When your kiddos stopped napping...

The girls have been little demons at bed time, not falling asleep up to an hour and a half after being put down. Saturday was a busy day for us so we didn't get in a nap, and lo and behold they knocked out when their heads hit the pillow. Sunday, same thing, they were at Grandma's house so they didn't nap and fell asleep...gasp...at bedtime!! So here we are, Monday, and I decided to let them go with out a nap. They seem to be doing fine, we'll see what happens tonight. But my question is, what did you do differently for them and for you? Nap time was MY time so I've essentially lost that, but I guess I did gain back the time at night. What about the kiddos? Does anyone do 'quiet time'? And if so, what does that consist of? I think I'm a little bitter right now, but I know I'll get over it. <_<

 

Lou,

My two will nap about every 5 days(if I am lucky!), but I still put them in their room. They play, and I get some time to myself.

 

Quiet time didn't really work out for me (my issue, not them misbehaving). What I ended up doing was moving around their TV time to the beginning of what used to be nap time, which gave me 20 mins of break time, and made sure they had half an hour or so of a quiet activity during the day.
By the time mine stopped napping they were at an age where they'd play well by themselves/with each other for a fair amount of time during the day so I'd snatch a bit of time to myself here and there.

 

I generally let them watch sesame street or some other hour show.

 

:wavey: Lou

Leah is just about to give up her nap and she is just over 4. I realize we had a good long run. I like the idea of quiet time.

 

We have one napper and one non-napper. We do quiet time...they sit in/on beds until I get them ( a little over an hour usually). It is dark and I play soft music. They are in seperate rooms--my napper usually sleeps and my non napper plays with her stuffed friends and 'reads' books.

It works out well--they think 'everyone' naps. --I tell them mommy rests too.LOL. So it is just part of our routine.

 

My boys stopped napping around their third birthday. We did gain back that two hours at night, so that was nice. I was mortified at the thought of them being up all day, but when the weather was nice they played outside by themselves a lot, and they started playing together more independently in general. Age three has had its up's and down's, but I haven't really missed their nap time as much as I thought I would. I get little bits of time here and there to do things while they are playing or watching one of their TV shows or movies.