Is your child refusing to nap? Here are some tips to save nap time and your sanity!
We’ve all experienced it. Our sweet 2-year-old will stop napping for one day, and then two, and then three, and you realize, “Oh no, that’s it. I’m losing my afternoon freedom. We are done with naps.” I’m here to tell you, don’t give up the nap!
So many moms that I encounter will talk about how their kids gave up naps at two. My daughter napped until four, and my son is still napping at three. They will fight their naps for days, maybe even a week. They will seem like they don’t need it. They will act like it’s time to drop the nap. Don’t listen to them! They’re two, what do they know? They know they can use their sweet baby cries to get mommy to cave. Don’t give in. At 6 pm, they are going to be a hot mess.
Here are some things that I have learned to help keep your kid napping until preschool:
- Blackout Curtains are essential. These make a huge difference in how much your kids will sleep. Here are some cute ones like the curtains in my daughter’s room.
- Let them take toys or books to bed. They will read or play in the dark until they fall asleep.
- Let them get out of bed and roam the room. My kids always end up back in their beds. If I feel like it has gone on long enough, I will put them back in bed.
- Keep them in the crib as long as possible. This gives them no choice but to fall asleep.
- When they seem like they are done with naps, have them do quiet time for at least an hour in their room. Sometimes they will still fall asleep on days that they need it. My 6-year-old still has quiet time. We got her an Amazon Echo Dot to play music, and we set an alarm to let her know when time is up, so she is not asking every 5 seconds to come out.
Naps are so important for kids, and they are so important for parents. Kids need the rest. They need a break from stimulation. Parents need a break. Mommy needs to be able to switch the laundry or sit down, eat Oreos, and watch Grey’s Anatomy for an hour. Naps are so important. I know every child is different, but don’t give up the nap before you have to. You may be pleasantly surprised.
