Sleeping/Naps

I have a 6 1/2yr. old and a 2 1/2 and they both still take naps. no more ____@____.com my 6yr does not get a nap and we go some where she falls a sleep in the car. She also has a fairly early bed time and sleeps fine. I think naps are great. Just not too long or too many.1hr 1/2 at best

Keep doing what you are doing! Doctors say that children need a lot of sleep and the proper amount of sleep is what helps them be obedient. One of my girls went to bed every night at 8:00 all the way up until the 7th grade because she just needed that much sleep to function and be happy. Lucky for us, she knew what she needed, so she went to bed on her own without a fight.

What I have noticed over the years is that children that have a difficult time obeying almost always get less sleep than those that seem to be able to control themselves. You are doing the right thing in my opinion. More "me time" is on it's way when they get a little bit older. Hang in there and enjoy them while it lasts!!!
D.

Nothings broken. Chldren sleep when they are tired even though they may fight it, until they pass out (just like adults). My elders used to say when they sleep a lot, they are growing.

Most moms would be thrilled if thier kids slept this much! On, the other hand I wonder if they could be missing out on a lot since they sleep so much. I would say that they should need no more than an hour to an hour and a half nap on most days. They are going to bed at a reasonalbe hour and not getting up very early. If they are doing okay when they miss thier nap it sounds like they really dont need so much sleep. There is so much to learn and explore and they cant do that if they sleep most of the day.

I am a mother of five children. Ranging in age from 5-13 they are usually in bed by 9pm every night (unless we have church then it's later). My son gets a nap in pre-k but my older kids do not get that opportunity at school of course. Every child is different that's a fact. But when we are home on the weekends and on Sunday's between church. My kids still take a nap or at least have a rest time. It gives them a break from each other and gives me down time as well. So I pick up what's been left laying around the house or sweep/mop from where they have been running in and out between the back yard and the restroom.

The doctor's office has a chart for appropriate hours of sleep for each age. You're in the right range. I also am schedule-addicted and love my 1pm "nap time". My kids are 3,5,7, and 9 now. The 3 yr old also has preschool....but at 1 (bummer), so she naps on t/Th and weekends. The bigger ones ALL have a mandatory "rest time" on weekends. No talking, on their beds, for minimum 1 hour. The oldest reads and rarely sleeps. The middle 2 think they will read, but end up sleeping, and the youngest is out for the long haul. I like the quiet time in my house, and I'm an avid reader so look forward to Mom-time at 1. And I'm a big believer in the value of rest. I would keep it up if I were you. we also skip from time to time when we're out and about doing something, but we try to all rest if we're around. Love it!

If their schedule is working leave it alone. Their bodies will tell them when enough is enough. Be greatful they still nap because you also get a break. Because soon enough they won't nap anymore, then your quiet time is over. My two stopped napping way before this on a daily basis and would only nap at times.

If it were me, I would make their bedtime earlier. My children (ages 5 and 3) go to bed at 8:00 and they sleep until around 8 in the morning. This makes their afternoon nap of 1-1 1/2 hours long enough. I think a 2-4 hour nap is too long and shows that perhaps they aren't getting enough sleep at night. Especially since they get up early to go to school (mine do not, we homeschool) they should get more sleep to get them ready for their day. Just my opinion. Good luck!

From everything that I have read that is way too much sleep. Children their ages should be getting about 10-12 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. It seems like your kids are sleeping more than they are awake. My 18 month old doesn't sleep but 10-12 hours in a 24 hour period. You may want to talk to your pediatrian about it. Seems like too much to me

Let your children nap! If they have difficulty going to bed at night, then cut back on the length of their naps. Each child may be different as to when they stop napping. Enjoy your ME time, it goes by quickly :)
Mom of 3 college students.

Hi K.,
I have a son that is five years old and he is in a full day pre-k and they do at least one hour of nap time at school. I've learned that the kindergartners also take a one hour rest/nap time. The children don't have to nap but they do have to lay down and have quiet time. When he was at home full time, I tried to get rid of the naps... thought that that was what I was suppose to do. Then he had to learn how to nap again when he went to school.

I have a two and a half year old at home right now and she takes a nap anywhere between one to two hours. I try not let her sleep more than the two. She has problems going to bed on time at night if she takes a long nap.

So I guess it's really up to you... I would love the time to do things without having someone yelling that the other one is doing this or that but that is why I make sure that whatever I do, they get to bed on time so that I can have my "quiet time". Just do what works. If the kids aren't having any problems and they are functioning ok, then that's great. Just realize that when they go to school where there's no naps that they might have a problem adjusting without their afternoon nap but I'm sure they will adjust to that new schedule also.

Hi K.,
I am studying to be a teacher and so we have to take classes about children and their development. At that age children are such a wonder. They are so atune to what their bodies need. Even when it comes to eating studies have proven if you provide them a well balanced meal they will eat over a period of a week just what it is their bodies need. So if their bodies tell them they need a nap then I say by all means let them take one. Napping is perfectly acceptable at that age. I have never seen a four year old (from working in a preschool) that didn't need to nap at least some days. There is so much going on in those wonderful little bodies that they need the rest. As I say in my opinion let them guide you on the naps, you will know when they have outgrown them.

C.

Children this age should really have about 12-13 hours of sleep a day until they are 6, and then 11-12 when they are in early elementary school. I would keep the naps as long as they last. You will know when it is time to give them up when they just CAN'T go to sleep at night. Then the transition will be painful for a while until they are able to adopt the new routine.

By age 4 sometimes I get him to take a 15-20 min nap. My party has been over since age 3 at that point 1 nap 30-45 mins.
Best of luck...

My oldest stopped napping when he was 14 months old. I took him out of his crib so I could use the crib for the new baby (they're 18 months apart). He never napped after that. It has varied for my other four children, but I don't think any of them have napped regularly past age 2 or maybe 3. I like schedules, but I've never planned around naps. The children are great at adapting. Even the baby (age 9 months) can skip his morning nap if we are having too much fun around the house or are out and about. He just makes up for it in the afternoon. My sisters are very strict about their children's naptime schedules, but it seems like it gets in the way of life a lot. On the other hand, they do get more time for themselves than I do. I think the most important thing you can do is to make sure they get to bed plenty early at night (we start bedtime at 8 pm) and let them sleep in as long as they need. I never have to wake my children up in the morning (for school). If I did, I'd put them to bed earlier.

My son is almost three and he takes a two hour nap with the sitter every day. On the weekends he takes a three to three and half hour nap. I think he could use more than two hours with the sitter, but he is not the only child she keeps and she has a schedule. My son goes to bed and wakes up the same time as your children so I think what you are doing is perfectly normal. I completely understand where you are coming from in regards to not being able to plan anything. I have a 12 year old daughter and a 13 year old daughter and sometimes we would just like to pick up and go or do something in the house that causes noise and we can't due to his nap schedule. I guess it is something that eventually changes as they grow older.

Your schedule sounds great to me, but do keep in mind that children differ in their needs for naps. For both my girls, who are now ages 8 and 4, I have kept them on an afternoon QUIET time schedule (only on weekends obviously for my 8 year old who is in school). At about 1:30 we have an hour of quiet time which consists of time alone in their room either reading, napping or playing quietly. My 4 year old naps when she needs it (about 80% of the time) of the time or "reads" books to her stuffed animals when she is not tired (20% of the time). This helps teach self-regulation skills (she has learned that if she doesn't nap when she is tired she is miserable later in the day), and has helped both my girls learn to entertain themselves quietly. Not to mention, my 8 year old reads on a 5th grade level and they both have come to enjoy having this time set aside for them to read. Best of luck! J.

You could try putting them to bed around 7:00 or 7:30pm. This may shorten their afternoon nap.

First of all, you are a lucky lady. I don't know many 4 year olds that still nap. My oldest (now 6) dropped her nap at 3 1/2, and I felt fortunate. I don't think they are getting too much sleep at all. If they were having trouble going to bed at night, I would suggest cutting back on the napping, but it sounds like they are great sleepers. There are charts for how much sleep a child needs at what age...I am sure you can find it online somewhere (babycenter, maybe?). Consider yourself lucky and enjoy your down time! It sounds to me like you have 2 healthy children that appreciate sleep!

I think that it sounds fabulous. I love that my two year old takes an awsome nap in the afternoon. I get to work out, do my Bible study, clean up, and then play with my 5month old when she wakes up from her nap. I let Teddy help me vacuum (well, he just watches and sometimes I put the hose next to his foot so he can feel the suction...he thinks its great fun)and I do other noisy things when he's awake. If I need to go out, I either plan it around naps, or just go out. He sleeps in the car or just goes to bed a little early. Kids need their sleep! I plan on having quiet time when he gets into school and doesn't want to nap. He can read or play quietly on his bed.
Don't stress about it...sound like you have great kids and a wonderful destressing time to yourself!!

They are absolutely NOT getting too much sleep! Are they sleeping well at night and going to bed at a decent hour? If so, then I wouldn't change a thing. I have no idea how long kids normally sleep at those ages. My children are much younger, but I read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and it made a strong case for the more sleep you get, the more you need. Lucky!!!

No reason to stop trying to put them down if they still sleep most of the time. On the days they don't sleep, call it "quiet time" and let them hang out in bed or their room for a bit.
My daughter dropped her naps at 4yrs. My son a little earlier. When they were difficult to put down at night, we stopped naps and it worked beautifully for both kids. They both sleep like a rock and always at least 12 hours at night.

I'm not quite sure what you're concerned about. It sounds like they are on a GREAT schedule! And being 4 and 3, they only need one nap a day anyway (some people have already eliminated them by this age). Usually by age 5 is when most people discontinue nap time, unless the preschool or kindergarten implements one.

As a rule of thumb....you're right--what ain't broke, don't fix it! Unless they act tired or cranky or start acting out, I'd keep them on that same schedule. The only thing I'd be concerned about is how late they nap and if they are still going to bed on time after that. If they have a hard time going to sleep, then I'd move up the nap or even try eliminating it altogether. However, if they're going to bed just fine, then naps are o.k. and are serving them (and you) well!

Relax, Mom! You're doing a great job! :)

Hi K.~
I too have been lucky enough to be able to keep my children on good sleeping routines.

My oldest is 12 so no naps there any more but bed time is at 9:00 and he wakes himself to get himself ready for shcool. (I believe he's able to do this b/c of having had a good sleep routine)

My middle child is 4 and even though he no longer takes naps he does have a bedtime of 9:00 as well and sleeps until about 8-8:30

My youngest is 18 mos and she her routine is bedtime 9:00 waking about 7:30-8 and nap time from 10:30-1:30-2

Now I know that her naptime isn't what it should be and it really isn't normal for us but we were just recently transferred into the area and are currently living in a hotel so I'm hoping once we get into our house it will go back to her having 2 naps a day. We've been in the hotel for 2 months now and looks like it will be one more so she may be so accustomed to it that she may stay with it.

C.

My boys both gave up their afternoon naps before age 3. I knew it was over with the youngest when I finally gave in and went to get him out of his crib because he wouldn't go to sleep only to find he had pulled the curtain rod and curtains off the window and it was all in bed with him!

From that point on it was early to bed, and that became my "me" time. Even now at 6 and 8 they both need 10 to 10-1/2 hrs a night.

sounds like you have a good thing going. My five year old naps from 1:30 to 2:30 or so. I'm planning to keep this up until he goes to kindergarten in the fall! On weekends my 6 year old rarely naps but does have to go to her room for "quiet time" which she usually spends reading or playing with toys. I am addicted to this one hour of quiet during the day. If we have something to do, we skip it, but I try to keep to it. I say if they are falling asleep at naptime and not having too much trouble falling asleep at night, then they're doing great. It's my personal opinion that lots of kids don't get enough sleep and it leads to a lot of behavior issues, etc... I see it in my daughter when the long school days catch up to her.

From ages 1 to 3, most toddlers sleep about 10 to 13 hours.

Preschoolers sleep about 10 to 12 hours per night, but there's no reason to be completely rigid about which 10 to 12 hours they are. A 5-year-old who gets adequate rest at night no longer needs a daytime nap. Instead, a quiet time may be substituted. Most nursery schools and kindergartens have brief quiet periods when the children lie on mats or just rest.

Looks like 11 1/2 for a 4 year old and 12 for a 3 year old.

My child gets about 10. I'll have to work on getting her to 11+.

She doesn't nap often.

Enjoy those naps while you can! As long as they go to bed for you when you want/need them too, I wouldn't break what's broken! When my kids got too big to nap, I turned it into "rest" and piled books in their beds for them to look at/read so I could catch atleast a small break in my day when they didn't sleep anymore! Good luck.

A.

I have a 7 year old daughter and 4 yr old son. I am 4 months pregnant, too. Preschoolers should get 10-13 hours of sleep daily - this includes naps and bedtime. You're lucky! My kids quit napping at 3. :) We do have "down" time or rest time. A nap is probably good for them, but not too long. I understand the "me" time. Try to do some of that when they are at school. For example, plan outings with friends and errands a few days a week and the other days do the "loud" activities. You could even rest when they are asleep! If you want to schedule a nap/rest time, don't make it mandatory to sleep. But they need to wake 1.5-2 hrs later. They are good sleepers! Some kids DO need more sleep than others. Good luck and take care. :)