I recently took my 3 y.o daughter's binky away from her and since then she won't nap unless I lay down with her. Even then sometimes she won't sleep, although she's fine at night about sleeping on her own in her bed. Our pediatrician said that at this age they can start revolting against the nap and I could just have quiet time, but she went from a 2-3 hr nap/day to this. Granted prior to removing the binky she was starting to say she wasn't tired, etc., but I don't want her to be one of those kids that are sleep deprived. She doesn't seem that tired most of the time however and usually isn't too cranky as long as she gets a nap every other day or so. I am hoping/expecting to begin working FT soon and then I won't be around to sleep with her. Should I go into "battle" and enforce the nap in her own bed by herself by simply putting her back in over and over until she falls alseep (I haven't had the energy to do that yet, it's easier and nicer to take a nap with her! :) )? Any other suggestions? Thanks!
Unfortunately around 3 years old is about the time a lot of children stop taking naps. I have three children (one who is 10 months) and the older two both stopped napping by the age of 3. I tried to fight against it and "make" them take a nap but it just was a losing battle. For the first couple of weeks after stopping napping they were tired and a little cranky right around dinner time but they soon got past that.
In our case nap-time became a battleground at about 26 months. My son is the average active type but doesn't seem to need much sleep. By the time he turned 2 I was spending close to 1 hour trying to coax him to lie down for a nap so I could do some little work. I was so mentally exhausted when he finally did settle down that I couldn't work because I needed a rest so badly! He also started having trouble going to sleep at night because if he took a nap he wasn't tired enough at 8:00 pm....so I ended up dealing with another battle. So after a while we simply dispensed with naps.
My son is a "clock", just like I've always been. He seem to have his body set to sleep only 10 hours a day no matter what.
Even a 5 minute nap in the car delays his bedtime 1 hour I only let him take a long one in the car now and then if he has no had enough sleep the night before. I too am worried about sleep deprivation.
Anyway, my point here is that some people don't need as much sleep as others. As long as your child sleeps overall the minimum allowed for her age group, skipping nap time is fine.
My 3 siblings can still sleep 15-17 hours at the time if they had little sleep the night before. I've never, EVER -since I was 2 years old- been able to sleep more than 9 hours straight even if I didn't sleep in the prior 30 hours.
So I would say...keep doing the occasional nap thing when she really needs. She'll be just fine!
Oh,I've just remembered that we too started having the issues with nap time around the time we got rid of the binkey...so there's definitely a connexion there. Make sure your girl has a "lovey" to substitute the binkey. For us it took a while but my son eventually found out that his yellow blankie was a great companion at bedtime.
L., Mom to Nickey 08/04
If she's not still using the binky, she's not getting overtired or cranky during the day and goes to bed at a good bedtime...I wouldn't get crazy over it. I would watch to see on the days she does not nap if it alters her disposition or bedtime and go from there. There were times that if my sons hadn't napped by a certain time, then they would fall asleep in the car before dinner and I would be doomed at bedtime. If she is not falling asleep at a bad time that would cause her not to sleep at night, then again...I wouldn't be nuts. Both of my children had different types of nap styles and habits. At the moment they are both getting to bed at generally normal times but that has fluctuated also. Oh, and I agree, if it meets with your schedule to lay down and nap with her - then THAT I'm all for! Especially if that works out best time wise with your younger one too! An afternoon nap always did me some good! LOL!
It shouldn't be a huge battle, it should be built into the routine....my 4yr old son goes to afternoon pre-k 2 days a week...so he asks when he wakes up every morning do I have school or nap today? If you have a lulaby CD play that for her and tell her when it's over she can get up...that should buy you 45 mins on the days when she's not tired and on the days when she is, she'll fall asleep while it's playing. I think giving a child downtime is a gift, today so many grown-ups and children are so over scheduled and tired they wear themselves out, teaching your child to recharge and rest is a good thing!
Hi T.
My three year old daughter has done the same thing! She turned 3 in February and she gave up her pacifier the next week. She used to take 2-3 hour naps as well but now takes a nap maybe once a week (twice if I'm lucky). I don't really think its because of the pacifier though because she was weaning herself from naps before that. Now we have "quiet time" where she can watch TV in my bed or read a book or something. I figure any down time is appreciated! Sometimes if we have been out in the morning and she's been running around, she will nap in the car but usually when we get home she's awake again and "recharged". I think its just another step in growing up. Kids love it and parents wish it would take a little longer! Good luck!
My 1st did the same thing stopped naps when I stopped the Paci I swore when my son was born he could have his paci till he was six if I could still get him to nap! HA! unfortunately somewhere around 3 they just are harder to get to nap, If my youngest falls asleep in the car I can squeeze a nap but otherwise NO GO! Just enjoy them every day! Maybe even
my daughter just turned 3 too and the binky fairy came and took her binkies!!! anyway, i see it as with the binky, i was dictating her naptime, gave her a binky and she fell asleep, now without it, it seems she doesnt fall asleep unless she is genuinely tired. i just have her go to her room and if in an hour she is still up, tell her she can come down. half the time she plays, the other half naps. i agree with the every other day nap, she takes about 3-4 naps a week and is directly related to the kind of day we have, but if we are home for the day with nothing going on, she doesnt take on. i wouldnt worry if she is happy. i think at this age they are that in between of needing/not needing it, and it will probaly disappear altogether soon.
my daughter quit napping a few months before she turned 3 when we quit nursing (i was still nursing her down for naps). the first few weeks were hard, sometimes she'd just doze off on the couch in the evening which she had never done before but now it's all evened out. if we go out for the day she may fall asleep on the way home in the car or when she's sick she might sleep too. at first i tried laying down with her too, but it was really stressful for both of us and usually she wouldn't sleep. now we just put in a movie in the late afternoon and that's her quiet time. while i miss the time to myself during the day, she now goes to sleep much easier and earlier. in the end, she was just over it and not pushing her was the best thing for both of us.
T.
You should try some quiet time. Lead her into her bed at her usual nap time. Give her the option to either lay down or go through books. Let her know this is her quiet time or break time and she should rest or relax while mommy has a few things to do. Give her a 1/2 hour or hour and then bring her back with you. Whether she sleeps or not, this lets her know it's down time. Good luck.
Hi T.,
Binkie or no binkie, many children stop napping at 3 years old. If she's genuinely not tired, I would not force the issue, but I would institute a "quiet hour" where she needs to rest in her bed with her stuffed animals, look at books, etc. if you feel that you need a break.
Good luck!
