I have a 22 month old that fights nap time when I know he wants to sleep but prefer to play. I’m only off from work 2 days a week my MIL watches him I’m assuming sometimes he doesn’t help during the day. I most of the time I don’t force it if he refuses. I’m just curious what you mommas do and if I should try to put him down for a nap or leave him be if he refuses?
My oldest dropped naps at 2 and I don’t force her to nap. My current 2 year old still takes at least an hour nap cause if not he’s trying to go to bed at 5:30. And that’s way too early. Some days he doesn’t take one but it’s not an every day thing.
I have never forced naps they will eventually get tired and fall asleep
My three year old is trying to stop napping, but still naps at least three times a week.
We do “ quiet time “ instead, lights off -relaxing not playing -
We do nap or quiet 1 to 3 every day… on school days off for 6 yr old she asks for nap time
Kids crave routine. When my son is fighting his nap the most he really needs it. He wakes up happy and isn’t a cranky wreck the last half of the day.
My 22 month old takes 1 nap a day between 1 and 2 hours long. I put her in crib at noon and she plays with her cuddle toy for a minute but always falls asleep within like 10 minutes. I’m a stay at home mom but like once a week we go out with her nana… those days she usually takes a short nap in her car seat like 15 minutes and that’s it but she’s not like super crabby rest of day due to lack of decent nap
Rest time. He doesn’t have to close his eyes but take a rest break. Most days he just chose to ‘rest’ his eyes and was certain his hour nap was 2 minutes. Sometimes he didn’t fall asleep and that was ok because it was a 20-30 minute rest break for me.
I put him to sleep every day, he sleeps 1.5-2 hours. Sometimes he fights it but I can see from his eyes he needs sleep so badly, then I force because I know if he does not nap, he will fall asleep way before night time, will wake at night or wake up super early - massing up the schedule and my two years effort and also if he does not take this nap, he becomes miserable and becomes a little monster so nap is important for him and for me - having a little me time- but every child is different if yours is comfortable without naps, don’t force him I say.
My daughter dropped her nap at 1 and a half . It’s only occasionally she will fall asleep in the car on a long journey. Don’t force naps , instead do something a bit quite for their brains to relax
With my son I would put him for a nap and if he didn’t nap that was fine but he would rest for that time.
My daughter would fight her naps too, I would just leave the lullaby music machine on and lay her in her crib and she would either fight her sleep and eventually pass out or else she would stay awake and I would give her like 35mins to see if she fell asleep if not let her play some more and then try to put her down again.
It’s true children do best on a routine so try and do naps around the same time everyday.
We created a “sleep space” and honestly that made all the difference. His room has black out curtains and a pretty loud tower fan. He only goes into his room for bed. Ever since he was about 5-6 months old, we give him his singing seahorse (it plays lullaby’s) and his blankie, shut the curtains, turn on the fan. Usually he’s out within minutes. Makes bed time and nap time a breeze. It also extended our naps from an hour to 2-2.5 hours. On Monday he slept 11-3:30…I was able to get SO much done. And because we associated all of this with sleep, he still went to bed on time.