If your kids won't nap, do you keep them in cribs for a while?

My 21 month old boys don't always nap. Like today, we were out running around all morning, playing at a friend's, etc., I thought they would take a nap. Instead they are in there laughing and yelling and talking.

Should I leave them in there for a while? For how long? They sleep a ton at night, but they still really need their nap. Anyone know how HSHHC would deal with it?

I am just big on our schedule and I feel like it ruins our day when they don't rest. Not to mention I don't get a break!

 

My 21 month old boys don't always nap. Like today, we were out running around all morning, playing at a friend's, etc., I thought they would take a nap. Instead they are in there laughing and yelling and talking.

Should I leave them in there for a while? For how long? They sleep a ton at night, but they still really need their nap. Anyone know how HSHHC would deal with it?

I am just big on our schedule and I feel like it ruins our day when they don't rest. Not to mention I don't get a break!

 

I've read here on TS before that some moms make their kids stay in their cribs for at least an hour. I try to do this too- so they don't think every time they wimper they get up, etc. I don't know what the HSHHC book would recommend. This is one book I apparently needed to read. HOpe you get some more responses- I'll be interested to see what others say and do.

 

Nap time for us is 1-3 regardless of whether they sleep or not. Usually Sofia is the one that doesn't always sleep. I think the rest is important for them and for us.

 

I leave mine in there until nap time is over. If I put them in at 1 pm, I will take them out at 3:30 if they haven't napped. Mine sometimes take a while to fall asleep, but they usually end up napping part of the time.

 

sometimes the girls get really hyped up. I have started giving 15 min to calm down, and then I go in and tell them to obey and lie down and be quiet. When they don't nap it's horrors around here for everyone, so I go in and "make them" nap. sometimes I stand there and pat them down till they are asleep, sometimes I will spank them (1 swat) or threaten to do so if they don't lie down. Ferber says most average kids need a 1 hr nap until they are 3 yr old.

I've tried leaving in there for 1 hr and it will sometimes take 90 min for them to collapse from exhaustion and then they still don't sleep as long as they should... So I try to be very specific w/ expectations -- lie down, be quiet, close eyes and rest. no jumping, no noise, no talking, etc. so far it's working.

 

When my girls were in their cribs I left them in there whether or not they napped. The last few months that they were in cribs they rarely napped, but they still had to stay in the crib. Now, since they are in "big girl beds" I can forget about the naps.

 

I've had the same problem with one (Ainsley usually) or both of them lately and I don't know WTH to do. I can tolerate playing quietly, which is what Bea will do, but Ainsley will just scream. I can only let her scream for so long. The advice I also got was to leave them in for a set time no matter what. I need to toughen up so I can do it. Neither one of them napped today and I thought I was going to lose it by the end of the day.
Sorry to hijack, it was a tough day!!

 

quote:
Nap time for us is 1-3 regardless of whether they sleep or not


Same here.

 

Mine are in their cribs for a minimum of one hour. They usually fall asleep after jumping up & down & just plain being tired out. They sleep 2 hours, this means about 2 or 3 hours of mommy-can-things-done time! We like our schedule too & we spend most of our time home to keep it! My girls don't mind being in their cribs, they wake each other up int the morning & play with each other. Just the other day I heard Olivia say "sissy, hand" & Shelby put her hand over to her crib. They laughed & laughed! They are such good girls, if I can say so myself! Give it a try, just leaving them alone, they may surprise you & enjoy the time alone together.

 

We also leave them in there. They need the down time even if they don't sleep. If they are really hollaring, I will bend and take them out, but most of the time they are just babbling and maybe whining. The biggest obstacle we have with them going down is messy diapers. They will often poop while trying to fall asleep and we have to go in and change them or they will not fall asleep at all. So if someone is making a racket for a while, we go in and check diapers. I swear it's like they poop on purpose just to get you to come in there!

Are they getting enough sleep overall? My boys will have trouble with their naps usually when they are overtired. Maybe try putting yours to bed for the night earlier for a few days and see if that helps with naps.

Michelle

 

quote:
The biggest obstacle we have with them going down is messy diapers. They will often poop while trying to fall asleep and we have to go in and change them or they will not fall asleep at all. So if someone is making a racket for a while, we go in and check diapers. I swear it's like they poop on purpose just to get you to come in there!


We have the SAME problem Michelle!!! I swear they do it on purpose!