napping for older kids

[Deleted User] · July 2014

I know that there are some stm's on here with older kiddos and I was wondering when they gave up their nap (if they have). My almost 3.5 yo is fighting naps now and if I can get her to nap then she won't fall asleep until after 9pm. Any stm advice?

barista411 · July 2014

I know out LOs are about the same age but I'm probably not much help. DD is still taking a nap around noon to 1:30 and goes to bed at 7:00.

Could you switch to quiet time? Some days when DD is more resistant to naps I have her just do quiet time in her room. She can play or read books but she has to stay in her room for an hour. Sometimes she falls asleep and sometimes she just plays. Either way it gives her some down time.

[Deleted User] · July 2014

@barista411‌ I think we will have to switch to quiet time. I had been having her sit in her bed but she will start yelling asking me if she can get up and it's been waking Luke up. Maybe I will try an hour of quiet time with books or a coloring book.

[Deleted User] · July 2014

@BrittAnnie19‌ no matter what time DD goes to bed she always seems to wake up at 6 am. She has never in her life slept later than 7 and she's only slept until 7 a handful of times. She has never been a great sleeper. I wonder if she just needs less sleep.

Kim22 · July 2014

My oldest napped 2 hours a day until the day before he started kindergarten. My second gave up naps at 3.5 but often falls asleep while I'm making dinner so obviously she still needs them. I try for quiet time each day but now with three our schedule is all over the place. I haven't been working since LO so we sleep until about 7:30. When I return to work in a few weeks we will be up at 5:30 so I think she will go back to naps at daycare then.

hologram87 · July 2014

DD is 4 and only naps about once every 2 weeks, but still has quiet time in her room. She can either lie in her bed or sit in her corner and play with toys (she has a little area set up with a toy box and a bunch of pillows). She usually will just sit in her bed and talk to her stuffed animals. On the rare occasion that she does nap, her bed time will be much later. So oddly enough, I would rather she didn't nap, just so bedtime isn't a fight.

[Deleted User] · July 2014

@brittannie19 she doesn't seem to mind at all when she doesn't nap. She isn't usually grouchy or falling asleep so I think maybe she just doesn't need to nap anymore but thought it was a little early for that. Guess not. I think we will start doing quiet time.

Thanks for all the suggestions ladies!

CarrieB. · July 2014

My 3 year old has mostly dropped her nap although she will occasionally fall asleep during her quiet time.

I think everyone can benefit from quiet time, even if it's not exactly a nap.

I think the going to bed later will regulate back as she gets used to not napping.

Princess_Lily · July 2014

DS stopped napping at 18mo, so instead we implemented quiet time. Quiet time is quiet play for 1/2hr to 1hr

Also we adjusted his bedtime to 8p to ensure he is still getting sleep.

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napping for older kids

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