no later).  Lately she has been sleeping well at night (no cries-out or anything).  In the last little while she has grown tall enough to open her door, so it is an ongoing battle to find ways to keep her in her room.  So I try as best I can to keep her in her room for at least an hour.  I don't have a set nap time, as I try to get dd1 and dd2 napping at the same time, so it depends on dd2's schedule, but is usually around 1-1.30pm.  I can't realistically put dd1 down while dd2 is downstairs awake, crawling around (have to read a story, toilet, 'bribe' her to stay in her room etc, it's not a quick process!).  I guess I could bring dd2 into the room with us for all this though...

Anyway, just not sure what to do.  Dd1 is quite often tired (grumpy, hyper) in the late afternoon, and will sometimes fall asleep in the car if we out at this time.  If it is the end of naps, I have come to terms with that, and probably it would be easier on me to just let her play around downstairs where I am, than to constantly be listening out whether she's coming out of her room etc (dd2 is sometimes woken by the commotion around her room).

TIA

[ella&jack'smum]

My eldest dropped her nap late - having two kids who napped at the same time was such a wonderful experience that I was really really sad when this happened and did try and fight it for a while. Eventually I realised you just have to go with the flow, and mourn that lost hour of peace and tranquility!!!

Sounds to me like you have reached that stage, somewhat earlier than me (my ds is now threatening to stop napping which will be REALLY hard to take!). With Ella now (nearly 4) , she still has 'quiet time' when Jack sleeps - this doesn't involve going to her room, but does mean no activity that really requires me to be there (gosh - does that sound awful?!). So she'll look at books, or do a jigsaw, or some colouring, or watch the tv - something where she is physically resting and which means I get some time to myself too. I suspect Jack will not accept this as easily, and will still be bouncing around during his quiet time - boys!

I did find Ella's bedtime routine benefitted when she finally dropped the nap - she's always ready for bed at 8 and never has a problem going down. She will still fall asleep in the car if we are out and about late afternoon - that's just kids for you, and as long as it isn't more than an hour it doesn't seem to affect her - I can fall asleep in the car and it doesn't keep me up all night!!!!!!!!

[Florencia]

I would keep on insisting in quiet time far from dd2 room. That would mean your room, the living room etc but a quiet activity that allows her to have a break in the middle of the day so he won't have to face evenings in a crabby state. I have found with older toddlers that a cartoon (a mild one like clifford) will make them drowsy enough to go to sleep in parents beds. That can mean a 30 mins catnap but that seems to be enough to face the rest of the evening. Who knows? she might go back to napping if you don't put too much pressure on it.

Good luck!