Seeking Advice for Potty-trained 2.5 Yr Old at Naptime

Have you tried putting her on her potty before naptime with a few books, maybe a sticker book, something that takes a little time so she will go before she gets in her bed?
Does she nap after doing this? Maybe you should just cut out the nap. If you need to rest, have her lay next to you in your bed. She might just fall asleep.

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For a while, we had to use duct tape on my son's diaper every night. All the way around! He thought it was fun; he would put his arms up and turn around while we taped him up. In the morning, I would have to cut the tape with scissors, so it was lucky I was certain he would hold still for that. He always did.

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Another option might be to get her to use up so much energy that she really wants a nap and will truly go to sleep.

I really doubt that she's not getting a nap during the week if she's at daycare (that's usually when the staff gets lunch breaks, or atleast in Ohio/Hamilton County when the staff:child ratio changes). See what their routine is and try to mimic is as much as possible.

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I would either put her in overalls, but put them on backwards so she cannot get them off. The other suggestion I have is putting her in a sleeper, but put that on backwards so the zipper in in the back and she cannot get it off. You might need to cut the feet out for comfort. Sometimes we have to outsmart them!

J.

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She's doing it because she can. She's getting some pay-off from it otherwise she'd quit doing it. And if you know that's what she's doing, why are you leaving her alone to do it only to come dance around about it?

Someone suggested a 2.5 year old may not need a nap and it's her way of telling you. I have a 2 year old (2 years and 3 months) and she still needs a nap. At nap time we sit down with her, and relax, and she goes to sleep. Although my 5 year old - when she was in daycare, she wouldn't sleep at the daycare provider. She wanted attention. We'd get her home and she wouldn't let us put her down. Once we got a sitter, she was able to relax and get the attention she needed and would take naps.

Putting on the diaper and/or sleeper backwards are both great ideas. Have her go potty before naptime, and incorporate that into some naptime routine. Kids LOVE routine. Even our 5 year old - our bedtime routine calls for us to go to their room at 8pm, read 2 books, use a flashlight to do "shadow puppets", and then time for night-night. At 8pm, she starts yawning and saying, "I'm sleepy". My thought - GOOD - the routine's working!!

I know my 5 year old likes me to stay in the room with her for a little while when she goes to bed at night. I figure it's a small price to pay for having her sleep comfortably. We'll work on that eventually, but for right now, it's a snall price to pay to make sure she's going to fall asleep and stay asleep. During the routine, I'm also sure to tell her, "You did a really good job today!" and tell her things that she did that were good - helping mommy, helping baby sister, etc., and that she's so smart, so pretty, and that I love her. She says thanks (unprovoked) for the praise and "I love you too Mommy."

Make everything a "go potty first" whether it's naptime, snacktime, tv time, or new activity time. Everything is "go potty first." Maybe even set the timer for every 30 minutes and when the buzzer goes off - time to go potty. (Our 5 year old still doesn't like to take the time to go potty, and we'll tell her "We're going to have to start setting the timer if you won't go potty like you're supposed to..." and she'll "straighten up.") When she potty's in the potty, give her LOTS of praise. "I really like it when you use the potty! That's such a good job!! You're a really big girl now!! That makes mommy very happy when you use the potty!!"

It's all about finding something that works for you guys. These are just some of the things we found that work for us.

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If she isn't napping during the week in the afternoon then stop the napping on the weekends. She doesn't need the sleep, doesn't want the sleep, and is doing this to get her point across. A couple of swats on the bare behind and making her help clean up the mess will go a long way to stopping this behavior as well.

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If you know she's going to do it, stop her before she gets to the "point of no return". It takes a bit of work and time to pull everything off a bed and to undress. When nap time rolls around the moment she goes into her room you need to stop her. Get down on her level and get a hold of her and make her look at you. Tell her that it is not funny and that she will not do it any more. You have to be serious and you have to be sure you look serious too. If you have to be so stern and convincing that she cries, more the better. This behavior has to stop and she needs to know that it is not ok to do this. I know it's hard to "be mean", but sometimes it's what's needed. After you scold her take her into the bathroom and set her on the potty, tell her that there is where she should do that. When you tell her now you can be gentle and soft with her stay on her level and encourage her. Give her the attention she is so obviously wanting there, especially if she actually goes for you. Sing a silly song about it, do a little dance. Make a fool of yourself if you have too. You might have to do this a few times, but if you do you, must do it the same way ever time. It'll help get the message across.

I really hope this helps.

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You could put her diaper on backwards. That would make it a little harder to take it off (doesn't work w/pull-ups obviously). And you can also get a sleeper and put it on backwards (one w/a zipper is a little harder to open when the zipper is on the back vs buttons that snap). If the neckline is too close for her comfort in the front (since it's backwards) you can just cut it down a little.
She may not need naps anymore and this is her way of telling you...

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C.,

Did she just do this once, or is this regular? I think that most kids try the whole "use my own art supplies" thing just once, but usually dislike the reaction they get from Mom and Dad and never try again.
Maybe she really does not need the nap on the weekends if she has that much time to wake up and make such a mess. Taking all the toys out of the bed will give her less to throw and timing the nap so that you get her up before she has so much time might be a solution. You could always duct tape the diaper on, but if she has enough time, she can still get stool out of there if she is determined to make a mess on purpose.

But if you think that this is a continuing problem, why do you think that she is needing to get your attention this way? What does she get out of the exchange that is satisfying? If it has happened more than one time, there must be some reward for her (even if it is negative attention) I would look a little closer.

M.

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