All of a sudden my 2 year 4 month old son does not seem tired during nap time unless we go to the park and he runs around etc. He has always been a difficult sleeper but has always taken a nap with some help from me (rubbing back and singing). But he just doesnt seem tired. He just tosses and turns in bed and talks to himself. He will lay in bed for two hours sometimes and will not fall asleep. He goes to sleep between 8:30pm - 9pm and wakes up at around 7am. He has never got the recommended hours of sleep and seems to do okay. We have lunch at 11:15-11:30 every day and right after I turned on his music, read a few books and then its bed time. Some times he does fall asleep with no issues, but just recently (last few weeks) he just doesnt seem tired. It doesnt make any sense to me as when he does nap, he will sleep for 2 to 3 hours so I know he needs it. Should I push lunch and nap up to 12pm maybe? Any ideas would be appreciated. I have a 6 week old and look forward to my time with my infant when my toddler sleeps.
Or could he be outgrowing naps already? I really dont think so because again when he naps its for a long time...???
Thanks!
Thanks for all the great advice, I will try some different things and post an update to what has helped. Tonight I put him to bed a little earlier and am going to try to push his nap time up a little and see how he does. Thanks! Will update soon.
all 3 of my kids stopped taking naps before they were 2 1/2. They just go to bed earlier. The reason i got rid of naps is they all went to bed too late when they had a nap. I'd rather have no nap and a 7pm bed time.
My todder is the same way. She suddenly stopped taking naps around that same age. What I found that has really helped me get her to take naps is to let her wear herself out. Since you mentioned that your son will take a nap after playing at the park it makes me think he is the same way my daughter is.
I would suggest that you try taking him to the park more often so that he can run around and wear himself out. I like the parks that have lots of slides and climbing structures for this very reason. If you have a park in walking distance you can stick the baby in the stroller and have the toddler walk next to you so that will help tire him out, baby will be getting fresh air, and you will be getting some exercise. Or just go on walks around the neighborhood. And what about playing in the backyard...balls, frisbees, that sort of thing?
You can play active games with him such as having him act out certain animals (let me see you get on the floor and slither like a snake, etc.). I recently bought my daugher a toddler workout DVD at the 98 cent store which I will be pulling out when the weather turns too cold or rainy for outdoor play. You can also dance to music in the living room, play games such as follow the leader, make an obstacle course in the living room, toddler bowling (paper towel rolls + soft ball), toddler basketball (laundry basket + soft ball), etc.
Another tip that I received and plan to use is to let her go "bathtub swimming" during the rainy season when we can't get outdoors. If your son enjoys taking baths you can have him take a bath and swim around in the tub. He can even wear his swimsuit. That should relax him and tire him out as well.
Just keep a running list of all of the activities that wear him out.
My kids didn't nap much. My mother told me that I didn't nap. That is just the way it is for some kids. Now I like to nap. Just give up and watch something interesting on the TV together and then read books and/or go to the park.
B. v. Oosterom
Have you tried putting him down for a nap later? My 2 year old hasn't gone down at 11:30 since he was just transitioning to one nap. Ever since he was about 18 months he goes down between 1 and 3. Also, maybe going down right after he eats isn't the best, sometimes its hard to sleep if you have a full stomach (at least for me). Maybe you could do lunch then an activity (maybe something active) then nap? Might be worth a shot. My son goes down at 1:30 or 2 usually and is exhausted by that point. He usually sleeps for 2 or 3 hours and then goes down for the night at 8. It might be worth trying different times.
i am in exactly the same situation!! except my child is 1 yr 10 months. (and i dont have an infant). but i will follow your responses to see if i get get some help too!!!
Our 2 yr old wakes up at 7:00-7:30 in the morning and we don't put her down for her afternoon nap until 1pm. I would suggest bumping your nap later. She sleeps well from 1pm until 3:30ish.
My daughter stopped napping shortly after turning 2. It wasn't an easy transition, but we made it through. We all have different sleep patterns - I wouldn't force the issue. You could always institute a "quiet time" mid-afternoon where he rests or plays quietly in his bed.
I have a 23 month old and when he gets overtired, he will fight his naps and sleep. So, my suggestion is the make sure that your son is not overtired and speeding up causing him to resist sleeping when he really needs to. My son goes to bed by 7:30 p.m. and sleeps until about 7 each morning. Then he naps around 12:30 p.m. for about 2 hours. Anything less and he gets overtired. Your son seems young to be giving naps up for good. I would continue to have a naptime for him. Hope this help!
even if he doesn't nap insist on quiet time. you mentioned sometimes he doesn't sleep but talks to himself, which is the next best thing to actually sleeping. he's almost two and a half, and unfortunatly, he is going to start transitioning to no naps :( i was so sad when my 7 yr daughter stopped napping, there went my alone time for her newborn brother. but what worked for me was to let her know that she had to stay in bed, whether she slept or not, until the timer went off. i set it for 2 hours, and she was not allowed to leave her bed until the timer went off. she could look at books, that was it. more often than not, though, after laying there quietly for about half an hour, she would fall asleep and i would just turn off the timer so it wouldn't wake her up. but when she actually stayed awake, she was able to get up once her time was up. this gave both of us what we needed: quiet time for her to rest her little body and me one on one time for her brand new brother. he is now 2.5, and i have another son who is 6 months. he is starting to fight me on naps, so we have just begun the "quiet time" routine. hope this works for you.
I agree that 2.5 yr. olds still need to nap - for them and for Mommy!!
Have you given consideration to mving his bedtime earlier? Most "sleep experts" ;) recommend a bedtime of more between 7-8...and closer to 7. Somtimes when their nighttime sleep is better, naps improve too. And like you mentioned, you might want to consider moving lunch and naptime a little later in the day so that it's more of a "split" of the day. I think I've read that if you take the midpoint between the wake-up time and bedtime, that can be a good naptime. It might allow him to use up a little more energy.
My daughter is younger than your son (20 months), but here is our routine...She wakes up around 7:30-8:00 (I usually get her up around 8:15 - she likes to play a little in her crib), her nap starts between 12:45-1:15, and she generally sleeps 2-3 hours. Bedtime is no later than 7:30 on normal evenings. We find that going to bed later for her doesn't make her sleep later - it's usually the opposite!
Good luck! Don't give up - with a newborn, you need a breaktime, so keep on putting your older son down...even if he doesn't sleep. Maybe it is just a phase!
Sometimes my son will do that for a couple of days and get back on schedule, so don't worry too much! However, I think you may be putting him down a bit early. I would push lunch to 11:45 and do nap time at 12:30 (if there is time left between the two, make it quieter time, no rough housing.) Then wake him at 2:;30. If he sleeps for too long during the day, he won't sleep as long at night. I am a big fan of The Contented Little Baby Book by Gina Ford.
I would just have quiet time for him after lunch, but structure it to where he has to play quietly in his room alone for two hours.
Hope this helps.
