Anyone get their non-napper to nap during busy summer days?

Sunflower777

DS#1 is 5 and hasn't napped since he turned 3. Not napping works ok during the school year, but now that it's summer and the days are longer and we are doing more active things outside, it's hard for him to make it through the day without getting cranky. 

Does your non-napping child take naps sometimes during the summer? If so, is it just because they crash? Or do you encourage it someway? 

j-w

DD is 5 1/2 and hasn't napped in probably 8-9 months.  She sacks out at least 3 days a week now that it is nice out!!

ETA: She has quiet time in her room year round...she has been crashing or choosing to sleep because then she gets to stay up later...she's fine going to bed when it's light out, but would rather be up with everyone else.  lol

hikerbeth

DD stopped napping around 2 and stopped "quiet time" around 4.5, but she will definitely go to her room to chill or even to nap if she needs it.  She's become really self-regulating.

MelissaMc22

Mine has been.

 He gave up naps last summer around 3 years and a couple months... but last week on vacation he napped almost everyday. I have also noticed he also gets really tired earlier.

The sun drains him and he could def nap more, but he still fights it! Most days I wish he would because then he could stay up a little later- the evenings in the summer are so much fun.

 

 

peekaboo716

No. I can't get DS to take a nap for the life of me. He's never been a good napper, though. I did have a little luck with having him fall asleep to a movie, but that only worked a couple of times. The end of the day is really difficult at our house.

jlw2505

My older DD will be 5 next month and naps maybe 1 or 2 times a week.  She always has a quiet time though that is 1-2 hours.  They do this at school/summer program as well.  SHe doesn't have to sleep but she does need to be quiet in her room.  Sat, after we took an hour long hike, she napped for almost 2 hours and her little sister, who naps about 1-2 hours on average but will also sometimes decide not to sleep, slept for 3 hours.  It was hot, we were outside and active.  Quiet time is just part of the routine and I plan to keep it that way for a while yet - DD is not starting kindy until Fall 2012 so she will have a quiet time until that point and after that, it will really depend on what we are doing and how she handles not having it.

shouldbworkin

I am trying to give them some downtime every afternoon vs. naps.  Once school is out, they will start sleeping in a bit and that should help.  Otherwise, I would be putting them to bed a little earlier.