Nap Time Woes

Yes he might be out growing the nap. The only thing if you are expecting a new one. You might want to get him up earlier to still take the nap. You are going to be tired the last trimester and you might want to keep it. Sometimes the best thing to do is put them in a crib and let them cry to sleep. I know this is a hard thing to do. I would not just let him in his room and just play. They can get into everyting.

A mother of 3 boys.

Hi J.,
congratulations on your pregnancy!

I am one that believes in picking your battles when it comes to little ones. My son is 5 now but I do remember those days. I say just let him play in his room. Spanking him to go to sleep isn't wise. He will have serious emotional issues if you do that.

Hello J.

I don't have any advice about nap time as I don't have children...yet. I do have a lot of friend who do and they participate in several playgroups. One is MOPS sponsored through the church, check out the spouses club either the Enlisted or Officer and they usually have groups like that to just to get out and about. Sometimes your husbands squadron or group have spouse events with or without children and last but not least I just joined netmums.com and they have a lot going on if you fancy getting out in the community a little. Hope this helps.

Sometimes if my son won't sleep, I let him play by himself in his crib. Eventually, he goes to sleep. It's better this way verses getting upset and doing something you might regret!

My hubbie is at Lakenheath... My son is almost 10 months old!

I am also a Air Force mom, we are at Ramstein, Germany. If he doesn't go to sleep have him stay in his room and let him play in the dark he might go to sleep Not every two year old needs a nap but give him a little down time it helps (like playing in his room the way you have it when he is soppose to be napping)then it will give you a chance to lay down for a little too if he is wearing you out. When I was pregnet with my second I would wait to put her down for her nap when she started acting tired. I also have a friend that has a TV in the kids room that he falls asleep with. This kid seems to take a while to get to sleep too ,I didn't put a TV in my kids room till she was 4 but not everyone is not the same. This is something that my father-in-law told me when my hubby was TDY if you let them cry long enough they will go to sleep eventully, of course after you know they are not hungry. I know it is hard to due this I found it was a little easier with are second child.

Maybe 1:15 isn't a good time for him. Maybe it needs to be sooner or later. Does he have definate cues when he's getting tired? Good Luck!!

J.,

Just a suggestion! Try putting him down for his nap without the light show and don't make the house so quite. This teaches him to sleep with or without nose. Stick to your schedule and put him down to sleep everyday and continue without responding to any request he may have. Hopefully this will work for you.

Loving mother of 2 (19, 17 and pregnant with baby number three -13 weeks).
T. - South Korea

If your son wakes at 0830, try instead, waking him at 0730. Then when time for his 1315 nap, you can put him down and maybe he will be sleepy enough. Or, is he active at all leading up to the nap? Engage in physical activity for some time or the opposite, relaxing calming games or storytime. Does he sleep through the night? If so, how long? Maybe curb his sleep at night to where he will adjust for naptime.

When both of my kids hit the age where they didn't want to nap we changed it from "nap time" to "quiet reading time". Just one short hour of laying down, with a pile of books. Sometimes they fell asleep, sometimes they didn't, but I still got a much needed break in the afternoon and they both turned into readers!

J.~
Is your son going to sleep at a decent hour on the days that he doesn't nap? It is ideal to let them have nap or quiet time in the afternoon but when all three of my kids turned two they gave up naps. If I did give them naps then they would stay awake to late hours of the night instead of their normal bedtime (which was 1900). In the end it worked out wonderful as I always got to spend quality time with my older child during the younger child's nap period. Then when it is bed time (1900) My hubby and I would get some much needed couple time. It's what worked for us. My hubby and I kind believe that if your child needs sleep he will get it. I know that schedules are pushed on us as mothers but what is taught in the books doesn't work for everyone! Best of Luck!

My daughter just turned 2 in december and started the same thing. She just didn't really need a nap anymore. She used to go to bed at 8 pm, but now I don't force her to take a nap, so she takes one maybe once or twice a week, but she goes to bed at 7pm which actually works out so much better. I get more time with my husband. I had my son last september, so it gives me a little time with him also.
I guess some kids just grow out of the nap thing really early.

As a mom to four boys..here is my advice (but you have to go with what works best for you...so again this is just advice). 830 would be awesome for me but for little tykes it's too late. See if you can throw off his clock by waking him up earlier (with one on the way your going to have to get used to being up earlier again- if you are sleeping in too). NLT 0700 do your morning routine breakfast around 11 am..then have quiet time...DARE time (drop everything and read a book)... snuggle time.... you guys might go on your bed or his bed read a book and take a little rest....wake him up by 2 at the latest. It sounds like he is already overtired when you try to out him down.One thing you did not mention was what time he goes to bed.... 730PM night night (630...bath time,,, then jammies...story time/quiet play time ---no tv--- get your stuff out for the next day time) then its you and your husbands time. It may take about a week to re-program his clock -- it's just like when we move from those different time zones... but stick with it...make it a routine...dont stress...cause those little ones feed right into it. Yes - we do pick our battles ...but he's still two and your in charge...a grumpy short tempered uncooperative once in a while is ok... as a habit then who is going to want to be around him -- not to mention it's going to really wear on you these last few months before you have your next baby. :-) Good Luck!

I have a sone who is almost 3 and he dose the same thing. In our case it depends on how much exercise or running and playing he does before he goes for his nap. If he is running and playing then he is worn out and will take a nap allot easier than fighting him. He also has some days were he does nap and some where he just is not tired. I would just let him play in his room on the times that he is not tired and call it his rest time. That way you still get the break during the day and eventually he may just fall asleep on his own after he plays.