to stop my 2 yo napping?

[CloudiaPickle]

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?

Here in France, children are expected to nap up to at least 4 years old, and often beyond. At maternelle, for age 2/3 to 5, the younger ones are put down for a nap in the sleeping room, older ones have to rest their heads on the desk and often fall asleep. If the little ones don't sleep, their parents may be asked not to bring them back to school in the afternoon. But I suspect it's hard not to drift off in a darkened room, beds to lie on, after a busy school morning.

But children in france are expected to eat with their parents no earlier than 7pm, often considerably later. So they don't go to bed until around 830 / 930pm. They need to afternoon siesta to get them through till bedtime.

Horses for courses, Brits spend more time with their children during the day (school day shorter and more at home mothers) and are happy to feed them an early tea and get them to bed early. French parents often work a longer day, see less of their children due to long school hours, so are happy for them to stay up later during the evening for family time. Pi don't think either is right or wrong. I am stuck in the middle with a 3 year old who has a long nap at school every day, and doesn't go to bd until 930pm - but I'm still in the Brit mindset of dinner at 6, bd by 8pm.

YANBU both of mine dropped their naps entirely at 2 and slept all night as a result.

no, not if she doesn't need to. DD dropped her nap at about 2.9. If she napped after that age we'd be looking at a 9.30 bedtime yikes!

I have a friend who's 6 year old quite often needs an afternoon nap otherwise he becomes vile .

They're all different.

Whatever works for you. My 2.5 year old dropped his nap recently when we were on holiday, just accidentally for few days - we both thought he still needed it, and planned to reinstate it when we got home, but then noticed that he slept far better (and went to sleep more easily) at night, whereas he had often taken an hour or two to drop off at bedtime. He still gets tired mid-afternoon, but he has quiet time with stories or cartoons, which gets him through.

In our house, the benefit of dropping the nap was bigger than the cost.

Every child is different my 3 boys napped until they went to school. My daughter is 22 months and doesn't nap..
Don't worry about it.

She's dropped it herself though, you haven't made her stop napping, so I think it's absolutely fine.

TBF I also think it's fine for a 4 yo who has just started reception to need the odd nap too though.

DS dropped his lovely, snuggly 2 hour nap on my days off with me when he was 3, (and I did cry Squatting, god I loved that nap) but by that time he wasn't napping at all in nursery. They do their own thing, really.

DD stopped napping when DS came along at 19 months, i was distraught! DS 18 months.

Your friend is an idiot each child is different.

My ds has barely napped since before he turned 2 even now at 2.9 he only sleeps in the car or if he's been very very busy in the morning and he will pass out on sofa late afternoon but then is always ready for bed at normal time 7.30.

My friends 5yo however struggles every day through school and at weekends and curls up to sleep constantly regardless of where they are.

Mine nap. I don't see why not. I'm an adult and if I get the chance at the weekend i will take a nap with them also! Ds1 is at school but he also naps most weekends.

Ds2 is 3 and if he doesn't nap he is falling asleep on the floor whilst playing by 5pm! That's too early as then he will be up at 5am and even tireder next afternoon. So he naps, eats at 7pm, bed 8pm

Some kids don't need a nap. Others fall asleep mid game, like my nephew. If she doesn't need a sleep, forcing her down will just be a pain in the arse all round.