How Do I Get My 3 Year Old to Take a Nap!

I'm sure you have already considered joining a gym that provides free childcare, but I do recommend the YMCA. They have very affordable family rates and if you need assistance, they have an "open doors" policy where they base your monthly rate on what you can afford. I paid $33 a month for me and my daughter. The care in the playrooms are excellent as they divide the children into age appropriate groups and have separate areas for each. Just a thought. This is my only option for summer as it is too hot to go for a walk!!. Hope this helps.

Hi, I'm a mother of three whos ages are 5, almost 4, and 2. What I've done since the quiet time is desperately needed is my kiddos have a quiet hour the coincides with my youngests nap. They have to stay in the bed with "quiet" toys or books for the full hour then they get up for a snack. It took alittle convincing at first but with a timer set or a clock that they can watch its worked well for me. Sometimes the middle child will actually sleep but my oldest hardly ever sleeps anymore. I figure the quiet is good for all of us and my oldest will have it in kindergarten anyway as well.

I don't know if anyone else has suggested this, or if you would be willing to try it, but get him involved in your exercise routine. He may see it as fun but if you can get him to sort of mock what you are doing you can get your exercise in and spend quality time with him as well. Will he not just play quietly by himself while you exercise? At least you have a few suggestions now. Good luck and I hope you can work it out.

I understand about the desire to get the weight off and the kid's schedules not in sync so I can exercise. What I had to accept is it's going to cost money, maybe not a lot, but it will cost. I tried exercising in the afternoon/evening and was not successful. My body fought me the entire time, unlike in the mornings when I seemed to have more energy and have a better workout. I searched and searched for a person I could trust just to watch my oldest for an hour and had no luck. Is there anyone that can watch the oldest while you exercise? There might be some Parent's Day Out programs at some of the local churches you could check into. He would be gone for 3-5 hours (not just 1) and it would cost money. Most don't advertise the PDO program, so you have to call.

good luck

I hate to tell you this but he is the right age to be giving up naps. I know it stinks. Maybe he can exercise with you. My kids have quite time during the afternoon. They can watch a video or tv show or play on the computer or read books. Good luck.

Don't ya love the nap strikes? One thing that may help is to rename nap time "quiet time." Tell him he doesn't have to go to sleep, but he must stay in his room and play quietly, preferably in his bed. After the struggle to stay awake has been removed, he may doze off without realizing it. If he doesn't, at least you get some time to yourself, because we all know that the naps are just as much for us moms as it is for the kids. Good luck! Hope this helps.
-K.

Well, you don't! But what you can do is take away the power struggle surrounding it. You make it clear to him that you understand if he's getting to old for naps. Nonetheless, everyone needs a little time to themselves every day to recharge. You'd like to use 30 min (whatever) to get some exercise. Tell him that he doesn't have to take a nap, but he does need to play quietly in his room, and give you that time to yourself. I limited my boys to things they could do on their bed-looking at books or coloring, puzzles etc. Things that are quiet. Make sure he knows that it's ok if he does want to go to sleep, but he doesn't have to. Let him know you will be right there if he needs anything really important, but that you believe he is old enough to spend some time playing by himself.

This is the way I have done it with all of my kids, usually starting around age 2.5. Once I took away the struggle, I found that often times they fell asleep. My boys are 8 and 6 now, and we still have daily "quiet time". (Calling it that instead of naptime helped too)My boys know now, because we've always done it, that between 2-4pm, they are going to be in quiet time.

Three yr olds are able to be rational, and this is a good way for him to learn to play independatly, to listen to what his body needs, and to respect other peoples needs ahead of his own. Good practice for life, eh? You may need to really be vigilant with him. He is probably going to test you by coming out, but just calmly say, it's quiet time now, I'll play/get snack/read book etc when QT is over. Setting a timer might help too

Good luck! You deserve this time for yourself. It will make you a better mommy in the end. Mentally rested, physically healthier and energized.

I understand what you are talking about. Does your three year seem extremely hyper and active. I know mine is and there are a few things I have found that have helped. One is I try not to give hime anything to eat or drink with dyes or a lot of sugar before naptime. This helps the energy thing. Next thing is I try to lay down with him till he goes to sleep. Last, I have always told him as well as all my children they don't have to go to sleep just need to be quiet and I usually let them take a book to bed with them and make it clear they are not to get out of the bed. I hope some of these suggestions help, I know it can be frustrating. I have four children and getting time to myself well you can imagine. I have three different age groups so naptime is not at the same time. Hope this helps.

G.
website: www.workathomeunited/myfoursons.com

Have your three year old work out with you .Maybe get a work out video that's made for kids Tai bo has a really good one. Have him do the things you are doing. My 3 year old son loves to do yoga with me. I'm down on the floor with him and we try to do the same things. It's boding for us to "work-out" together.. For him it's more like play time.You can walk around the block. Your 3 year old could be riding a bike and you can have your 1 year old in a wagon or stroller. Playing ball with your lil one could be good too. Any fast movement is good and if you break a sweat you are working your body. If you have a more intense work out you might just have to save it for when they go to bed at night. Or have him watch a movie at that time and maybe he might even dose off and get a lil nap in. Good luck

Hey S.!
I would really suggest you not use time outs or any sort of punishment for not sleeping, thats probably why he thinks it is torture. When he does sleep, how long does he normally sleep? I would suggest that you sit with him or lay in with him in his bed for a while. Put some soft music on or read a book to him. Call it relaxing time or something to disguise the fact that you want him to fall asleep. If you stay with him until he falls asleep that way you can assure that he fell asleep and won't be getting up. He is getting to an age where he may or may not need a nap every day but still needs some down time. I would then suggest that you can put him in a separate room with a movie or something. Then you can tell him that he can't get up until the movie is over. If you try to get them to nap or relax the same time everyday he will start to understand what is expected of him and cooperate more easily. Good Luck!

My daughter hasn't taken more than a handful of naps since she turned 2. We turned it into rest time. A quiet activity like a movie or a book instead of a nap but still laying in the bed. This worked for about a year and now we don't even lay down at all at home but she still has rest time at school while her friends sleep. Some kids just out grow naps sooner than others.