Sleep at 26 months

My boys are just over 26 months, and they are majorly fighting naps. I'm wondering if I need to make some adjustments. Right now, our day is generally:
Wake-up 7am-7:30am (whenever they wake up)
Nap - 1pm
Bedtime - 7:45pm

I really don't want to make their bedtime any later because I use that time in the evenings to do my work for grad school, but they are REALLY fighting naps. Today, for example, I put them in their beds at 1pm, but they laughed, talked, and sang off and on until after 2:30pm, and then were up around 3:20pm. I don't know if they are trying to give up naps or if maybe I need to make their nap a bit later. Some days they do go right to sleep, and every so often then go right to sleep and sleep for 2-2.5 hours without a peep.

They do share a room - separating them isn't an option. We have blackout curtains, sound machine, and they are in toddler beds with a bed rail, which they really can't get out of (at least they haven't figured out how to yet!). We also have one of the bunny clocks that show when they can get up, and I don't go get them before 3pm unless they start really, really crying and getting wound up. So I don't think it's any of that.

Anyone have any advice for adjustments? Or just what your schedule is like at this age?

 

Our boys are also just over 26 months but they really love to sleep. Our schedule is up around 7-7:30am, nap around 1-3 or 4, bedtime 8pm. It sounds like you have thought of everything! We have always napped the boys in separate rooms (our best sleeper goes in the pack and play in the den) and I think it has helped because they get so excited together. We have put Zack to nap in a pack and play in many interesting spots (the bathroom and the closet) when we needed the den for something! I think you are doing everything right, it's just these little men have their own plan! Good luck!

 

Thanks. My boys have NEVER been good nappers, so this is no big surprise. They actually became decent nappers (i.e., more than 45 minutes per nap) when we switched to one nap. I'm glad they aren't crying, at least. And unfortunately, our house is all one big open room except for the bedrooms and bathrooms, so there's not even another room that we could use for naps (our 3rd bedroom is my study room, which I need for my sanity until I finish grad school next spring!)

 

I don't have any great advice for you, however, I can sympathize, as all 4 of my kids gave up naps by age 2.5-2.75 yrs. I wish I had some lovely long time nappers, but nope!

Trying nap a bit later might help, but don't let them sleep too late, or they won't go to bed for you at night. Or waking them up a bit earlier (7am, or even 6:45 if you can handle it), might help them nap better too.

2 yrs old was a definite shift in the sleeping schedule for us, requiring less sleep at night time. Which is part of the reason we ended up skipping naps, so they'd go to sleep at night for us, and not get up so early the next day!

 

Our schedule (at 32 months) still looks a lot like yours, but we have to get up no later than 6.30 am to get everyone to daycare and the office and they go to bed half an hour earlier.

One of mine fought naps for quite a while after the second birthday. During that time I worked on quiet time for her - lying down and resting in the dark room, not disturbing her brother (who still naps forever if we let him) and listen to some music; she may get up when the CD is over although she has often fallen asleep by then. So now she has the choice between resting and napping, she seems happier with the idea of a choice although she will mostly fall asleep and have a proper 2 hour nap and tell you upon waking up "no mom, I did not sleep I justed rested with my eyes shut". I think she could have stopped napping at 24 months without too many afternoon meltdowns, but her brother still really needs the naps and we cannot handle split bedtimes. But might a shorter quiet time in their cribs and an earlier bedtime be an alternative for you or are they too cranky without their nap?

I also work hard to physically tire them out every morning with lots of fresh air and exercise in all weathers, plus some stimulating activity like fingerpaints or crafts or dancing and music when we come indoors. This seems to help with a good nap and they have quieter play time in the afternoon.

 

My two would have a period of fighting naps at that age and then a period of still taking them. Even at age 4, there are still days that they take a nap.
What I do, is tell them that it is quiet time, they can either sleep, look at a book or play quietly during that time. At 26 months, they didn't get it but I just kept at and now they do pretty good. Mine will at least have some quiet time for 1.5 hours-2 hours a day. They sleep a little and then they play quietly or thumb though some of their books.

 

We gave up naps. I don't remember when, probably in Sept, but it was causing them to be awake for hours when we put them down at 7pm. It's rough some weekends but for the most part, they are good with it.

 

My girls are close in age to your boys and gave up naps months ago. I still put them in their room for "quiet time" from 12:30-2:00. The odd day they will sleep (when sick or after a really busy weekend) but usually they play or read. Now, without naps they got to bed at 6:30pm and sleep until roughly 6:30am. I must say that I LOVE the early bedtime .

 

Thanks, ladies. I guess I'll just keep putting them in there, and if they sleep they do, and if not, at least it gives me a bit of a break. I really don't think they are ready to give up naps yet - some days I think they could do without, but other days, they seem to need it. I don't want them to have a super, super early bedtime because we miss out on a lot of larger family activities that way (birthday parties and such). They are singing away right now and have been in their rooms for about 45 minutes! At least they aren't screaming or crying.