What does your toddler do while you settle your baby for her nap?

[franch]

We're talking 25m here so don't suggest anything too sensible please like sitting still and doing a jigsaw - DD1 can be happy for a while watching CBeebies but gets fed up just as DD2 is falling asleep and crashes into the bedroom yelling sisterly greetings.

I take them both out whenever possible but for lots of reasons can't do this for all DD2's naps.

DD1 used to sleep while I settled DD2 for her long nap but those days seem to be ending ...

plays on the computer. He is three and a whiz so I have bookmarked some safe websites like cbeebies and pbs kids and he opens the games and plays until I come back downstairs.

why does it take 25 mins to put db down for a nap? a bit confused

It often takes me 20-30 mins to settle ds for a nap - (dh can do it much quicker nowadays though before he was 12 months old we both struggled) so I can understand that.

This is a really difficult one though as DD1 is so young. Could you try coming out after 10-15 minutes to see DD1 even if DD2 isn't fully asleep by then. DD2 may cry a bit but after a few minutes you could say to DD1 - "I have to go and see to DD2 again" and put a different DVD on or ask her to draw you a picture or something.

Not sure if this would upset DD2 too much and make it more difficult for her to settle.

Sorry not much help, maybe someone with more
experience could help.

I can't remember exactly but I think that basically I didn't spend much time settling ds2 for naps for this very reason - he was plonked in cot then left to it really, with occasional visits if he wasn't settling. As a consequence (I think) he learnt to settle himself much quicker than ds1 ever did.

My age gap was 2 yrs btw so no, I don't think I could leave ds1 for more than a few minutes while I put ds2 down.

25m = 25 months cece :) But yes it does take a while to settle DD2, she's only 6m and I give her a nice sleepy breastfeed (yes, I know I'll have to get out of that habit but it's DD2's only chance to feed undisturbed - she's very easily distracted when feeding so this is her best feed of the day AND a nice chance for me to lie down with her!).

Thanks christie, lazy & elliott - DD1 not quite up to the computer thing but elliott/lazy I think you're right, I'll have to go down your route if DD1 really is dropping her nap (she's taken it today - hooray :))

dd1 (3) comes with me

if i dont let her she has a tantrum

i encourage her to sing lullabies like 'ali bali' or 'twinkle twinkle'

she thinks its her 'job' now

how lovely nailpolish - DD1's idea of singing is "LA LA LAAAA" etc ....

You sound just like me franch dd1 2.9 and dd2 5m
I try and save videos for nap time or magic painting books are good (water and brush) I also try and time outings for nap times or that we get back just b4 nap time so she's sleepy leave her in car seat and she goes off in dark room. Like others I have to just leave dd1 if dd2 comes in and distracts dd1 b/f and will go back to her if she doesn't settle once I've resettled dd1 with some other activity. Also meal/snack times give me some time, tho dd2 old enough to wipe her own face and get out of high chair which is good.

Hi Franch :)

I don't have much advice since dd1 is a little older and fine to amuse herself with the TV or food or games for a little while. Plus, naps are a bit hit and miss with A at the moment; so I tend to feed her downstairs and if she looks sleepy I quickly take her upstairs and leave her in her cot and we see what happens.

Please come and visit us on the September PN board :)

I have only 11 months difference in my two sons and honestly i have left ds2 to settle himself in his cot from day one and now he is 14 months and never cried before going to sleep. Ds1 needed lots of cuddles to sleep when he was a baby but i started giving him sleep training (in which you leave a baby to cry and then he gradually learn to sleep herself)when he was 3 or 4 months old. It took a long time, more than a month,for him to learn.