Almost 3 and not napping

We have been struggling lately with naps in our house. My mom watched them on Friday, and she bribed them with a cookie and that worked. :blink: Other than that, I haven't had much luck. They used to be great nappers. They would nap 1 1/2 to 3 hours, and then it just stopped. Now they just talk, scream, get into everything, empty dresser drawers, etc. It's frustrating. I'm not sure what to do. It seems my DS might need a nap because he does yawn and if we go for a car ride, he'll crash. And, DD is just off and running - no nap needed - she is also getting her last molar in. They are sharing a room, and we are unable to put them in separate bedrooms now.

Based on your experience/knowledge, does this mean that their naps are over never to return again!? Or, is this just a phase? Any tips on what I can do to help them sleep at nap time? We do follow a consistent routine. I'm just at a loss. Hope you can help.

 

mine were 2 1/2, sorry I know u don't want to hear that.

I do have friends though whose 4 year olds still nap!

so i guess keep trying and see wot happens

 

QUOTE(j&jtwins @ Dec 17 2007, 08:21 AM) [snapback]537248[/snapback]
mine were 2 1/2, sorry I know u don't want to hear that.

I do have friends though whose 4 year olds still nap!

so i guess keep trying and see wot happens


So, is what is happening with mine the same thing that happened to you? What do you do now instead of naps? Do you have quite time in their room?

 

Cindy, that happens to us sometimes. More often than not, I am sitting in their room reading a book to keep them quiet. They won't get up and mess around and eventually just give in. It's not a great long term solution, but when I KNOW they need it - that's what we do!!

 

QUOTE(blessedby2 @ Dec 17 2007, 11:29 AM) [snapback]537265[/snapback]
So, is what is happening with mine the same thing that happened to you? What do you do now instead of naps? Do you have quite time in their room?



I have to be honest quiet time in their rooms didn't seem to work for me. They kept coming out haha.. and if I put them in together to read etc... after a few minutes they were arguing, or one wanted a certain book the other had etc..
So after lunch I would just let them colour quietly or do something usually at the kitchen table and I would try to have 1/2 hour to myself (didn't always work).

I just loved, loved, loved that couple of hours when they used to nap, used to keep me sane

 

Keep trying. You may be at the downwhirl spirl for napping but that doesn't mean that they won't still nap in some fashion for a few more months. When my kids were transitioning on giving up naps (a month after 3.5yrs), they would have still have to crash and take a nap every other day. That lasted a month or so. Then it went to 2 times/week....for another month or so. Since October...they have totally assumed a full day awake schedule and earlier bedtime.

Quiet time didn't work with mine (however they were close to 4yrs). It was the biggest adjustment for me. I had grown so used to them napping everyday without fail. I was the grumpy one missing my "down time". An earlier bedtime did prevail...so that was nice.

 

We go in phases . . . a month ago I thought maybe they were giving up naps, as every day only one or the other would nap, and the non napper would cry and scream until I finally let him/her out of bed. But that only lasted a week, and they went back to normal naps. This weekend they took record breaking naps - 3.5 hours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and only woke up because we went up to get them at almost dinner time! And they still went to bed at more or less normal time at night.

So, who knows . . . don't give up yet, and maybe things will return to normal.

That said, my mom tells me that my sister and both gave up naps before turning 2. So clearly, each kid is different.

Rachel

 

QUOTE(~* dfaut *~ @ Dec 17 2007, 08:57 AM) [snapback]537310[/snapback]
Cindy, that happens to us sometimes. More often than not, I am sitting in their room reading a book to keep them quiet. They won't get up and mess around and eventually just give in. It's not a great long term solution, but when I KNOW they need it - that's what we do!!


Diane, I have been doing the same thing and running their white noise machine at the same time. Sometimes, I feel like I could fall asleep. :blush: Thanks for the tip. I'll try this again today.

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. Keep them comin'!