Should I drop my 2 year olds nap?

[username103842]

Is 2 year 2month old too young for no naps? For the last couple of months I can't get DS to go to bed before 9pm at the earliest it's driving me mad tbh as I just want an evening. He just gets out of bed playing so I have to stay with him. Tonight it's now 9.20 and he is wide awake.
He has one nap a day just after lunch around 12.30/1pm. I can't get him to sleep any earlier as he just won't. I have tried shorting the nap but it made no difference.

Yesterday I decided to not give him a nap he seemed fine until around 4pm when I thought he was quietly watching tv as I made dinner. Turns out he was asleep sat up.

When did your DC stop napping?

Hi @username103842

My son was 22 months when he stopped napping - although it was right at the time I had a new baby. It was just easier to continue with no set nap as it gave me more flexibility in the day.

Hope you find what works for you 😊

DD dropped her nap at 23m. I was horrified! For months after that I continued to put her in her cot at nap time in hope but she never had a daytime sleep again (not even on long car journeys).

I did bring her bedtime forward a bit after she dropped the nap as early evenings were hard for her so I started bedtime routine by 6pm and she'd generally go off to sleep between 6 and 6:30pm.

It’s difficult to just drop a nap. If they are tired in the day they will sleep. Obviously if you have a nap time and it’s regimented, then try and drop it but be prepared for a grumpy 2 year old in the early evening. See how you get on. Mine happen until 2.5 then it was sporadic. Bed time was late but some DC are just active!

“Mine napped” that should read

It was around that age if DD had any day sleep at all she wouldn't sleep until 9ish
Without it she would do 6.30pm-7am

Mine dropped for a while a 2 but then went back to having one after starting morning sessions at least school.

I would take this as an indication to up his exercise and activity levels.

Are you still using a buggy? I'd get him to walk more. Run around more. Definitely get out for fresh air and exercise in the afternoon.

If that makes no difference then it's probably time to say goodbye to the nap, maybe just giving him a 20/30 min cat nap if he needs it.

Both my children stopped napping at this age.

I think naps are still very healthy at that age. I would make sure he has a super busy morning. Nap. Good afternoon and then nice early bedtime. I always find with ds sleep really does beget sleep. A few days of late nights and suddenly he's up early, refusing naps and a nightmare when normally he does a 12hr night and 2 hr nap.

Did you make the mistake of putting him in a bed too early, can you get a tall cot to stop him playing?

DD1 started dropping her nap at 18m. Prior to that it was only 28 minutes long, so it wasn’t like she was losing a huge chunk of sleep. She went from refusing to go down in the buggy at home (just climbed out of cots in the daytime) but having one out and about/in the car, to only napping in the car and by 20m old.

I think they’re all different, and we can read too much advice online about how children should be sleeping 12 hours/napping until 3.5/having long afternoon naps and be tricked into thinking all children will do this.

FWIW yes it was a pain losing that breather at lunchtime, but actually no naps gives so much more flexibility that it’s an ok trade off.

• and not at all by 20m

Mine went through a phase at just before 2 and dropped it, it was painful for everyone. They then got back to it about 2.3 until 3.

Yes, my DS dropped his naps just before 2, much to my dismay. He did fall asleep in the car for a while, but this would mean a really late bed time too even if it was a 10 minute nap! He has slept a solid 12+ hours since going through the night, so he obviously gets what his body needs. I found batch cooking and freezing 1 portion meals handy for those days when he is super tired and needs an early night - it means we can try and keep him awake to get fed an early dinner and then ready for bed as quickly as possible.

When we're out for a full day, I make sure I take the buggy so he can have a little rest with cbeebies if he needs to. Anything to keep bedtime on schedule!

My DD stopped napping when she was around 25 months, but that was because we went on holiday and she stopped having her scheduled, structured nap in the cot! She would nap here and there on the go, but I found when we got back home (after 2 weeks away), she wasn't interested and was quite happy without it. Mind, she was a great sleeper anyway and slept 12-13 hours at night.

I'd say it depends on the child, and what their sleep needs are. There isn't one rule for all (as I am finding out the hard way with my DS!). Maybe don't go cold turkey and drop the nap completely, but try shortening it so that DS isn't too tired that he falls asleep at an awkward time, and that you can bring his bedtime forward a bit. This can be gradual too, so bring bedtime forward by 10 or 15 minutes every day until you reach the desired bedtime.

You didn't mention how long he naps for currently? This can make a big difference. If he currently naps for 2 hours, you can shorten this to 1.5 hours initially, and then gradually make it shorter and shorter until it dissapears!

My dd is moving towards not needing a nap, she was 2 at Christmas. She usually naps about 3 days a week and that seems to see her through, as she's not grumpy or tired on non nap days. Nursery were amazed at how well she copes without one, given that when she does nap it can still be 2 hours!!