Is 2 years old too young to drop naps completely?

[pipnchops]

I think I know deep down that the answer to this question is yes but I suppose I'm hoping someone will tell me their DC stopped napping at this age and is fine! It's just getting impossible to get my 2yo to nap during the day. She's always been difficult to get down for a nap but I eventually found a way that worked which was basically to lie down on my bed at around 11am with her until she fell asleep. Literally as soon as she turned two last month this became impossible for some reason. I tried moving her nap to after lunch but she still flat out refuses to sleep. Three weeks ago I had a baby and since then I've been so busy I've just completely given up trying to get DD1 to nap as I just can't face the battle. Unless we're in the car at some point during the day she just doesn't have a nap. By 4pm she is very overtired but still refuses to nap on the occasions I've been able to try and get her to sleep then, although I think 4pm is too close to he bedtime for a nap. She goes to bed at 7 and is fine going to sleep then, she wakes for the day anytime from 5.30am but usually between 6 and 7. Any words of wisdom welcome, I feel like I'm failing her.

[Gardencentregroupie]

My DD stopped napping almost completely (except when ill) at 18 months :)

[Mondegreens]

Look, if it's 'impossible' to get her to nap, why not go with no nap? She's telling you she doesn't want to go to sleep - believe her, and deal with slight over-tiredness in the late afternoon?

DS dropped his nap completely at about 2 years 4 months, and began to sleep much better and go to sleep more easily at night, and frankly, I'm sorry I wasted so much of both our time trying to get him to nap when he clearly didn't want to.

[nennyrainbow]

Whatever works for you. As long as she's getting enough sleep altogether, it doesn't matter in how many instalments the sleep takes place. Sounds fine to me.

[pipnchops]

Thanks, that's a relief. I just wish I didn't have to deal with the over tired stop which makes me feel like a terrible mum!!

[Gardencentregroupie]

Tbh when DD dropped her nap that's when I started allowing some tv. I was very strict before that but she was shattered by late afternoon - as was I! - and an hour chilling with some cartoons did us both a world of good.

[talulahbelle]

My daughter dropped hers at 2yrs 2months. Unlike many of her friends who do still nap she is nicely tired at bedtime and goes down easily, we get our evenings back! Win.

[Bigfam]

Dd will be 2 in January and she's very hit and miss with day time naps, sometimes she will sometimes she wont. And when she doesn't she really is a foul little madam I also have to lay in bed with her, with white noise on, until she falls asleep.
I find the days that she does nap she sleeps better that night as well, as otherwise she's over tired.
I find around 1/2pm the best time to try though.
No other words of wisdom I'm afraid, they all go through this stage and (eventually) come out the other side!

[Tubbyinthehottub]

I thought 2 was about the average age they start to drop naps. Mine was just over two. He went from two hours every afternoon to nothing unless in the car really.

[WilliamHerschel]

My dd stopped napping at about 18 months.

[HOHOHOvariesBeforeBrovaries]

DD dropped hers around her 2nd birthday.

[Doje]

DS1 dropped his nap around 2 as well.

He went through a phase of not going to sleep (in bed at 7pm) until gone 8pm, sometimes 9pm. I did a couple of weeks where I would only give him a nap if he was obviously tired and / or grumpy, maybe once a week.

Cutting out the nap meant he went to bed at night easier. He now falls asleep within 2 minutes of his head hitting the pillow!

[TeaBelle]

Did stopped napping a week after her second birthday and we've only held on that long because I forced her (driving round!!) as I hated the late afternoon strops. But she was struggling to sleep through the night so they had to go

[Ineededtonamechange]

Mine dropped his about that age. I think I started the bedtime routine a little earlier to compensate for the cranky tiredness that occurred but other than that it was fine.

[rubberducker]

Both of mine dropped their naps in the week that they turned 2. Terrible timing when DS1 did it as he went from having 2 hours to nothing overnight and I was heavily pregnant with DS2. But once they don't want to sleep there's no point in forcing it.

[Minikievs]

Both of mine dropped theirs about 18m. DD sometimes has a little catch up snooze if she's in the car in the afternoon, but otherwise they're fine. And sleep 12 hours at night-I'd rather that than an afternoon nap and multiple wakings!

[Gardencentregroupie]

I think I'm actually glad DD dropped hers quite early. I found out I was pregnant just as she turned 2; if she'd waited until then, the shock of her dropping a nap combined with pregnancy tiredness might have killed me

[pipnchops]

Thanks for all your replies, it's a relief to read this is OK and I don't have to feel guilty about avoiding (or not having time for) the daily nap battles. I think from things I've read on the internet I've got the impression they need naps until they're at least three for their development, but obviously these are just scare mongering articles. Step away from Google!!

[FaithAscending]

Yup DD stopped at 2. She still flagged around nap time so we used to have quiet time then, cuddles on the sofa time! She needed an early bed time (6.30ish) for a long time but it worked for us.

[madamginger]

All 3 of mine dropped their naps between 18 and 20 months.
The last one was the hardest as I liked to have a wee nap on the sofa myself at the same time

[steppemum]

all of mine did.
with ds I used to put a dvd on after lunch (was the only time he had it so a treat) he sat on sofa really flop and still to watch and about 3-4 days per week he fell asleep. Then suddenly about aged 3 he stopped sitting quietly, and I relaised he didn't need the down time any more.

dd2 dropped hers and was so tired that on some days I would put her in the car and drive her and within half a mile she fell asleep. I needed to do that 3-4 days per week.

So alhtough they dropped them in their cot, they still needed something.

But all 3 were solid 12 hours per night no wakings at that point, and I think that does make a difference

[Meadows76]

Eldest napped until she was 4.5 but the youngest dropped them all by 16 months

[farfarawayfromhome]

Watching with interest as my DD is 3.3 and still naps...I'm dreading the day it stops!

[pipnchops]

I am actually going to find life so much easier dropping the nap as it always took me longer to get her to go to sleep than she actually slept for! It's quite liberating to think I don't have to do that anymore. It was so stressful. I am hoping DD2 will be a better napper!

[Maudarthur]

There is a dreaded sleep
Regression at 2 years old which can seem like they are ready to drop the nap good luck 😉

[NotBehindTheRadiatorPlease]

My DD stopped napping at 17 months