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Original poster

How did your toddler's drop their nap?

33 replies

LGBirmingham · 15/08/2022 14:26

Just the above question really. Did you have to wake them up from their nap and shorten it over time or did they just drop it themselves?

I have a 20 month old who would happily nap 2 hours or more sometimes but also now needs 6 hours awake time. I'm starting to wake him up from his naps but I don't enjoy doing it.

I also wonder if @fatedestiny is around with any words of wisdom? You've helped me on the past.

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SuperlativeOxymoron · 22/08/2022 22:21

To be totally honest with you @LGBirmingham DSs naps vary from nothing to over 2 hours.

I'm judging by his behaviour come 5pm ish on days he doesn't nap, he'll stop napping regularly (more than 4 times a week) by January (he'll be 3 and a half)

My mum when he was 2 kept telling me his naps needed to be shortened/stopped. I tried it and he was a horror, so naps started again. You know your child best and if they are ready to drop naps, they are ready.
All I was pointing our is a 3 year old napping is more normal than you think.

And to the pp who said about preschoolers not napping, the nursery ds is at is led by the children in the sense that routine is naps at 1, if the children are flagging/parents want them to nap, they go into the toddler room and have half hour to an hour. I don't know what other nurseries do, but thats my experience.

Original poster
LGBirmingham · 23/08/2022 07:34

SuperlativeOxymoron · 22/08/2022 22:21

To be totally honest with you @LGBirmingham DSs naps vary from nothing to over 2 hours.

I'm judging by his behaviour come 5pm ish on days he doesn't nap, he'll stop napping regularly (more than 4 times a week) by January (he'll be 3 and a half)

My mum when he was 2 kept telling me his naps needed to be shortened/stopped. I tried it and he was a horror, so naps started again. You know your child best and if they are ready to drop naps, they are ready.
All I was pointing our is a 3 year old napping is more normal than you think.

And to the pp who said about preschoolers not napping, the nursery ds is at is led by the children in the sense that routine is naps at 1, if the children are flagging/parents want them to nap, they go into the toddler room and have half hour to an hour. I don't know what other nurseries do, but thats my experience.

Mums are annoying for telling you what to do sometimes aren't they!? My mum does it sometimes too. You know what's right for your child. The fact that nursery has a policy that allows preschoolers to go back to the toddler room for a nap shows that, while not the norm, he can't be the only one that still needs one at that age.

I'm interested, what time does he go to bed on nap days?

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ChloeKellyIsAnIcon · 23/08/2022 07:41

My DD was still having a 2-hour nap at 4 years old! I think that's unusual though.

SuperlativeOxymoron · 23/08/2022 08:11

We always take him up to bed at 7.30. Nap days he's pretty consistent and will. be asleep by around 8/8.30 depending if he's having a bath, we do have outlier days where he'll still be awake at 10.

On days he doesn't nap, he's usually asleep by about 8, but again he will sometimes still fight it and be awake later.

Original poster
LGBirmingham · 23/08/2022 08:26

@SuperlativeOxymoron wow that's amazing he's still asleep by 8:30 with a two hour nap at that age. They're all so different aren't they? It's just the total opposite of my experience with ds and of people I know it's a complete wonder to me.

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Original poster
LGBirmingham · 23/08/2022 08:28

ChloeKellyIsAnIcon · 23/08/2022 07:41

My DD was still having a 2-hour nap at 4 years old! I think that's unusual though.

I would have said it was unusual as I've not met a napping four year old. But reading this thread it would seem there's more about than you think.

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SuperlativeOxymoron · 23/08/2022 09:33

LGBirmingham · 23/08/2022 08:26

@SuperlativeOxymoron wow that's amazing he's still asleep by 8:30 with a two hour nap at that age. They're all so different aren't they? It's just the total opposite of my experience with ds and of people I know it's a complete wonder to me.

My cousins little girl is the opposite too she's just turned 2 and if she has more than half hour even in the middle of the day, she wont sleep until late.

We're very lucky as he likes sleep, but then dh and I do too and it's been known for the 3 of us to snuggle on the sofa during the weekend. I'm worried if we have another, we won't get another lover of sleep 🤣

Original poster
LGBirmingham · 23/08/2022 09:46

SuperlativeOxymoron · 23/08/2022 09:33

My cousins little girl is the opposite too she's just turned 2 and if she has more than half hour even in the middle of the day, she wont sleep until late.

We're very lucky as he likes sleep, but then dh and I do too and it's been known for the 3 of us to snuggle on the sofa during the weekend. I'm worried if we have another, we won't get another lover of sleep 🤣

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You probably won't, but I can promise you'll still survive! My husband and I were both that dream baby who slept through and easily fell asleep. Ds just isn't. He's not been the worst with sleep out of those we know of a similar age but definitely not easy. Making sure he naps the optimum amount seems to make a huge difference to the nights though.

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