Cincinnati Babies

WDYD when your preschooler refuses

naps but still clearly needs them? i know its normal for Ben to want to give them up and i don't mind so much but by the time 1 pm (his old nap time) hits he is a BEAR. Acts out and throws tantrums and is not fun to be around in the least. He's taken like 2 or 3 naps in 2 weeks and that was at like 5:45 because im guessing hes just exhausted. i've tried the "quiet time in your room bit" and he screams bloody murder, throws stuff/knocks/pounds on the door for an hour before succombing to quiet time. This isn't how it is everyday, but i would say maybe 75% of the days go this way. Any advice?
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Re: WDYD when your preschooler refuses

  • I don't know, and I'm not even ready to contemplate the end of nap time yet. Just looking for ideas!
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  • Maggie's been in a similar phase. I set her egg timer and tell her she doesn't have to sleep, but she needs to stay in her bed and rest. I also have a couple toys/books I keep aside to let her play with in bed for the days she's in an obstinate mood (magnetic paper doll toy, and a Hallmark book recorded by my grandma). Being really consistent has helped her go back to resting and napping. It sucked for about 2 weeks though, Especially getting out of bed and pounding on the door. I feel for you.
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  • I may start crying when this happens to us.  I'm just sayin'.  I like Kristen's idea of "quiet toys" in the room.

    I know when my sister went through this with her kids (a set of twins and a "singleton") she had to remove everything but the bed and dresser from the room so that they didn't have anything to throw, etc.  I'm open to any and all ideas for future reference!

     

  • I asked on another board I frequent, this was one of the responses...it's a pretty good one, I may try it.

    I never forced my kids to nap...but, when they were obviously over-tired, I did move them to "the quiet spot." We have a space in our living room that has a nice, huge over-stuffed bean bag chair, and is sort of "screened in" with gauze. Th...e kids are free to go there any time they choose, but there are rules: 1) Only one child at a time, and 2) Any activity engaged in the spot must be a silent one. There is a stack of books next to the seat, all of which focus on quiet: "A Quiet Place" by Douglas Wood & Dan Andreasen..."On My Way to A Happy Life" by Deepak Chopra..."Peaceful Piggy Meditation" by Kerry Lee Maclean..."What Does Peace Feel Like" by Vladimir Radunsky...so on. When i tell one of my kids that it looks like they might need some quiet time, they know it is not a punishment, and they never resist. And yes, they always nod off
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  • imageJenRose05:

    I asked on another board I frequent, this was one of the responses...it's a pretty good one, I may try it.

    I never forced my kids to nap...but, when they were obviously over-tired, I did move them to "the quiet spot." We have a space in our living room that has a nice, huge over-stuffed bean bag chair, and is sort of "screened in" with gauze. Th...e kids are free to go there any time they choose, but there are rules: 1) Only one child at a time, and 2) Any activity engaged in the spot must be a silent one. There is a stack of books next to the seat, all of which focus on quiet: "A Quiet Place" by Douglas Wood & Dan Andreasen..."On My Way to A Happy Life" by Deepak Chopra..."Peaceful Piggy Meditation" by Kerry Lee Maclean..."What Does Peace Feel Like" by Vladimir Radunsky...so on. When i tell one of my kids that it looks like they might need some quiet time, they know it is not a punishment, and they never resist. And yes, they always nod off

    I need a photo.  Also, I want a place like that for myself. 

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  • This probably makes me MOTY but oh well, this is what I do. If she refuses to nap, I lay on the floor next to her for about 15 minutes. If that doesn't work, then we come downstairs to the famly room. I shut all drapes and turn off all lights. I have her situated with her loveys on the couch with pillow and blanket. I pop in a medium interest Netflix movie on a very low volume. I tell her it is quiet time. She falls asleep within minutes 99% of the time. The only time she didn't fall asleep, she watched the movie quietly while laying down. It is not a great idea to do it, I am sure, but it works for her. She will nap 3 hours on the couch.
  • imageMeg41208:
    imageJenRose05:

    I asked on another board I frequent, this was one of the responses...it's a pretty good one, I may try it.

    I never forced my kids to nap...but, when they were obviously over-tired, I did move them to "the quiet spot." We have a space in our living room that has a nice, huge over-stuffed bean bag chair, and is sort of "screened in" with gauze. Th...e kids are free to go there any time they choose, but there are rules: 1) Only one child at a time, and 2) Any activity engaged in the spot must be a silent one. There is a stack of books next to the seat, all of which focus on quiet: "A Quiet Place" by Douglas Wood & Dan Andreasen..."On My Way to A Happy Life" by Deepak Chopra..."Peaceful Piggy Meditation" by Kerry Lee Maclean..."What Does Peace Feel Like" by Vladimir Radunsky...so on. When i tell one of my kids that it looks like they might need some quiet time, they know it is not a punishment, and they never resist. And yes, they always nod off

    I need a photo.  Also, I want a place like that for myself. 

    I think mike and I would fight over the quiet spot. Also, I don't know that our family has the temprament to make something like this work. :)
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  • imageKristenBtobe:
     I think mike and I would fight over the quiet spot. Also, I don't know that our family has the temprament to make something like this work. :)

    I can picture it now - fighting over the quiet spot while the kids are running wild.  I'd be all up in the quiet spot with a bottle of wine.  

    You know, I'm thinking that all my walk in pantry needs to be the perfect quiet spot is a corkscrew and a lock on the door.

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  • imageMeg41208:

    imageKristenBtobe:
     I think mike and I would fight over the quiet spot. Also, I don't know that our family has the temprament to make something like this work. :)

    I can picture it now - fighting over the quiet spot while the kids are running wild.  I'd be all up in the quiet spot with a bottle of wine.  

    You know, I'm thinking that all my walk in pantry needs to be the perfect quiet spot is a corkscrew and a lock on the door.

    ::snort::

  • imageMeg41208:

    imageKristenBtobe:
     I think mike and I would fight over the quiet spot. Also, I don't know that our family has the temprament to make something like this work. :)

    I can picture it now - fighting over the quiet spot while the kids are running wild.  I'd be all up in the quiet spot with a bottle of wine.  

    You know, I'm thinking that all my walk in pantry needs to be the perfect quiet spot is a corkscrew and a lock on the door.

    hallelujah.
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  • Nap time has been virtually nonexistent since July.  So believe me, I sympathize.  It used to be he would kick and scream at the door.  Absolutely unbearable.  I tried lots of different things... consistent time, laid with him, ignored him, etc...  Yeah, no luck.  That's probably not what you wanted to hear.

    But... here's what I learned.  Consistency in absolutely everything surrounding "nap time" is imperative.  Same general routine starting about an hour before nap time (so for us it is lunch, story time, diaper change, nap time).  The timing is imperative too as it helps them pick up on cues that it's time to wind down a little.  So I start lunch at 1 so that everything is done by 2.  At 2, we're in his room and I put a DVD in for an hour.  He lays in his room, the tv turns off after an hour (sleep timer set), and if he gets up, then "nap time" is over.  If he doesn't, I know he's asleep and I let him sleep.  FWIW, he rarely falls asleep... but he does rest.  If I hear him get out of his bed, the DVD goes off (and it's a treat for him so he doesn't get out of his bed... but that took some training on my part).  I hate the fact that a DVD is involved, but it does accomplish the goal of getting him to lay down for an hour and I get an hour of peace. 

    Ferber does have some stuff about toddlers/ no naps in it if you go and read that section..   you might get other ideas that work for you guys.  GL!

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