Help with a Girl That Sometimes naps..and Sometimes Does Not...!!

3-yr olds - you've gotta love 'em! Betweent their physical growth, their still-babyish ways and their drive for independence, they are totally unpredictable!

My daughter was always a predictable sleeper, too, but a few months ago (she turns 4 in June), she stopped napping everyday. I think this was a harder adjustment for me than for her. :)
Her routine has been pretty predictable; she naps for 3 days, then she has "quiet time" for 3 days (instead of naps and at the same time as naptime). The key for me is to A) accept that she's giving up her naps (I don't adapt well to change), and B) institute "quiet time" at the same time as naptime so as to teach her downtime and to preserve my sanity and get a break from my little munchkins (my son will usually takes an afternoon nap at the same time). ;)
On the days she doesn't nap, she goes to bed early (30 minutes to 1 hr early, depending on how she's doing). I know kids are supposed to give up their naps after age 3, but it's weird to me because my daughter is really sensitive to lack of sleep and turns into a SOBBING, DRAMATIC MESS by the third day of no nap, even with early bedtimes. My sister (mother of 3) claims that it's a long, slow process and that sometimes kids even go back to napping every day before giving naps up completely.
Good luck! I can really relate to what you're going through (especially the "hyper sassy and horrible child" part.)
:) Hang in there!

Check her throat and ears -- she may have some pain that worsens upon lying down, like fluid in her ears that causes more pressure there, but not enough pain to feel and report to Mom.

Around 3 some kids don't "need" a nap... No matter how much we WISH they did. :-)
My middle guy stopped napping at 3. our oldest napped until 5...
Give her the option of a nap or quiet time. No matter what, you stay in your room on your bed. Whether your sleeping or looking at a book (have a few sitting beside her bed) Figure out a timing system... Take a clock and put it in her room. Put a sticker on it. If she goes down at 1 put the sticker on the 2. Explain to her that she has to stay in her bed until the short hand gets under the sticker...
On the days she doesn't sleep plan on putting her to bed early and enjoy the days she does sleep. :-)
I wouldn't push naps later... You may end up messing up her going to bed at night ...

My kids loved their naps as well. My six year old clearly needs a half hour a day sometimes more but my five year old does not. With another one on the way I don't want to break the routine. My kids just know from 1 to 2 they must stay in their rooms and if they can't sleep read or color until 2:00. However when naps are skipped my son goes to bed as early as 6:30 and sleeps until his normal time. Don't be afraid to let her go to bed early if she's tired most kids will eventually adapt. Best of luck to you.

Hello Lisa, I know this is late, but I may be able to help. My 3 were 1 1/2 years apart, so this was pure survival stuff for my sanity. Three things we cannot "make" our children do, sleep, eat, and eliminate. Your daughter is at a normal transitional stage of development, but sleep is important. Moving her bedtime is execellent. With my children, on the days they didn't sleep, I kept their activities low key the rest of the day. Hyperactivity is a sign of sleep depravation, so look for the signs during the day, and take note. Drawing, playdo, tv, are good activities when they are tired, because they don't get so hyper by bedtime, which can keep them from being able to wind down enough to fall asleep. If she gets too cranky, tell her that if she continues to BEHAVE badly then she will have her bedtime moved up 15 minutes for each offence. This puts cause and effect into play. This way she controlls when her bedtime is, and believe me when you let her know at night that she is going to bed early because "list each offence including not sleeping at naptime", she will thing about her behavior more as each day goes by. Be consistant. It has to be put back in her lap if you want her to change her ways. There's that old saying that we can't change anyone but ourselves, so you are teaching her life skills that will stay with her into the teen years when you will be SO thankful that she learned early on. Good luck, it does get easier as time goes by.

my almost four yr old stopped napping a little over three for a while a on them day watch out buy dinner time no one is safe our sweet easy going angel is not at all that way or she will fall a sleep way to late with girls it a controll thing if they think it there idea they will do it at least that what i found whit all five of mine with my youngest i use the rest your legs with my oldest i would have her close her eye and count to 15 then open them and to 10 then back and forth to her self for a bit athen she was out

Lots of three-year-olds stop taking naps and your daugther, like all of us, is still tired some days and needs one and other days doesn't. If she can't sleep, why don't you just let her rest reading a book or something. My children have always dropped naps by this age - and they're all smart, normal kids. Remember, if you make the nap time later in the afternoon, then you've got to let her stay up much later - you can't possibly expect her to go to sleep a few hours later. Good luck - Alison

HI Lisa
My daughter transitioned out of naps at 3. She still had a natural lull in her energy at nap time, so we changed it to quite time, and moved her bed time up a little. We'd read books and a play quite calm game of dolls. If she played real hard she'd still need a nap.
Good luck, A. H

I am wondering what time you have her going down to take a nap.
My 3 year old goes down at 1:30pm and sleeps for about an hour and a half.

Don't give up. In my opinion she is too young to stop that nap. I know some kids who still took naps at 5 years old. Plus good rest help keep kids healthy.

Stay consistant. Is she in a crib or bed. If crib... keep it that way as long as you can. I often hear mom's say their little ones stopped napping as soon as they changed to a bed cause they wouldn't stay in there. If she is in a bed... and she is still up for an hour before she falls asleep.. so be it. These are often phases. They stink but just keep doing what you are doing. If she doesn't nap... as long as she is in her bed and quiet and still it the main thing.
These are very frustrating days for me too when the kids don't sleep on thier usual schedule. The unfortnate thing is we can MAKE them sleep. We can only set up the situation in order for them to sleep.
I do have some ideas on my blog about this kind of thing... it us under Transitions.
Take a look.
www.shapinglittlesouls.blogspot.com

I hope it helps.
Try to have a stonger will than you daugher.. she will be a better person if you do.

Wow, I'm in the same situation right now with my 2 1/2 yr. old. She went through this about a month ago for about 2 weeks. I just kept putting her in there for a rest anyway. They will give up there naps when they are ready, despite what we think. I have a 7 and 5 yr. old and this is the way they stop napping. My 7 yr. old stopped a little past the age of 2 (she's a girl and girls don't require as much as boys). My 5 year old, he stopped a little while after he turned 3. Now my 2 1/2 yr. old is trying to give them up. She did this for a 2 week stretch last month, then just started to nap again on and off of playing in her crib with her baby doll. Then she started to sleep again, now the little stinker figured out how to get out!!! So for 2 days now, she has appeared in the living room within 15 minutes of going down. So she hasn't napped for two days. One good thing is that now she goes to bed at 7:30 instead of 9:00. Which is kinda nice because now everone is in bed at 8:00 and I can make some tea and relax. I think you're just gonna have to get used to the new routine. Also you may find her sleeping in a little while longer in the morning as well. Oh, and once you she gets adjusted to the new schedule she won't have those late afternoon meltdowns anymore, that will get better everyday that she adjusts to the new schedule. Good luck!!!

My daughter quit napping when she was three, maybe your daughter only neeeds a nap every other day or every few days. Good luck!