Replacing Nap Time with Quiet Time

My son stopped naps around then too... maybe a little before. Unfortunately for you, you have to go with it... you can't force them to nap. Some days he would actually want to take a nap but those were few. Quiet time is a good idea until they get to a point where they are able to stay up all day without getting cranky. Reading books or playing quietly is good - you can do part of quiet time with her until she gets used to it. I always like to give my son a snack and put on a video or Disney Movie... he is forced to sit in one place and he can just relax and watch.

Hope this helps.

when i was little my dad used to take me for a ride so id fall aleep then he would carry me into the house have you tried reading to her somestories that she liked so she will relax and go to sleep she is to young tobe giving up naps good luck A. no hills have 4 kis and 7 grandchildren

I believe in "down time" even if they don't sleep. Yes, you may have books and a FEW toys on your bed. If you get sleepy then just lie down. No TV, no music and lights must be out. It is good for them to learn how to amuse themselves and learn how to be quiet.

I had to switch to quiet time around 28 months - she wouldn't stay in her bed to nap, wouldn't go to sleep without a fight, and I was 6 months pg so I needed MY nap :) It works pretty well most of the time and I'd say about 1-2 times a week she will actually fall asleep if I let quiet time go beyond an hour. She plays with her dolls or puzzles or reads books during quiet time - basically whatever as long as she stays in her room and is quiet.

I have two 3-1/2 yr. old twin girls. I started quiet time about 6 months ago for a couple of reasons. They weren't napping as easily, and when they did nap they didn't go down easily at bedtime. We have a perfect routine now wherein they have adjusted and we don't have the cranky time during the day where they seemed to be missing there nap, and we aren't getting the cranky time in the evenings because they missed their nap. About every 2-3 days, I give them a nap because I notice they are sleeping in later & needing the rest. They don't fight it because they truly are tired. If they are a little "edgy" or wound up, I take turns rubbing their backs & it settles them instantly. Bottom line rather than fighting them or threatening them & my getting irritated.....I've learned how to manage them off to slumber land without laying down with them, taking to my bed....etc.. They do get regular music (Celine Dion - Miracles) that help drown out any noises whenever & WHEREVER we are for sleep time. Quiet time we have actual nap mats (minnie mouse with a built in little pillow), they bring their favorite bunny & blanket & must stay on the mat for 1 hour. We let them watch two healthy 30 min. children's programs (each picks one out and/or if theirs a challenge we now draw straws to settle). If they are wound up a bit for quiet time, they are given some milk or water and that normally makes them happy. If they don't want to be quiet during quiet time.....they are given a choice of naptime. Quiet time prevails. Now my husband & I focus on dinner at 5 or 6; bedtime BY 7. This allows us a couple of hours in the evening for our quiet time. I love, love, love the new schedule. It allows me to be out & about not feeling guilty about missing naps; if they fall asleep in the car...they needed the rest; but normally that doesn't happen because we listen to a lot of children's music (nursery rhyme songs,abc's, veggie tails bible songs, etc.) and we have fun singing together. The hardest part of allll of this was my willingness to change to their new needs as toddlers, putting my needs aside with the whole nap thing. I enjoy my quiet time in the evening much more now because I sit & relax where I was doing chores while they napped..so, for me.....was that rest?? Now they go to bed earlier....and I sit & visit with my husband. Be flexible; enjoy their changing & work with it. Try a a 2 day quiet time, 1 day nap & see how it works!

To me, it is just a reflection of their age... and a transition. Not that they don't need a nap all together. Because, on some days they WILL still need a nap and be tired/fussy. SO you have to gauge it... and go by the cues of your child.

I have 2 kids. At that age, sleep naturally becomes harder for them. Not that they are not tired, but they are changing in development. So for my kids, I still kept to a nap routine, everyday. Or at the least, a quiet time. But as of now and my kids current ages... they STILL nap. My daughter on occasion (and she doesn't battle about it), and my son is napping NOW... and he is 3.5 years old. He still naps everyday. I don't force it... but it is the routine, and he does get genuinely tired. I know his cues. He even gets into the nap routine himself. My daughter too, when she needs one.

OR, you tell your kid... it is MOMMY'S nap time... and that you both lie down. And then do so. Make a routine of it. It can be in her room or on a sofa. Someplace quiet and darkened. That is what I do sometimes too... I reverse it.. and I tell them MOMMY is going to nap... and we ALL do so. And it works out for us.

My kids at that age for some reason, didn't want to nap in their bed either... so they would fall asleep on the floor of the living room or on the floor of their room. So be it. Main thing is they NAP. And they were comfortable. Then I turn off all the phones.
It was a phase, then they went back to napping in their beds.
They do this at that age.

But don't get in the habit of driving around in the car just to make her nap. That is a real ball and chain of a habit to keep up. My friend has to do that... and its ridiculous. They spend so much time, driving around, just for their tired & fussy kids to nap.

And no, you can't just expect to close the door and she amuse herself at that age and then fall asleep. You need to be there too.. nearby, in a chair, and tell her no talking and Mommy is going to "read" and then do so. Making it all quiet. But tell her to lay down....

These are some of the things I do, and my kids NEVER battle about naps. It is our routine, since day one. And I don't force it... it is just a part of the day.

Or, just make her nap time a bit later... since she is now 2 years old. In the afternoon.
Also, my son won't/can't nap, if he has to poop. Once he poops, he naps fine. After lunch and a full tummy, I know within 1 hour he will poop. Then its nap time.

About "quiet time".... my kids know that it is also "Mommy's" quiet time too... and I do quiet things like being here on the computer and doing my desk work. You make it a routine and a habit and a everyday occurrence.
We are all in the same room together, but we all do quiet things "together." It works for us.

all the best,
Susan

Hi - I do quiet time for my girls. They are 3 & 5 and we have been doing this for about a year.
They go into their bedrooms, lay in bed, and read books or listen to music. Lights are off but window binds are open for a little bit for some light. Sometimes they fall asleep... but they are always in there for at least an hour.
I leave the door open a bit so I can hear if they are playing or getting in and out of bed.
Good luck...
MJ

Hi P., I think your idea is good,however if you do away with nap time now, her acting up, got her her own way. I read some of the other responses and one mom said she had to give up nap time, and I have to ask who was in charge her or her child. All 3 of my children grew out of nap times around 2-3 but not by disobeying, the just stopped falling a sleep. J.

Updated

Hi P., I think your idea is good,however if you do away with nap time now, her acting up, got her her own way. I read some of the other responses and one mom said she had to give up nap time, and I have to ask who was in charge her or her child. All 3 of my children grew out of nap times around 2-3 but not by disobeying, the just stopped falling a sleep. J.

Yep, nap time is over...sorry to say. Mine did the same thing. We do "quite" time now, it lasts for one hour to an hour and a half. I started out by telling him he had to stay in be and play quietly with books or small toys. If he could not do that then the toys were taken away and he would have to lay there quietly. If you go in with THE BAG to round up the toys is quite effective :)
Now it has progresses into play quietly in your room. A lot of the times he goes in on his own. Hope this helps~D.

It is a sad day indeed when the naps stop. :-)
I used "quiet time" and my son would usually play ing his room or watch a DVD for about an hour.
You might get lucky and she might fall asleep a couple days out of the week. What I used to do was put my son to bed earlier on the days he didn't take a nap.
and I can personally vouch for the fact that driving them around to get them to sleep is a bad idea! We used to do it at nighttime and it was HORRIBLE! Good luck.

I have not read your other posts, but my daughter has to stay in her room-she is almost 4 1/2 yrs old until I come get her. The funny thing is when we put her in her toddler bed last year she never gets out and still waits for me to come get her-LOL! And there are days she naps and on occassion there are days she does not-nap is usually 1 - 1/2 hrs. But she knows it is ok she does not go to sleep she has to play or lay there and rest until I come in and it works for me-I tell her-Brother is napping and so is mommy if u r not tired just rest or play and it is that easy for me :). ROUTINE is the key-we alwyas had a routine from about 4 months on and when brother was born 14 months later was also on the same schedule-SCHEDULES ARE GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! :) L.

I told my daughter that she didn't have to nap, she just had to rest for a little while. If she laid down for 10 minutes, she could then have a quiet time and read books or draw. Most of the time she would end up falling asleep. She did not fight it, because she thought she won! She then relaxed and off to dreamland she would go!

Yep, I'd say that naptime is on it's way out for your daughter. The transition will be hard for both of you. She will be more tired and fussy. But once you both get used to it, you will find it easier to get things done around the house and that you have more time now to do fun things with your daughter. My kids are 5 and almost 3. My 5yo son gave up naps at age 3 on the nose. My almost 3 yo gave up naps at age 2.5 years on the nose. On days that one or both seem really tired or cranky, they have quiet time in their separate rooms for 1 hour. I actually prefer that they don't nap because it interferes with their bedtime.

Now during what used to be naptime we go to places like the zoo or I get them to help me with chores around the house. Both kids clean up their toys in their rooms and in the living room about twice a week. I assist them at the end, but they do most of the work. I'll also give them art projects to do while I wash dishes in the afternoon and on occasion when they have behaved well during the morning, they can watch a tv show or dvd of their choice.

But the best days are when everyone got a good nights sleep the night before and we can do all day outings like the zoo, Sea world, etc. We leave around 9am and come home around 3pm. The kids usually take a 20 min cat nap in the car and when we get home they either watch tv, play quietly, or do a project.

Like others have said, just gauge each day as it comes as far as naps go.

We used quiet time with our son beginning about the same age for about 20 minutes. He could read, build or lay down in his roomn. So often he would end up falling asleep.

i did quiet time with my children(adults now) by turning all tv's and radios off. having them sit with book or a toy, i myself would read the newspaper, before i knew it they would want to read my paper so i give them the funny papers since they coudnt read yet, or give them their own children books. kids do and learn by example.

i notice by doing quiet time they sat in church or resturants and theaters longer and quieter.

Bummer. With my first daughter, she tried to give up her nap when I was pregnant and I needed a nap! So I'd lie down with her. Then when I no longer needed it, I just had her do quiet time. She needed to stay in her room for an hour (I think we worked our way up to 60 minutes) and she would trash the place. Then she would fall asleep in her soup at 6:00pm and sleep all night!

With my second one, I just gave up trying at home and we did snooze cruises in the car. she transferred well, so it really wasn't a problem. Then I just decided life was easier when we didn't have to plan the day around a nap, so we just blew it off (when she was 3). She is 5 now and will sometimes nap at school, but never at home.

my son gave up naps around that age..and u know what? life became way easier..he is now 4..happy little guy..he always woke from naps cranky..sometimes he will catch a nap in the car..at 2.5 you can try this old trick i used to do..when he wasn't napping i would take him to a playground all morning then at his usual nap time i would put him in a stroller and go shop..he would konk out..and i could shop...i just had to do that once and then the next day he would be tired at naptime again..his body got back into the rhythm..or just make sure she's in her car seat and u have a long drive back home..also could get her clock back on.
now my son skips naps..stays up later and sleeps in later..and its much easier than when i was always trying to get that nap..
good luck!

xo

Hi P.,
We are going thru the same thing with my son, he is 3 1/2! We keep our routine everyday, lunch, play a little bit and then nap/quite time around 1pm, 90% the time he naps but others like today he stay in his room for little over one hr so that means bedtime is one hr early! Sometime he fights nap but I tell him mama going to nap and dont call to wake me up! Works for us!
Keep your routine to nap every day, tell her she need stay in her room, I have a video camera too, is my piece of mind! I know he is ok and resting if not sleeping!
She is young and that must be a phase, hope will pass soon!

Good luck!

It's hard at first, but no naps soon become a normal way of living and everyone adjusts.

My daughter dropped her a.m. nap at 1 yr, and p.m. nap at 2 yrs. She did not want to have anything to do with "quiet time" for quite a while, but these days does tend to slow down during the mid-late afternoon hours before getting her second wind in the evening time. Usually this means cuddling with her dolls or reading books, or even watching a show. Sometimes she will go in her bedroom, but she's allowed to have her "downtime" wherever she wants.

I would keep putting her in and let her play with stuffed animals or "read" for maybe another 3-6 months if possible. Then at that point if she still doesn't sleep, she can probably survive without rest/nap and hopefully not get cranky! Pre-school will probably have rest time.