Does anyone else have to take their toddler out in the car so they can nap?

[Gateau]

I;ve been doing this for quite a while with DS (2.3) as he just won't nap at home - unless I put the tv on after lunch which I'm not that keen to do as it's already been on too much in the morning. I do it sometimes though and he invariably falls asleep on the sofa.
I know he still needs this nap as he still does it in nursery and he always falls asleep when we go out in the car after lunch.
Obviously I would prefer it if he did nap in te house because I could get chores done but as it is, I use this time to rest and read my book and sometimes have a little nap myself . I'm six months pregnant so indulge myself a little while I just have one DC!

Sorry, what I meant to ask was, does anyone do similiar to get their DC to nap?

Don't know, my DD3 is 2.5 and hasn't had to nap in the daytime for over a year now. She does fall asleep in the car, but I try to keep her awake so she has a reasonable bedtime and a good night's sleep.

We do have to take her out in the car for 10 minutes to get her to sleep at bedtime though - she hasnt' got the patience to stay in bed when her big sisters are up and playing

DD1 I used to have to walk in the buggy to get her to nap. Do you not carry him into the house when he's gone to sleep?

yes!! If pregnant have workmen in or something i am ashamed to say i do needs must!

I do!!!
My 16 month old is now rubbish at napping in her cot during the day but will fall asleep really quickly in the car. I sometimes take the two dd's and a pillow and book and we all have a little naplet. Needs must!

No, Flamingo, I don't carry him into the house because he would wake up. And as I said, he does need the sleep and I don't like to deprive him. But he just won't do it in bed! He also falls asleep in the buggy from time to time - he did every day on holiday.

I used to put them out in the buggy or car to nap but then not actually go anywhere. Just putting them into the buggy or car seat often fooled mine into going to sleep.

I used to until dd was between 2 and 2.5 then she just dropped the nap. Dh often commented on the petrol bills. In the summer I would sometimes park somewhere nicish and read a book.

Yep,Acinonyx, I often get a coffee at the McDonalds drive-in and sit and read my book. Last Saturday was sunny so I parked up by a large grassy area, opened the car doors, sat on the grass and read my book .

I used to love those little trips in the car. I used to tell dd that we were going to the never never shop! I used to think that if she slept at home I could get all the chores done but actually that little hour or two out with nothing to do except read a good book or have a little sleep myself were precious!

Gateau, so glad you started this thread because I do this all the time with my 17mths old DS.

Occasionally he will fall asleep by himself but I stress this is occasionlly. I often take him for a quick drive around at nap time and bed time. I can't rock him anymore as I'm also 6mths pregnant and suffering wth back ache.

I think, if I stayed in his darkened room for long enough he might eventually self settle but that woudl eat massively into my evening and only bit of 'me' time that I get.

Supercherry, DH or I have to lie in bed with DS EVERY night until he falls asleep. It's frustrating and REALLY eats into our evening. Sometimes he doesn't go to sleep until 10pm!! He just plays up so much. Recently we've started to put him in his cot if he starts messing about and then we leave the room. We lift him out shortly after - and he usually settles soon after. He cries when in the cot - and it's awful - but he has to learn bedtime is bedtime.

Yes I do when necessary i.e. when he's had a bad night. He won't sleep in his bed during the day - hasn't done for months. I quite like it too!

Hi Gateau. My dd is 2.2 and I used to have to do this.

To be honest, we just keep her awake now and have dropped the nap, which can be a challenge in itself.

hi Gateau, my dd1 was like this and I drove bloody miles over the years to get her to sleep.I used to have a cicuit that I would do - AND if I moved her when we got back home, she would wake, so I had to park in the drive and then do something like ironing so I could watch for when she woke up.

She's 9yo now, but I remember it like it was yesterday

Yes!!

The summer DS2 was born and we had three under-3s, DH and I used to put the three of them in the car with the aircon on and just drive (stopping only to buy a drink and chocolate for each of us). It was the only time way the older ones would nap, and the only way we got an hour just to talk to each other.