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Original poster

Quick question- at what age do kids generally drop the day sleep?

32 replies

Bertolli · 01/12/2008 12:59

Sorry it's boring but could you tell me at what age kids in general drop the daytime nap, if they are having 12 hours sleep at night (7pm-7am)

TIA

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schneebly · 01/12/2008 13:00

about 2 and a half (ish) It was before they went to nursery at 3.

PerkinWarbeck · 01/12/2008 13:06

my 20mo dd just dropped hers

but i know of children who continue to nap until school age

cornflakegirl · 01/12/2008 13:06

We had to drop DS's for him when he was 3. He was still happily going down for 2 hours every afternoon, and then not going to sleep properly in the evening.

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 01/12/2008 13:07

DS1 - 18 months
DS2 - 3yrs 3 months (but is 5 and still has an occasional nap)
DS3 - is 18 months now and doesn't always have one

Seeline · 01/12/2008 13:08

Both mine stopped at 18 months (their decision, not mine!!) Ds has never slept 12 hours, with or without day time naps. It does vary though - DD has just started reception as one of the youngest, and I know some of her (much older) classmates are missing their afternoon naps.

fizzbuzz · 01/12/2008 13:08

Dd was 22mo when she started refusing to settle at night.

We dropped her nap, and she goes down easily now.........but interestingly she will sleep for 13-14 hours through the night

littleducks · 01/12/2008 13:10

between 18 months and 2 ish didnt really have one but i reinstated at two and she still has a quick nap (1 hr max) and will do till 3 at least

Santaisfeelingfunnypeculiar · 01/12/2008 13:11

Both of mine dropped at 2yrs 3 months. 2.5 ish seems ''normal'' ime, although there's a lot of variation

francagoestohollywood · 01/12/2008 13:11

ds dropped it at around 3 yrs old
dd dropped it at 2.5 (at home, but would have a nap at nursery... peer pressure and all that )

Original poster
Bertolli · 01/12/2008 13:15

Thanks all. My ds is 2.4 and he loves a 2 hour day sleep but then that pushes bed later and he's up earlier too.

So the logical thing is to cut out the day sleep. it just feels cruel because i think that's his natural rhythm.

It just seemed quite early to drop it, as my eldest kept it up til 3.

OP posts:
Twinklemegan · 01/12/2008 13:17

DS is 2.4 and he still needs his afternoon nap. He doesn't always have it - he will never nap at nursery for a start - but he really struggles into the evening if he doesn't. No problems getting him down for the night at the moment.

littone · 01/12/2008 13:39

Bertolli - have you tried letting him have a nap but waking him up a bit earlier? We currently let our 17 month old have no more than 2.5 hours sleep in the day, even if he wants more as it then affects his bedtime sleep (we used to be able to let him sleep for 3 hours in the day - not that he did this everyday).

PuppyMonkey · 01/12/2008 13:43

DD is 20 months and has been very funny about daytime naps for some time. She's up there now refusing to sleep. Trouble is, she's so ratty later in the evening - she obviously still NEEDS a nap. It's a tricky one!

ohdearwhatamess · 01/12/2008 13:49

Ds1 has just dropped his nap at 2.7 months. No warning at all.

Last Wednesday he slept for 3 hours (unusually long, but he'd been at preschool in the morning for the first time). On Thursday, and every day since, he has announced, in no uncertain terms, that he is awake, he is not tired, and he does not need a nap. Hasn't made any difference to his waking up (if anything he's waking up earlier), but he's out like a light within seconds of going to bed at night.

He does about 11-11.5 hours at night (7pm-6.15/30 am)

purpleflower · 01/12/2008 13:56

DS dropped his 2 weeks after his 2nd birthday. The same week his Dad went back to work after paternity leave!

He does get really grumpy in the afternoons and will sleep if out in the car and occasionally in the pushchair but refuses at home.

Again · 01/12/2008 17:54

I know 3 children - 9,7 and 5 who all still have daytime naps!

ScummyMarx · 01/12/2008 17:57

between 2 and 3? ish

Marne · 01/12/2008 18:01

Dd dropped hers at 2.5 ish.

Sycamoretree · 01/12/2008 18:16

2.2 years. I was GUTTED!

izyboy · 02/12/2008 19:15

3.4 when he started reception, but has been a bit of a sod without it!

Lotster · 02/12/2008 19:49

My son is 2.3 and recently stopped napping at nursery but still napping at home, which is weird. I hate to think this is a pre-curser to him dropping it altogther as I'm due my second in Feb and could really do with him keeping it...

From what I've read on this thread and others on the subjest, it seems the girls drop them earlier, anyone else noticed this/agree?

LilRedWG · 02/12/2008 20:37

My God! DD seems to be dropping hers - how will I cope?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

maddylou · 02/12/2008 20:43

10 months same sort of time for all 3 and none of them went to bed early or slept through either!!!!!

PavlovtheCat · 02/12/2008 20:46

Unfortunately for us, it apears to be around now, at 2.4 - we have a grouchy tired non-sleeping 2 year old! In the last week she has started to drop her naps, just outright refuses....but on the plus side she has gone from sleeping at 8pm - 6pm to sleeping 7pm-7pm...(i hope I have not just jinxed it like I did last night )

ceebee74 · 02/12/2008 20:49

DS1 has suddenly decided to drop his now at 2.5 with no warning whatsoever - which of course has coincided nicely with his brother being born 12 days ago .

He used to have a 90-minute nap without fail every day and settle to sleep at 7.30 without any problems - but, oh no, not since the weekend! But on the plus side, he has been sleeping in until 7.30 in the mornings which was unheard of before - every cloud and all that......