Help - they are horsing around when they should be napping!

This has been going on for about ten days: I put them down for a nap (at about 1:15) and they goof around for AT LEAST an hour, if not longer. They aren't crying - they are laughing, talking, throwing all their crib bedding everywhere, etc. When they finally DO fall asleep at about 2:45 (out of boredom, maybe?) they tend to sleep till late afternoon (like four o'clock or even four thirty). This means, of course, that they are now staying up much later. The new bedtime is closer to nine o'clock. I long for the old days when we put them to bed at 7:00. I should add that even at bedtime they are still frolicking around, and not going to sleep right away.

What do you think? Is this a sign that they don't need an afternoon nap anymore? They are only two and a half years old. Has this happened to anyone else? Any advice?

 

I'm in the same boat. Sometimes it helps if I stay in the room with them. DD is the one who throws everything out of her crib, including all her plugs. She still very much needs her naps.. but DS is starting to not need them, but he really does if you know what I mean! My two will still go to bed at their 8:00 bedtime as long as they wake before 4:30. Good luck! Naptime tends to be stressful for me around here.

 

You can try to put them down at 1:00 - you MIGHT be missing the "window" of opportunity!!

Otherwise, you can stay in the room and don't look at them and don't talk to them. When they get up, you lie them down and don't speak! Just keep doing it! They'll give up and go to sleep eventually!!

(today it took me over an hour!!)

 

OH I am so glad I'm not the only one! I refuse to let them give up their naps, they REALLY need them!

Today they pulled down one of their shades, broke the rod in half, and also broke the glass of a beautiful piece of art my sister made before their birth (which could have been very dangerous but the glass didn't fall out, just broke)...needless to say I was MAD. It's usually not this destructive, but they have been getting into each others' beds, wrestling, etc.

Some days I ignore it, others I go in and plop them back into their beds silently over and over and over.

I am going to try to adjust their nap time by 15 min like the PP said, I hope that helps! I'll try anything!