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Original poster

Toddler missing a nap?

19 replies

TheSaucepanMan · 23/04/2021 20:28

If your 2yr old misses their nap (when they still need one) because you're out and about is bedtime then hell?

Trying to work out how best to organise d niece nap time next week as we have her for a little while and a day out planned, I know she'll fall asleep on the way home which will be around 3pm but then probably not sleep at bedtime.

Parents aren't strict with when she naps so aren't bothered about her missing one with us but I'd like to keep in some sort of routine if possible.

If we miss the nap will bedtime be hell?

OP posts:
DarcyLewis · 23/04/2021 20:29

Just keep the late nap short and put her to bed a little later than usual.

Original poster
TheSaucepanMan · 23/04/2021 20:32

@DarcyLewis

Just keep the late nap short and put her to bed a little later than usual.
She's napping around 2 hrs how much shorter should I make it?
OP posts:
PlantDoctor · 23/04/2021 20:32

My 16mo recently missed her nap on a day out and dinner and bedtime were disasters. Definitely agree to let her have a short nap

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Matilda1981 · 23/04/2021 20:34

If she has a sleep in the car around 3pm don’t let her have more than half an hour otherwise she’ll never go to bed!!!!

Original poster
TheSaucepanMan · 23/04/2021 20:34

@PlantDoctor

My 16mo recently missed her nap on a day out and dinner and bedtime were disasters. Definitely agree to let her have a short nap

This is what I'd like to avoid, I'm wondering if we pop her in the car around her usual nap time and drive for a coffee or something and give her time to get at least an hour?

OP posts:
DarcyLewis · 23/04/2021 20:37

Either take a buggy when you’re out for her to nap in, or if she falls asleep in the car at 3 wake her up after half an hour/when you get home.

Personally I’d just let her have half an hour on the way home and then make bedtime a bit later eg 8pm instead of 7pm.

glassbrightly · 23/04/2021 20:41

You need to nap her, as others have suggested - doesn't have to be as long but in buggy or car around her normal time. Anything else is a disaster

PlumpAndDeliciousFatcat · 23/04/2021 20:45

Only the parents can really tell you. Every two year old is different. Mine is fine missing the odd nap.

Anecdotally, if the parents are fairly relaxed about nap times the child may not be unduly affected. The excitement of the day out will tire them out too.

DarcyLewis · 23/04/2021 20:52

Mine would also have been fine missing their normal nap and sleeping on the way home.
However they wouldn’t have been able to have a long nap after 3 and still go to bed at 7 or 7.30.

pointythings · 23/04/2021 20:55

They're all different - mine were fine with having late naps, didn't mess their bedtimes up at all.

modgepodge · 23/04/2021 20:59

My daughter is 2, she can miss naps some days and it doesn’t cause an issue, we might do bedtime a few minutes early but not much. She can also have an hour at 4pm and go to sleep at 7 with no problem. I think she’s quite unusual though!! If parents are relaxed I’d follow their lead - it suggests she can probably cope with a late nap or no nap. Parents who are not relaxed about it are more likely the ones who have the follow the routine or bedtime is hell.

Lampshade685 · 23/04/2021 21:03

My 19 month old recently had a no nap day due to refusing to nap when being looked after by her auntie. She usually has nearly 2 hours in her for. She was a bit grizzly bear dinner time but I just put her to bed half hour earlier and she was absolutely fine. if the parents aren't bothered then I wouldn't worry!

TheOneWithTheBigNose · 23/04/2021 21:05

It entirely depends on the child. My 2 year old is fine if he misses the odd nap. Makes no real difference to bed time, I just put him down slightly earlier if he hasn’t napped.

MBM18 · 23/04/2021 21:05

If my DD age 2 misses her nap (usually naps 11/12ish for 90 mins) she goes to sleep for the night at 6pm. It's bliss she falls asleep within minutes, not like the days she's had a nap.
The only problem is around 3/4pm can be hard powering through the tired stage and keeping her occupied and awake!

Jellybabiesforbreakfast · 23/04/2021 21:08

It depends on the child.

Based on mine at that age, I would say fine to miss the nap but limit the evening TV, nice warm bath and early bedtime. If she's tired from the lack of nap, best to keep things as calm as possible in the evening.

Original poster
TheSaucepanMan · 23/04/2021 21:30

Thank you, she naps around noon, we could change the day and maybe pop her in the car around the time she naps and drive to where we're going which is around 40 mins and hop she nods off or we go early she misses her nap and we aim to leave around 2pm allowing her a short nap on the drive back. Definitely a calm bedtime and a nice bath!

OP posts:
cheesebubble · 23/04/2021 21:34

@DarcyLewis

Just keep the late nap short and put her to bed a little later than usual.
Anything after 3pm, half an hour. It should be enough to bridge her over and put her down half an hour early.

That's what we'd do. Mine is 2 years and 3 months and 100% needs a nap still.

BusLaneLady · 23/04/2021 21:38

I have a 2yo and I'm very strict with nap times but a few times where we missed it, meant that he woke up at 3am wide awake and didn't sleep until 6am when I put him to bed at 8pm his usual time.

Caterina99 · 24/04/2021 00:07

Mine both dropped naps by 2.5, so at 2 they’d be fine to miss nap for a day and most likely wouldn’t nod off in the car or buggy at normal nap time anyway. Especially if something exciting was happening

I’d either make sure they didn’t nap at all in the day and then put to bed an hour earlier, or if they did end up falling asleep in the car on the way home (which happened often) then I’d keep it as short as possible and bedtime would be around the normal time

It never seemed to affect their overnight sleep or behavior and they’d just nap a bit longer the following day

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