Dropping naps

[Ducky1900]

My 22 year old, is very hot and miss with his nap, some days he will, most days he won't. Probably 1 day out of 7 he will nap.

Which is fine... But....
He's a hysterical emotional nightmare at certain points in the day, and I'm not sure he is ready to drop his nap, but he is refusing so what can I do?

Have you found it takes some time for them to adjust to not having a nap?
Shall I carry on trying with the nap?
We put him down when he looks tired, no set time, between 12 and 2 usually. But he won't sleep, just kicks the cot and talks to himself.

He gets a good 7.30-7.30/8am overnight.

Help?!

22 year old... What?! 😳

22 month.... ** hehe!

You could try having a quiet activity at those times - pram walk or story time.

After a while I think they often need a few naps a week but not every day, on the other days then something restful that isn't actually sleep might help with the moods. Plus plan your day to account for cranky afternoons - easy meals, get chores done in the morning etc.

HTH.

Also - fresh air, exercise and stimulation well help

He's gets loads of fresh air, and exercise.
I work 3 days a week, but OH is home. And takes him out every day to the park/field with his ball.
He's so so active and doesn't stop.
Attention span is about 5 mins, so if I get flash cards or his books out he's bored in no time and running off again.
It's like he can't stop... He goes goes goes until he crashes, and then the hysterics start because he's so tired.

If you drop the nap then bed time needs to earlier as they need the same amount of sleep but just in one block.

Personally I’d keep offering the nap. My DS has seemed to be on the cusp of dropping it for ages..... but it’s always come back. My rule is to keep going through any rough patch for 4 weeks. If he consistently refuses to nap for that length of time, nap goes. It’s never happened. It’s almost always settled down again within 2-3 weeks.

He’s now coming up 3 yrs old in autumn and, after a shaky two weeks of total nap refusal, he’s now back to napping daily and very much still needs it.

IMO, most kids under 2 yrs still need a nap.

Kicking the cot and talking to himself are fine - he’s having ‘quiet time’ after lunch - and so are you!

Put a couple of toys and board books in the cot with hIm - tell him everyone’s having quiet time and let him chunter on. Some days he’ll drop off, some days he’ll just play quietly.

We always had quiet time after lunch - or ‘book on your bed’ when they got a bit older, and it saved my sanity!