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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

When your 2yr old started messing about at nap time, what did you do?

76 replies

LoveMyGirls · 23/10/2007 12:54

Did you give in straight away or did you fight for a while?

DD and mindee are both 2 and this past week have been playing up at naptime, throwing things out of the cot, laughing at each other etc but if they don't have a nap they are both miserable and have tantrums all afternoon, yesterday I drove round for 30 mins before coming home after we had been out and they both slept for 1-2hrs, today we have been out walking and both are definatly tired but fighting it, I have put mindee up first so they don't distract each other and after about 10mins of crying has gone to sleep. Dd2 who instegated the naptime refusal is still up having her pudding and I'm wondering how I should be dealing with this? Should I just accept the fact they are not napping in the afternoon anymore?

Ok since i started typing this, dd2 has now gone up and is chatting to herself, i'm crossing my fingers very tightly that she goes to sleep and doesnt wake mindee.

Any words of advice?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

beautifuldays · 23/10/2007 12:56

move the nap a bit later in the day or only give them a nap every other day. that's what i di, until ds was about 2.8 and gave up naps alltogether

princessPUMPKINmel · 23/10/2007 12:58

snap. I was going to write that.

It didn't happen to ds though. I stopped his naps at 3 as he'd started waking early.
But this is what most of my friends have done.

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 23/10/2007 13:01

I have moved it later, they used to bth be flat out by 12

OP posts:

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 23/10/2007 13:05

Have got dd up because she was banging the draws between the cots and would have woken him then i'd ahve 2 tired and grumpy children to deal with all afternoon, at least she's mine so can let her sleep later, mindees mum doesnt let him sleep later in the afternoon so if he doesnt sleep now im screwed.

OP posts:

princessPUMPKINmel · 23/10/2007 13:15

Maybe wait till 1.30pm. Would that be too late for mindee? Just for 45 mins to an hour.

And try every other day.

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 23/10/2007 13:18

Ideally mum likes mindee to be up by 2pm, personally I don't like mine sleeping after 3pm and I have school runs to do at 3 anyway.

It's tough, They need their sleeps as much as I need a break.

OP posts:

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 23/10/2007 13:18

Ideally mum likes mindee to be up by 2pm, personally I don't like mine sleeping after 3pm and I have school runs to do at 3 anyway.

It's tough, They need their sleeps as much as I need a break.

OP posts:

Tommy · 23/10/2007 13:19

it's that tricky age isn't it?

When DS1 gave up his naps - even tough he still needed one every other day or so - I used to make up some sandwiches for myself, take them on a long journey in the car and when they both went to sleep, I would park up somewhere and eat my sandwiches and listen to the radio
Not really something you can do with a mindee though I suppose

Loopymumsy · 23/10/2007 13:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 23/10/2007 14:07

Yes they have to share because dd2 has the bigegst room and the deal with dd1 having the smallest room was that she wouldnt have to share or having any childminding stuff in her room, in our old house she had 2 cots and all her toys and bunk beds and wasn't really fair.

OP posts:

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 23/10/2007 14:08

I've tried letting them have books but they just throw them and then wind each other up until they are btoh hyper, one day last week I even went and lay on the bed up there pretending to be asleep so they got the idea.

OP posts:

Enid · 23/10/2007 14:09

dd2 and dd3 dropped naps at 18 months

Enid · 23/10/2007 14:10

i put up with crankiness in afternoon and get dd3 into bed by 6.15pm

SpawnChorus · 23/10/2007 14:14

Enid - just out of curiosity, what time does DD3 wake up in the morning (I'm tempted by earlier bed time, but don't want to be woken up earlier! )

Enid · 23/10/2007 14:35

7-ish

hotcrossbunny · 23/10/2007 14:37

I would persevere if you can bear it.

I have a 4 year old who still naps. If I'd given up when everyone said I should I would have missed over two years of afternoon breaks

Zero tolerance was the way I did it. I completely ignored her for nap time if she was playing around until she fell asleep. Took a couple of weeks for it to sink in but she asks me if its nap time now I didn't ignore crying btw. I guess it is much harder as they share a room. Could one sleep in a travel cot in the living room/your bedroom?

princessPUMPKINmel · 23/10/2007 16:40

What time does your 4yr old go to bed Hotcrossbunny?

boo64 · 23/10/2007 17:59

I was having problems getting ds (2.3) to settle for naps and at bedtime and told him he'd be too tired to do his favourite little jobs that he likes doing well (I listed a few that we would do that afternoon/ the next day) and believe it or not it worked and after months of messing around at bedtime he has been incredibly good and goes quiet straight away (it can't last!) but worth a try? With ds it's stuff like 'if you don't put your head down and go to sleep you'll be too tired to help daddy with the ...' insert job ds likes helping with

hotcrossbunny · 23/10/2007 18:21

Dd goes to bed at 8, usually asleep by 8.30-8.45 and sleeps til 7-8.30 the next morning. She's great! And she rarely wakes in the night...(shouldn't tempt fate by saying that!) We let her have some books in bed with her which she looks at until she feels sleepy. Is very relaxed and non-confrontational. MIL can't cope with it though...Dh went to bed at 6 and woke up at 5 every day til he was at secondary

Works for us but probably wouldn't if you had an early start each day.

bozza · 23/10/2007 18:40

DD has never messed at naptime but she does mess at bedtime if she has a long nap. If she has a short nap she is horrendous for absolutely ages. If she doesn't nap at all she is grumpy late afternoon/evening. I think the answer for her might be an earlier bedtime. I am considering trying 7.

Enid · 24/10/2007 12:33

at all these late bedtimes for 2 year olds

No four year old I know needs a daytime nap, but then they mostly go to sleep earlier than 8.45 [sucks teeth disapprovingly and mutters 'wait until she starts school' to self]

We have to get everyone up and out by 8.15 on a school day, so that dictates dd3s waking time somewhat.

hotcrossbunny · 24/10/2007 13:18

enid - as I said, it works for us.
Dd started school this term and it fits in perfectly with that - she is part time til easter so she will nap as long as she still needs it.

bozza · 24/10/2007 16:00

hotcrossbunny don't you think she will be tired once she swaps straight from a nap to afternoon school?

enid I think DD would benefit from an early bedtime but it is hard to fit in. She has to be up at 7 when I am working which means she is up at that time everyday. But it hard to fit in with everything else that needs to be done in an evening.

lissiethevampireslayer · 24/10/2007 16:07

ds is 2y6m and no longer has a nap in the day. if he does then we have a terrible night with him he wont go to bed til 10pm and gets up evry hr til 5am.

amytheearwaxbanisher · 24/10/2007 16:18

my ds is 2.2 and wont nap anymoreloved my hour of peace and quiet

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