Need Sleep Help! Can a 2 Yo Be Old Enough to Stop Napping?

My second child is 18 months and no longer naps. It is crazy to me, but that's how it has to be. We have tried different things, but the result is always the same. If she naps, she's up for HOURS past a reasonable bedtime. Finally, we eliminated the nap and achieved a schedule. She sleeps from 9 to 9. She does wake up during the night, but goes back to sleep pretty easily. My son gave up naps around 2 years old. My husband and I always wonder how we ended up with two kids that aren't 'sleepers' since we both love our sleep so much! Good luck - J.

My 2 year old rarely naps. He is usually in bed around 8pm and up around 5am. So, unfortunately, its normal. Some kids just don't need as much sleep as others.
My question would be, does the noise your son make ACTUALLY wake up your daughter? I was afraid that my youngest crying would wake my oldest & would race to get him everytime he cried. But after a while I realized that the noise didn't bother him at all. He could sleep through anything. So maybe your daughter can sleep through the noise your son makes.
Some other ideas: my son LOVES tv. You could introduce him to a couple of morning shows (or a special movie) and he could watch that each morning. Or you could have him help you make & eat breakfast. Then you could read together. He could color, play memory, candyland, or other quiet games with you. Good luck.

My daughter did a 4 month nap strike from 17-21 months. I put her in her room for quiet time every day, adn she'd sleep maybe 1 or 2 days a week. I kept it up because I was pregnant and needed to nap myself, and I am glad I did, because now at close to 23 months, she is taking 2.5 hour naps every day!

If I was you, i'd move your son's sleep slowly to an earlier time. He should be sleeping closer to 11 hours every night. Gradually move his sleep time by 15 minutes a night until you get him to go to bed closer to 8. That might inspire him to sleep later, though 7 is what I consider a late sleep time. I understand you don't want him to disturb your daughter, but that's life.

My son is 3 and still naps, once a day in the afternoon for 2 hours at least.
My daughter is 7, and she still occasionally naps when tired. She was still napping everyday afterschool even in 1st grade. She is now in 2nd grade.
My kids even though they nap, still sleep well at night and go to bed BY 8:30 nightly.

Your son, probably goes to bed too late. He is too overtired by then. Overtired kids, do NOT sleep well, nor solidly and they wake more. He does nap for a good length... which tells me he is tired and needs the nap. What time in the afternoon does he nap? Maybe its too late?

Also, at 2 years old, they normally do have sleep tweaks and aberrations. How long has he been doing that? Do you have a consistent daily regular sleep/nap routine EVERY day??? That is key. The SAME routine every day and night, pre-nap and pre-bed. This will cue the child.

Both my kids, had sleep tweaks at 2 years old. This is a common age in which this happens. It is usually a phase... and I KEPT to the same routine for my kids, through it.

Maybe your son does not need a nap. Right now. But, there will still be days when he will need one... so you have to gauge it and his "sleepy/tired" cues.
I can pretty much predict if my kids will nap or need a nap. For days I know they "cannot" nap, then we have a quiet time. They KNOW that.
Or, sometimes I tell them that MOMMY needs a nap, or is still sleeping.. .and I lay down. Then they usually follow suit. When my son is napping, my daughter KNOWS she has to be quiet and do quiet things... and if my son is awake and my daughter is napping or sleeping, my son KNOWS he has to be quiet. They both know.. .and do it.
But all kids are different, I know.

But, both my kids, no matter what, whether they had a nap or not, regardless what time they go to bed... they ALWAYS wake up at the same time in the morning. Its just them. Since they were babies.

All the best,
Susan

Hi J.~
I understand your frustration! I would recommend putting your son to bed earlier at night, maybe just a few minutes earlier each night until you have him down by about 8:00 p.m. More sleep encourages more sleep, if you know what I mean.
I have 3 kids ages 2, 3 1/2 and 5 and all three of them take a nap everyday still! There are some days that my 5 year old just doesn't want a nap or need one but almost everyday she is ready to take one.
I keep all of my kids rooms really dark, so in the morning they don't jump right out of bed. Have you tried that? We also do use the white noise machines, but I have noticed that my kids will sleep through just about anything if they are still tired.
Whatever you decide to do to encourage better sleep habits for your son, be consistent! Consistentcy is the most important thing in letting your child know what you expect of them!
Good luck...hope your son and you get some extra Z's soon!

my kids just are 1 year and are not really napping jus a cat nap for about 20 min and they are ready for the day
so 2 years is good age for no naps

Hi, J.:

What is it that you need exactly? What is it that prevents you from getting up and staying up
with your son?

Just want to know. D.

Yep, my daughter just turned 2 and only naps every other day now - I am sure she will stop altogether soon.

yeah, my kids stopped napping at 2 or so. Sucks

All kids are different. My DD is 3 and is starting to not nap. She will lay in her room for about 20 minutes then come out and say can I be all done. I think maybe you should stop nap time and have him go to bed at like 8-8:30ish and see how that goes. Just my suggestion though. I think your daughter sleeps more then most kids. Mine goes to bed at 8:30 and get's up at 6:30-7 and then isn't napping most days but if she does it's only like 30min-an hour.