Help!!! My 3 Year Old Son No Longer Naps.

Hi L.,
My day also starts at 6 am and ends around 1:30am. I work full time as soon as my older children get home from school and dad comes home from work. So I really need a nap during the day. My almost 3 yo (in April) doesn't always like to nap. Usually she does but there are days that she doesn't. She understands that mommy needs to sleep. So she is allowed to play in her room but doesn't have to sleep if she doesn't want to, but she has to be quiet. Maybe if you explain it to your son as 'you and his sister have to nap not him' maybe he will be more understanding? Maybe you can put something in the door so that he can not slam it. EX: a facecloth over the door jam or something. Hope this helps some.
T.

I miss naps! Mine was fighting it badly this weekend. Sometimes I make her. She always fights sleep (night and naps) and gives me so much trouble. This time I let her stay up but usually I make her take a nap if we have something late in the afternoon to do because I know she will act up and get cranky if she doesnt. I just keep putting her back in the bed. Of course when I let her get away with NO nap, she falls asleep on the way to where we are going! I'm sorry! I know how precious that nap time is to a mom!!!! Maybe if he gets some of the energy out early, like outside play then lunch, he'll get tired?

I've got to say that you are very fortunate to have kids that nap this long. Mine usually stop around 18 months....at least my boys did. My girl stopped around 2 years and she didn't do it consistently then. My kids do get up late though, including my 5 month old.

You sound like you definitely have an idea as to what to do during his 'used to' nap times. I would just call it quiet time now. Explain what is now going to happen, the rules, and he'll eventually get the routine down. Good luck!

Hi L.,

My younger daughter stopped napping when she was 2 years old. I remember feeling exactly like you! How I would miss those naps!

I did the same exact thing you are talking about. I just started calling naptime "quiet time" and if she couldn't sleep - she could read or do another quiet activity in her room. I had to be firm about the rules of quiet time - she couldn't come out of her room for a set amount of time. If she couldn't sleep - she could do another quiet activity. If there is a day that she seems really tired even now (and she's almost 5 now) - I still have her go to her room for quiet time.

Good luck!
A.