"QUIET TIME" for toddler who's given up naps - what do you do?

[franch]

Have recently started this with DD1 (2y 7m) and am curious as to what others do. DD1 snuggles down on her bedroom floor in what she calls her "white bed" - ie our duvet - and I leave her with a few books and a story tape playing. So far she tends to come out again after about 10 mins, does a wee or gets something, and goes back again, sometimes for another 10 mins or so.

She's not much interested in reading on her own and seems to have lost interest in her story tapes too so gets bored quickly but I'm encouraged by the fact she doesn't come straight out - she certainly loves her "white bed" (she sleeps in a cot at night). Even a 10 min break is good for my sanity and gives me time to settle DD2 (nearly 12m). Am going to carry on with this but am always interested to steal others' ideas if there's anything (other than time) that might make it work a bit better.

Can I ask why she doesn't go in cot for nap? My dd is a younger, but after lunch she goes in her cot, which she loves, with her fav ted sometimes she sleeps and sometimes she just chatters away - do the same at night, after dinner put her to bed at 6.30 (know sounds early) and she'll chatter away for up to an hour nad then puts herself to sleep, in the past have got her up again coz I thought she maybe would like to go to bed later - she was more than happy to be up but was not going to go back to bed! Think I'm going to video her one night she always sounds like she's having so much fun Fantastic for me too as means have a bit of me time, as ds is only 2mth.

Agree with you though always nice to hear what others do

we are in the process of goving up DS1's afternoon nap. instead we will cuddle up on the sofa and watcha dvd or do something messy while his bro is sleeping. whatever we do i make sure its not too lively so that i get a rest too!

m2m: because I don't want her to sleep!! If she does she goes into a really deep sleep and I have to choose (a) to wake her, which she hates and goes round in an awful mood, or (b) to let her sleep for 2-3h and then have her bouncing around all evening. The other advantage of the "white bed" is she can get up and go to the loo on her own so I don't have all the palaver of putting her in a nappy, sleeping bag (so she can't climb out of the cot and injure herself), etc. I certainly used to do what you're currently doing (tho bed at 7 not 6.30).

I take my hat off to you mumofmonsters - I wouldn't regard either of your options as a break for me

TURN ON TV FOR ONE PRE ARRANGED PROGRAMME
Tell kid it your quite time now
you have liuch or mn
kid watches tva dn flals asleep