Do you protect nap time?

arcook0307

So DD is almost 14 months and still requiring 2 naps a day (9:00 am and 2:00pm).  If she doesn't get them she is very cranky and difficult to manage.  Lots of things seem to cut into nap time for us and I find myself wanting to do nothing but stay at home because of it.  I don't mind staying at home but things like church (2x a week sometimes), baby showers, ladies book study at church, play group.....  Everything seems to cut out a nap.  I see moms that just do it and I feel like I am selfish (for not attending all the birthday parties and baby showers that I'm invited to).  Her nap time is also my time to get things done and just chill out a little and frankly I hate to give that up!  She will not fall asleep at church or anything like that but sometimes will in the car-although that's usually not much of a nap.  I am starting to feel like people are judging me because they manage to "push through " with their kids and I don't.  Do you protect nap time too or should I suck it up?  It doesn't help that I'm pregnant and doing this by myself for a short period of time while my husband is away.  Everything seems to require so much more energy right now! lol

downtown80

My daughter takes a nap every day, but I don't have set times for it. They are generally around the same time though...give or take an hour or so. If we have somewhere to be, I have her nap before we leave so she's rested. Or she'll take two smaller naps

arcook0307

About the most I have managed to shift it (and I've tried believe me) is about 30 minutes one way or the other.  More than that and she's difficult to manage.  To me, if I'm at a birthday party or baby shower and she is cranky, neither one of us

Nechie122

You know your child. If YOU don't feel like you're missing out, then who cares what other people think? Prioritize the important events and skip the rest. Book club isn't worth the effort if it just wears you out!

Also, this is temporary. In

jld49

I protect his two naps 95%  of the time. He's 16 mths old and does one at 9 and another at 1. He needs them and I enjoy the break! It won't last so yes, enjoy the breaks or do whatever you think is best or you and your LO! 

12bailey18

Both my kids take one nap a day- in the middle of the afternoon. I protect that time at all costs. I love that they nap at the same time and that's my time to have a break, especially with DH gone a lot. I've been fortunate that not to many of our activit

mrsannie

Nechie122:

You know your child. If YOU don't feel like you're missing out, then who cares what other people think? Prioritize

preggersin2011

LO's been on one mid-day nap since she switched herself at around 10 months. She needs a nap, but on the weekends when we are out an about she will start the nap anywhere from 1145 up until 2p (pretty much whenever we get home and i put her in the crib).

chicsahm

arcook0307:

About the most I have managed to shift it (and I've tried believe me) is about 30 minutes one way or the other. &n

chicsahm

preggersin2011:

LO's been on one mid-day nap since she switched herself at around 10 months. She needs a nap, but on the weeke

kmz885

My LO is on a one nap schedule now, so we either push it forward an hour (12 instead of 11) or wait until she's up to go out. When she was taking two naps, we would at least make sure she had one nap that day (for example, if we had a cousin's birthday pa

ladybugpjb

If you're on your own, do what you need to do to survive. I completely understand that.

At the same time, if you're on our own, then it would probably be helpful for you to get out and interact with others. I protect naptime to an exten

katiewhompus

Nechie122:

You know your child. If YOU don't feel like you're missing out, then who cares what other people think? Prioritize

noahchristopher

My son is 18 mos and is finally on one nap!!! It definitely gets much easier once they're down to one

 I have ALWAYS protected his nap(s), and I'm in the same boat with you regarding having to defend myself when it comes to others

TiffanyBerry

DD wouldn't nap anywhere but at home in her space, so I guarded nap time with a vengance, and still do. 

 Different kids sleep differently.  Don't let yourself be guilted into parenting for a different child than the one you actua

ncbelle

Nope - but that's probably why Callum gave up naps early and Eleanor is about to give them up.  It was even harder to have set times with #2.

That said...do what works for you  

bluejetta

I do and always have but have become a bit more flexible as DD has.  She is down to one nap and can do it within a 30-40 min window so that helps us be out and about if needed.  Bedtime is also mostly sacred but again flexible within a 30-40 min

phillyfan929

DS naps once a day. during the week its more consistent but on weekends he still naps it might just be at different times or in the car. we aren't super strict about naps being at the same time every day, especially on the weekends.

Snapdragon750

Nechie122:

You know your child. If YOU don't feel like you're missing out, then who cares what other people think? Prioritize

cbmp06

DD also only naps at home, in her space. She is not an on-the-go napper and won't sleep in the car. I too protect nap time and have just recently branched out to do story times and whatnot now that she is older and napping less. When she took two, LONG

12bailey18

HilarityEnsued:

mbe

JennaNAaron

I definitely do for LO #1.  He takes one nap in the afternoon and he's off the hook if he doesn't get it.  We can fluctuate it by about 30 min either way.  However I try not to be in the car even near nap because if he falls asleep in th

Jen0204

Mine are still on two naps. I always plan our day so that I know they'll get at least one good nap. This coming Saturday we have a birthday party from 10:30-12 and they usually nap from 9:30-10:30 or 11. It's a half hour away so I think I'll leave a li

Karen1998

I protect naps, too.  LO won't nap for long in the car and we PAY for it when he only gets a car nap.  If he naps more than 5-10 minutes in the car and I don't do something immediately after that is very stimulating (such as an hour at the pa

meg_2006

When DS was on 2 naps I was a little more flexible, but for the most part I made sure he got his naps even if I had to miss something (except church).  I work full-time, and weekends are "our time." I want to enjoy our time!  And that means a

SharonB222

I protect my LO's naps - because *I* need them.  That said, we'll wing it for an occasional event.  She transitioned from 2 naps (9:30 and 2:00) to 1 nap (12:30) on her own at 18 months... the 3 mos beforehand were tough socially b/c her pals ha

laurn321

90% of the time, we protect nap time. My kid is a very light sleeper and won't sleep away from home (just ranted about it in my blog as a matter of fact) so it's just more logical for us to protect his nap time. I'd rather deal with a happy baby and wo

MrsT2008

I am all about protecting her nap and her bedtime.  Good sleep is important.  However, it definitely got easier to protect her nap when she dropped to 1 nap in the afternoon because it frees up our mornings.  Though, even when she was na

kcisthebombdotcom

i did with my first. i think parents generally do with a first born child. with a second child, she had no choice but to learn to sleep on the go since we already had activities scheduled for my first child that i didnt want to give up and she was a sl

Leap08

DD2 is down to one nap a day (usually from 12-3ish). I try to make that a priority, but we will vary the time by 30 minute to an hour. On Saturdays DD1 has a skating class from 11:45 to 12:15, so DD2s nap is usually at 1:00 instead of 12:00. This weeke

lana22

i do. he's 16 months and down to one nap, usually from 12-1:30. i will put him down at 12:30/1 sometimes but try not to be too far away for our morning activity cause i prefer he sleep at home v. car. when he had two naps i was also pretty protective,

molisar

We protect our nap time.  DS was always an awful sleeper - at night and during the day.  Nap time is now two solid hours - no way in h!ll will I interrupt that.  

Mommy2CB

I think its totally normal for a 14 month old to still nap 2x a day. I think they say they go down to 1 around 15-18 mos or so? If she really NEEDS those 2 naps at those times I would definitely try to keep that schedule, it's not like she will stay wi

authorofdreamz

Yes I am very protective of DDs naptime and bedtime (which is 5:30pm) yes this means we miss out on ALOT. If it's not during DDs awake time or there isn't a quiet room where I can put her to sleep in the PNP we don't go unless it is something REALLY impor