When do you know you are done with naps?

The twins have moved to big boy beds (twins) so now nap time is a struggle. DH or I will physically go in there and sit on the floor with them, otherwise they will play for 2 hours and never take a nap. If we sit there, they are out within 5 mins and still usually sleep close to 3 hours (have always taken 3 hour naps...but occasionally they will wake up sooner). But now our struggle is switching to bed time, too. No day this week did they go to sleep before 10pm!! Bed time is 8:30. Funny, my 3yo falls asleep and just sleeps through his brothers antics! But the twins are up and playing, turning on the lights, laughing, banging on the walls etc etc. I don't want to sit on the floor with them at night. I don't want to get into that habit (I don't much like doing it for naps as it is).

I seem to remember that it was about this time that my oldest gave up his naps. It was easier on me to not give him a nap and have him pass out at night than to constantly struggle with him at bedtime (dh has always worked nights, so it's just me).

So I was just wondering when did others decide that naptime was over? Or is there a solution to their bed time antics that I don't know? DH and I are at odds with this since he thinks they need their nap (heck, he thinks the 3yo still needs his nap!)

Thanks for any thoughts!

 

Rhea, if you are struggling with bed time with the twins, it may be time to say good bye to naps (I hate saying that to you because I :wub: naptime too). I remember with John once it got really difficult to get him to bed at bedtime, about 2.5-2.75 years old, he decided that it was over. We eliminated the naps and he went to bed so much easier at night.

:hug: Wish I had a way to pin them down (literally) for you. :hug:

 

Yep, what Sarah said. When bedtime was a struggle, naptime left. Bedtime is now back to being a struggle, but there is no way they'd nap now. :hug:

 

QUOTE(mommy23monkeys @ Aug 31 2008, 04:32 PM) [snapback]956279[/snapback]
When do you know you are done with naps?


The simple answer? When it is easier for you to grit your teeth and wait out the crabby few hours before bedtime and then get them down early than it would be to fight with them to take a nap. That transition can be tough, but it sounds like it might be time to give up the naps. I would move their bedtime even earlier, though, like to 7:30 or 8:00, if they act cranky in the late afternoon or evening without a nap.

Good luck!

 

My goodness Rhea, we are going through many of the same issues! I'm dealing with this too but my girls are NOT in big beds yet. They are definately in a transition phase of being ready to skip naps (Arwen a little more so than Lorien) but my girls also are taking an hour at least to go to sleep for anps and that's putting them down a good 6-7 hours after being awake. I have tried putting them sooner, later you name it and the fact is, I think they are just getting towards the phase of just not needing them. I have to admit that I do like the very early bedtime when they don't nap (6:30-7pm). It's nice having the whole evening to just relax but it does make for a very long day at times! Sometimes they will get cranky around 4pm or so and I have to try and make it through the next couple of hours but I guess that is part of the transition period. I'm just having a hard time accepting that it is coming to an end but quite honestly, my girls have never needed as much sleep as some other babies/kids that I know. Every child is different. I had always read that babies need naps until at least 3 and we aren't even 2.5 yet! But you have to read the fine print that states that MOST toddlers will nap until 3. Guess my girls (and your boys) are in the early part of the sleep spectrum. Boo Hoo, what are we to do? Oh well. Just adjust and go on, right?

 

I struggle with the idea that a 2yr3mo kid is ready to completely forgo naps but every kid is different I guess.

My girls are still taking a 2hr nap every day. They will be 3yr6mo this week. We've gone through several phases of them acting like it might be time to drop naps over the last 1.5yrs but those always go away. We were just recently going to cut out their naps and then it got easier again.

I don't know what the answer is for your kids but you might try to ride it out. Additionally, I found that removing comfort items for bedtime noncompliance helped. For instance, I would warn them the 1st time I went back in that a 2nd time would mean losing their loveys. If I went back a 2nd time, I took the loveys. I had to do that ONCE.

This is a really tough decision to make and it's one I dread.

 

QUOTE(Jennie-OH @ Sep 1 2008, 06:07 AM) [snapback]956989[/snapback]
I don't know what the answer is for your kids but you might try to ride it out. Additionally, I found that removing comfort items for bedtime noncompliance helped. For instance, I would warn them the 1st time I went back in that a 2nd time would mean losing their loveys. If I went back a 2nd time, I took the loveys. I had to do that ONCE.


hhmm...I might try this! My boys each have to have their bear and their teletubby in their beds. I can see the drama now if I take them away!!

 

Rhea - The girls FREAKED when I took the loveys away. Much drama to be witnessed on that one. lol. I let them go for probably 5minutes and then took the loveys back to them. I told them that IF they promised to lay quietly in their beds, they could have them back. It truly was the only time I had to take the loveys. I still have to go in and warn them but that usually works.

Also, I'm ok with them talking quietly in their room for a little bit after bedtime. I mean - I don't fall asleep immediately most nights so I understand that AND I like that they talk to each other. But if the noise gets above an acceptable level OR if they are OUT of their beds, then they are in trouble.