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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to stop my 2 yo napping?

36 replies

CloudiaPickle · 29/09/2014 22:26

DD was 2 in April. When her siblings were off for the summer she became distracted from napping, besides on car journeys. Now they're back at school she isn't asking to nap like she used to and will stay awake and be happy all day long. She would probably fall asleep if we went on a 20-30 minute drive, but we don't.

We do have some 'quiet time' most days where we do puzzles/read/draw etc but even if we don't manage that and are out all day, she's still happy and energetic. Sometimes shehas a nap at weekends if we drive a fair distance but then she's up until 10/11 pm which is obviously no good if she does the same on school nights.

My friend has a 4 yo who has just started school and she was horrified that DD doesn't nap and says shes too young and preventing it is harmful - her 4 yo occasionally naps after school and often does at weekends.

AIBU not to make her nap?

OP posts:

scrivette · 29/09/2014 22:28

I have a just turned three year old whom I have stopped napping. My DM thinks I am a bit mean for not allowing it, but otherwise he is up until 10 pm which is too late as I have to wake him at 6 am. If he doesn't nap then he goes to bed at 6.

Minikievs · 29/09/2014 22:28

All kids find their own routine with naps. My DS dropped his at just over 2, was very similar to your DD, would fall asleep in car etc but not interested in napping. He has always slept 12 hours at night though. Some of his friends were still napping this summer and still snooze after school.
Each to their own, but if she's happy, then I don't see the point in "making" her nap

Jeggie · 29/09/2014 22:28

Yanbu! Can't believe she said that to you. I personally think it's a bit mean keeping them awake if they are desperate to sleep but that is not the case you've described. Plenty of 2yo I know no longer nap. "Make" them have a nap?! Now that sounds unkind to me.

ilovepowerhoop · 29/09/2014 22:30

I prolonged dd's nap till age 3 by taking her out in the car to get her to sleep. Couldnt be bothered with that with ds so he gave his up at age 2

Jeggie · 29/09/2014 22:31

And yes if they are up til 10 and that is not sustainable then you gotta do what you gotta do!

formerbabe · 29/09/2014 22:33

If my ds napped for just 5 minutes in the car at that age, he wouldn't sleep till 10pm, therefore yanbu.

fishfingerSarnies · 29/09/2014 22:35

You have to do what works for you if your dd doesn't need a nap then it won't harm her not to have one! You'd know if she was tired.
My 2 yo some times doesn't nap but she does spend two hours in her bed if we are home, some times she naps some times she sings and plays with her teddies I let her take a book to look at, but she knows she has to have quiet down time, alone.
If how ever we are out she doesn't have a nap and doesn't seem to bother her.
She will be doing that untill she goes to school because I need the nap time! Ha

sanfairyanne · 29/09/2014 22:43

mine stopped at around 18 months

all of them!

weird kids
they are fine

sanfairyanne · 29/09/2014 22:44

if you want to be mean, ask if she has tested her dd s iron levels? all that midday sleep sounds unhealthy

FruitbatAuntie · 29/09/2014 23:02

I've stopped my 2.2 yr old DS2 from napping recently, or he is up until 10pm (so I can't even get DS1 to bed on time due to DS2 getting more hyper and yelling all evening, while I try to keep my eyes open...)

I feel a bit mean but if he doesn't nap he goes to sleep within minutes at 7pm and then I can spend time reading to DS1 before his bedtime. It gets tricky if we are out in the car/with the buggy as DS2 as he starts to nod off then!

Suefla62 · 29/09/2014 23:34

I can remember my four year old coming home from the first day of school 30 years ago. When asked how school was, she replied it was a waste of time because they expected you to take a nap.

ithoughtofitfirst · 30/09/2014 00:11

I've been wondering about this too. Ds turned 2 in May. He loves a nap but just ends up being hard to get up until about 4pm ... which means he goes to bed at 9. I know he's getting enough sleep in a 24 hour period but i feel like a child of his age should be in bed by 7. I'm pretty laid back about everything else though so i don't know,

PiperIsOrange · 30/09/2014 00:48

Ds was 13 months when he dropped his nap, I could of cried.

Thank god for school, I can finally sleep.

PiperIsOrange · 30/09/2014 00:48

Ds was 13 months when he dropped his nap, I could of cried.

Thank god for school, I can finally sleep.

Bulbasaur · 30/09/2014 01:19

If they need a nap, trust me they will get cranky and miserable. If she's happy and awake, she's probably fine. :)

MummyBeerest · 30/09/2014 02:08

If she's happy, who cares?

People are weird about kids and sleep.

I'm 30 and will never give up naps. My 2yo can deal with it.

AlpacaMyBags · 30/09/2014 02:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SavoyCabbage · 30/09/2014 03:46

My dd1 didn't drop her nap till she started reception. And only because she had to.

Dd2 dropped hers at 13 months. Dd1 was still having her nap at this point!

It depends on the child.

Lucylouby · 30/09/2014 04:05

Ds stopped napping before he was 2. Dd is nearly4 and still has at least one nap a day. The only time I discourage napping (I'm a childminder) is if a child isn't sleeping at night. I might encourage napping straight after lunch if child is likely to fall asleep on school runs or gets really grumpy at going home time, but mostly if a child is ready to drop their nap, there isn't a great lot an adult can do about it.

LST · 30/09/2014 05:53

I gave up when ds1 was 2.6. You would have to physically knock him out so I gave up. He's fine.

ithoughtofitfirst · 30/09/2014 06:12

alpaca jedi mind tricks

MandarinCheesecake · 30/09/2014 08:17

Like Savoy's DD my youngest (who is now 11) Didn't drop her naps until she was full time in reception.
If she didn't nap she was a grumpy bugger, it didn't affect her bedtime routine though and still went to bed at a reasonable hour.

Its sounds like your dd is ready to give up her nap time, it is not harmful so don't listen to that crap.
Each child is different and they will let you know if they need to sleep!

MiaowTheCat · 30/09/2014 08:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bogeyface · 30/09/2014 08:48

DD dropped hers when she was 18 months or so, she just didnt need it, but then she went 7-7 at night.

When she started nursery every morning a month ago she was suddenly really tired of an afternoon and has started having a nap every so often, not every day but usually every 2 or 3 days. She is full on for 3 hours every morning and it is far more tiring for her than being at home.

BettyFocker · 30/09/2014 09:13

DS stopped napping just after he turned 2. Some kids nap and some kids don't.

My view is that they'll nap if they're tired but if they're not then you can't force them to sleep. I'm not sure how you "make" a child nap. If someone told me to nap when I wasn't tired then it just wouldn't happen! And if someone told me stop napping when I was tired then they'd soon know about it!

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