does your 3 yr old still nap?

[fairybubbles]

our DS 3.2 yrs has always been a good sleeper, his usual pattern is 7-7 give or take, though recently I've noticed that if he has a nap he just won't settle for 7pm. He occasionally still naps after lunch if we are in the car going somewhere. Yesterday he woke at 7am, had nap in car at 2pm for 20mins and would not settle for bed at 7pm. He eventually showed signs of being tired and fell asleep in his own bed at 9pm. Do you stop your child having a nap? I usually try to encouage a rest after lunch at around 12.30 but he isnt interested until later in the afternoon (and only really when we are in the car, he very rarely sleeps in nursery or at home) I'm sure that's were the problems are coming in. Any advice welcome.

DS (nearly 3) is the same. I find if we get him to do something physical when he's tired during the day he can ride it out much more easily. Maybe a late afternoon game of football or walk to the park?

My ds1 napped every day until he no longer could- i.e. started going to school. So, until he was 4 and a half.

both mine gave up naps before their 3rd birthdays. Only slept if they were in the car in the afternoon.

Yes, and with baby ds I aam very glad of it! She's good, though, as she'll still go to bed at usual time, but she'll look at books/listen to story CDs quietly until she falls asleep, so we leave her to it. If she misses a few days running, you can really tell.

3 years, blimey, both of mine got to this stage at 18 months old.

If DD2, now 23 months, gets a sleep in the car in the day she won't go to bed at night. My DD1, 3 goes to sleep in the day she won't drop off as quick either.

But both have learn't that bedtime is bedtime and they can read or play upstairs quietly in their bedrooms til they are tired and put themselves to bed when they are ready. So no screaming here when they arn't quite ready for bed.

Thats interesting, the feedback is v mixed. He has coped well today without a nap, but I made a point of not taking him in the car this afternoon and instead we done some paints and he helped to prepare dinner. He was tired (9pm he fell aslp last night til 7.15 this morning, that was with a 15 min nap in car yest) and I'm sure he would have napped today had he the chance. I know he sleeps better at night when he's not napped during the day so I think we are going to have to arrange our activities a bit differently. Hopefully the weather will improve (showery here today) and we can spend more time in the garden late afternoon.
Thanks all for taking the time to read and post.

DD3 hasn't napped since she was 2.5.
DD1 still napped after playschool until she was 4.
I think DD3 is more the norm.

My eldest napped until he was 4. Here's an article on dropping naps that's quite interesting...

www.sleepytot.com/community/articles/is_your_baby_ready_to_drop_a_nap.phtml dropping naps

yes and at the wrong times ,yesterday he fell asleep about 6pm woke at 9ish and would not go back to sleep till 3.30 am