Napping Question - Springfield,OR

I also have a child who has always had a difficult sleeping time. When she is really having a hard time falling asleep by herself---I put her in the Ergo Baby(a carrier) and "rock" her to sleep by walking/swaying. She is also 2 1/2 so I use this because she is now too heavy to carry for longer periods. Plus this makes her feel warm and comfy next to me. The Ergo goes to 40 lbs. I don't know about others but you could do a Google search. It is also easy to travel with.

Hi A.,

At this age, young children regularly start to drop their naps. Just happens, and while this does fluctuate, it sounds like you've actually got it made: your little one will be happy having 'quiet time' in his crib! I'd just give him a stack of books and let him stay in there for as long as it works. He might throw the books out or play with toys, who knows? At this age, the nap becomes far more essential for us (who really need a mid-day break after the busy mornings interacting with a toddler) than for them. Let him play, don't worry about naps, and if he can go down a little earlier at night, that might mean more time for you and your husband.

By the way, mine is the same age and hasn't napped regularly for months. I use a timer for 10-15 minutes when I need breaks and just take myself to another room while my son plays. Works wonders.

Cheers and good luck!
H.

Have you tried not giving him a nap to see how he does? My mom said I quit napping when I was 2, and it just made bedtime a little earlier and easier for them. One of my boys quit taking naps at home most days by age 3 (they make all the kids take naps at daycare, which makes him stay up way too late at night, very frustrating), but my other 2 1/2 year old can sleep for 1-3 hours and still easily sleep from 8:30pm to 7am.

This seems very counter-intuitive, but I discovered a few weeks ago that my younger one really likes to go to sleep with his light on, and I do our bedtime routein, give him a big hug and tell him he can play quietly with his light on for a few minutes then he needs to tuck himself in and go to sleep, then I close the door. When I check on him 20 minutes later his light is still on and amazingly he is sleeping! If I try to turn the light off and make him lie down and cuddle etc. the process will take forever.

I moved both of my kids to the crib mattress on the floor when they were about 1 1/2. Your son sounds more like my older one who doesn't need as much sleep and ALWAYS fights it, but since he is the same age as my younger one you might want to try something different and see how he does.

Good luck!

A.,

Some kids as young as 2 give up needing naps. If he's happy in his crib and fairly quiet I'd just let him be. As long as he has some down time in a quiet area and is not grumpy about the lack of sleep then I wouldn't push the nap thing.

Hope this helps,
Melissa

He is old enough to discontinue the naps. I know that nap time is a special time for you, but some kids just don't need nap time.

Be prepared for disturbed bed timeds when you go on vacation, and when you return.

If he's singing happily in his crib I would not force the nap. Give him an hour of "quiet time" in which he can sleep or play by himself - he chooses.

It's entirely possible that he will either sleep much better or much worse when on vacation. My daughter usually sleeps a lot better, wakes later and naps more, because there is so much to do and see and all the excitement that comes with it.

Good luck!

i've got some sleep-fighters too. it blows my mind when my friend tells me that her daughter will tell her 'mom, i'm sleepy, i'm going to take a nap' and puts herself to bed! what the heck?!

my eldest daughter quit napping around two and i kind of wished my youngest did too, because she woke up angry at the world and couldn't be comforted. i never knew what state she was going to wake up in. my kids must need more sleep than others. i moved up their bedtime to compensate for lack of naps. i like to start putting my 5yo down at 6:30 and 7:30 for my 7yo and they sleep through until 7:30. sure, my 5 yo gets a little cranky some days around 5pm but we do ok.

anyway, your travel sleep will be all messed up anyway but it will give you a good opportunity to try new things and he might be more tired with all the activity and more prone to take a nap. i wouldn't worry about the naps if he's getting enough sleep at night but if he's a bear without one, i'd have a go at having him take a nap by himself. he might fall for it in a different environment. or you could lie down in the same room for a nap and maybe he'll follow suit? of course you won't be able to engage him at all or it'll never work. just keep trying different things and good luck :)

Take a portable play pin and let him lay in it and happily sing to himself all he wants for an hour or so. If he's not crying, it's because he's not unhappy so you're not doing anything wrong by letting him lay there. If he that much trouble sleeping, it's because he doesn't need the sleep. He very well may not need a nap, but could use the rest just as much as I am sure you could use an hour break while he is "napping". What's important in this case, is that he gets a break from stimulation and motion... he's not running around and tiring himself out, his brain function slows down because there is not so much to take in and what there is is calming.
By not forcing the nap on him, it may be easier to get him to sleep at night. And if he is tired, he will eventually go to sleep laying there.

I am honestly at a loss for why you would rock your 2 1/2yr old to sleep? I am a huge advocate for attachment parenting, but I still don't understand this. He is much to old for you to be rocking him to sleep.

Just put him in his crib and leave him as long as he isn't screaming crying and he is safe. If he just sings for an hour, it's ok! He still needs that break time to calm down a little and you need that break too.

Where ever you are going to be for a month, sounds like you could rent or borrow a rocking chair.

I wonder if your child gets enough exercise in the fresh outside air. My boy is high energy and at 12 still needs lots more exercise than I ever even considered. He sleeps deeply and easily with enough fresh air and exercise, without it, he is happily up for hours reading drawing etc..he can't go to sleep, he is not tired.

wear that child out...that is my suggestion. I have a daughter in the same sleep/naptime boat. Although, we don't have to rock her or bounce her to sleep if she goes for a walk (we are talking like a mile plus...or playing with other kiddos). She is 2.5 too. Have that kiddo move as much as possible and getting fresh air is always good too. Good luck!