My daughter is 20 months old and used to go down for a nap around noon and sleep for 2 1/2 hours. She did this like clock work. Now when I put her in her crib she will play. In the last five days she has only taken a nap once and that wasn't until 1:30. When I put her in her crib I tell her "night night" and leave the room. When she plays in the crib I will go back in the room every 15 or 30 minutes and tell her it's still night night time and she needs to close her eyes and go to sleep. After about two hours, I take her out of the crib and she plays for the rest of the day. She doesn't seem to get tired any earlier and goes to bed around 7:30 and will wake up between 6 and 7. Does anyone have any tips to help her fall asleep? Her room is pretty bright so I thought about buying some shades. Maybe it would help if I put her to bed later at night? I am not ready to have her give up her nap - but it may be inevitable :(
I think shades is a good idea, it allows their eye to rest as well. But I wouldn't give up yet, my son went through this at least 4 times so far (he'll by 4 in May). He would go a week or so without napping at all, at school he would just lay on the mat awake. Then for no real reason, he would start napping again. I think they all go through these phases. Good luck!
Have you tried putting her down for nap later? Maybe from 2-4 or 1:30-3:30? Is she crying after 15-30 minutes of playing? If not I wouldn't go in and maybe she would eventually fall asleep. My 2 year old doesn't map some days and it worries me that the nap is about to go. i've started putting her down a little later and it has helped. I make sure she gets plenty of exercise (preferrably outdoors). That has helped too.
Good luck! If naptime is important don't give it up!
you can't force sleep. if she's playing quietly, then just look at 'nap time' as her quiet time. she'll recharge her batteries according to her own system.
don't fret, mom!
:) khairete
S.
If she is playing well, I would leave it alone. Whether she goes to sleep or not is moot. As they get older a nap can equal playing quietly in their rooms. You get a break and they know it's time for quiet.
I have a 23 mo old and I know that sometimes when she goes down for a nap she plays for a little while, (up to 45mins). However she is happy and usually falls asleep after playing. As long as she isn't screaming and throwing a fit, I would just leave her alone. My little one only takes about a 1 1/2 - 2 hour nap a day and then sleeps 12 hours at night. I would suggest that you stop going in there every 15 - 30 mins. This could possibly be a disruption to her.
I agree with most posts already. Don't bother her if she is not screaming about being in her crib. She is taking her quiet/down time and if she gets tired she will fall asleep. A room a little bit darker can help. She may be going through another development time frame and she is simply too busy to sleep.. but she is obviously not complaining about being by herself and relaxing.. she does not need to go to bed later at night. She still needs all the sleep she is getting then. More sleep at night actually means better naps.. not the opposite. Good luck
Hmmm, this could be just a phase. My 32 month old still naps but doesn't go down until about 2pm and then bedtime at 8pm and up at 8am. Try pushing her nap back a little maybe and then don't go in her room if she's happily playing in the bed. She may need a few minutes to settle down before falling asleep. Sometimes my daughter plays in her bed happily for 20 minutes before passing out and then goes on to sleep for 2+ hours.
My little guy was a poor napper... but he kept one until 2.5 yrs. When he gave up 2 naps as a 1 yr.old, his combined nap was noon. It got progressively later... and shorter! Think of how much total sleep she's getting now (12 or 13 hrs?). Then, you can wake her up earlier, put her to bed later and make up the difference with a nap... but not too long if it's later in the afternoon or you'll mess up the nights bed-time. And,even now sometimes my son needs quiet time in a darkened room. He doesn't sleep but it sure helps him. Do what works for you!
I'm sorry to tell you, but most likely she's just one of those kids that don't need that much sleep! I have two of them that did this!
I would just let my kids play quietly until they started to fuss. Some days it made me feel mean or guilty because it would be 3 hours. But if you think about thats how much sleep they would be getting so its no different. Most parents don't realize that your kids need down time and a break from you just as much as you do from them!!
You can try the black out shades and I would stop going in there unless she is fussing! But I'm betting that she just doesn't need that much sleep.
You might want to try lieing her down later and making her room dark.
