Mourning the afternoon nap...

[misspollysdolly]

DS1 has just abandoned the notion of taking an afternoon nap - having always previously slept for at least an hour and a half after lunch. Am finding this really frustrating especially when he then without fail falls asleep on the way to get DD from school at half 3!! AARGH! Is there anyway I can reinstate said naptime or is it dead and gone forever??! Is it completely unreasonable that the biggest problem with this is that I need the headspace and am frustrated that he won't give me an hours peace anymore? Is it wrong that I feel like that?! So frustrating especially as DS2 at 7 weeks has just taken to having a nap at this exact time!! So near but yet so far from having a hiatus from glorious chaos during the day!! Hey ho! Any suggestions...?

put the telly on for a bit after lunch. or go out a lot. make him walk on the school run if possible (i find a scooter invaluable). and revel in the delight of him passing out on the sofa at 6.30. my dd is 2.8 & hasn't reliably napped since the summer....

My DS1 who's 2yrs 7mths resists post lunch nap but really can't get through the week without having a nap somedays. I'm happy that he will nap during an afternoon if he didn't the day before. Perhaps you can try one or two days without, followed by one day with? At least thats just a 50 - 66% reduction in peace!

Or listening to story CDs. I started off by listening with them but soon enough they get the hang of turning the pages so you can sit next to them and read a magazine or novel (or nod off as I frequently did!) After a few months DS would listen to them all by himself and I could get on with stuff.