No Nap!

I think most moms give up on naps too early. Most kids seem to need one well into three. It's not that they can't function without a nap. I am just of the opinion that they shouldn't. Here si what worked beautifully for me. First push nap time back. If she naps at noon, push it to 2. If she naps at 2, push it to 3-4. Add some exercise to her routine - extra playground time! And make sure you aren't offering sugar before nap - juice, cookies, etc. Persist. Tell her she doesn't have to sleep, but she needs to have quiet time. My 6 year olsd still gets an hour of "quiet time." Let her read books and play quietly. Odds are if she isn't upset, she might fall asleep. Tell her YOU are taking a nap. . Good luck, and don't giv eup too quickly.

1 mom found this helpful

As long as she isn't really screaming her head off / terribly upset for the entire time I'd leave her in there. Explain to her that it's rest time. She should be able to understand that. Does she eventually fall asleep? If not, she may be done with naps. Around 2 (the time my 2nd baby came around) my daughter stopped napping on weekends (only time she sees mom and dad due to dad's work schedule). So we let her stop napping and put her to bed an hour earlier each day. But she also doesn't always nap each day at daycare. I KNOW she'd benefit by napping each day, but she doesn't do horribly without one. We just make sure to have a rest time (1/2 hour - 2 hours depending on how she is acting) by resting on the couch either watching cartoons or reading. Sometimes I'll sit in her room and tell her stories (lights off she's either in bed or on the floor with a blanket and pillow and often falls asleep).

There are several things you can try:

1. Read to her or tell her stories in her or your room with the lights off
2. Lay down with her in your bed
3. Take her for a long drive during nap time
4. Suck it up, give her to your husband and take a nap yourself!

Yes--she still needs a nap! Put her in her crib and play a story CD or music for her.

I really think that kids NEED naps and I was lucky that my son loves to sleep. He's 4 1/4 and still will take a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon. On days when he tries to resist it, I just tell him he needs quiet time in his room for at least an hour and within 10 minutes he's usually asleep. Try to maybe push the nap time back a little bit and depending on what you're doing during the day, maybe some time outside playing before the nap would make her feel more tired. I know she may be young to understand, but I also tell my son that he grows when he sleeps and gets smarter b/c his brain needs to rest...and that makes him want to take that nap! :) Good luck and don't give up too soon, she may just be going through a difficult phase, but I truly believe kids still need to nap at 2 years old. But I also have heard plenty of people whose kids stopped that early...at a minimum she should be having quiet time for an hour or soon, if nothing else but to give you a break! :)

My son did exactly the same thing to me. He turned two and then stopped napping, and I was about 10 weeks pregnant! I think all children are different and some stop napping earlier than others. I believe they know when they no longer need a nap.
With my son, I would lay down on my bed with him (close our bedroom door so he couldn't get out) and play a tv show for him on my tv (volume down fairly low) while I rested. Some days he would go to sleep too but most days he watched the tv for about an hour while I got some much needed rest. I didn't really go into a deep sleep, I could kind of hear the television but was in that drifting kind of sleep. It was enough for me to help me get through the day.

Children still need naps even when they are close to turning 5. My five year old still takes a nap from time to time. A child at 2 still needs a nap during the day even if it is an hour. Don't give up. I do agree that you need to be in a routine. Is this an afternoon nap she is taking? Make sure that she is getting enough stimulation/activity in the morning. Setting a routine and being predictable will help her adjust to taking a nap. If you are consistant this will help especially with baby #2 on the way. My daughter just turned 5 and we still have her rest from time to time. My son who is three still takes an afternoon nap. Believe me all children need it! Good luck

I agree with S.M.! She is too little to go all day without some rest. I had to tell my son at some point when he was 2 that he didn't have to sleep but it was quiet time. 99% of the time he would pass out in his bed and take the much needed nap.

I have yet to go through this myself, but I've had several friends who have had success enforcing a "quiet time". Let her know she doesn't have to go to sleep (how would you make that happen anyway?), but she has to stay in her room for an hour or so. Set a timer, show her numbers on a clock, something like that so she can know when it's ok to come out of her room. Obviously, child-proofing is important, give her books and quiet toys to keep her occupied. And who knows, maybe she'll get bored and go to sleep! Hang in there, mama!!

Hate to say it but my 2 yr old stopped taking naps all together too around that age and still won't.....no matter what I do. I'm also expecting (8 mnths now) and am exhausted daily so I would LOVE a good nap but still haven't gotten one. : )

One of my friends 2 yr olds also stopped napping recently. Guess it's a 2 yr old thing, good luck with everything. Try to get to sleep at night as soon as she goes down for the night.

I say keep her in her crib and don't go in there. My daughter will be 4 and if she doesn't get her nap, she's a terror by 6pm. I know lots of parents who say their kids never took a nap, but I believe they gave in and grabbed the kid. I know if we are busy, my duaghter can easily skip a nap, but that doesn't mean she doesn't need it.

Of course if you put her down for bed at lets say 7pm every night and she doesn't wake up until 9am than she's probably getting enough sleep.

As long as she's still in a crib and is content staying in the crib, for your sanity, let her stay in there.

Good luck and congrats.