One of the most common mistakes that parents make when it comes to napping, is allowing the naps to stop too early.
Many parents would prefer that their children nap for as long as possible, as their nap times allow for the parents to get things done.
The truth of the matter is you can’t force naps either way.
HOW TO KNOW WHEN YOUR CHILD IS READY TO STOP NAPPING
The day will come when your child will no longer require a nap each day, but you need to be able to identify when your child is ready to stop napping.
It may seem a little scary to have your little one give up their naps. So how can you be sure it’s time?
IS YOUR LITTLE ONE READY TO STOP NAPPING?
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ATTITUDE
Pay attention to the way your child behaves after skipping a nap.
If your child doesn’t seem overtired, cranky or whiny, then skipping a nap may work for your child. If your little one becomes an emotional wreck and doesn’t seem like themselves, then dropping naps is probably not a good idea.
SLEEP PATTERNS
If it seems as though your children are having trouble falling asleep at night, it’s time to start tracking their nap habits.
It is a good idea to consider cutting down on the time spent napping before ruling a nap out entirely.
However, if your child tends to spend more time fighting the nap than actually sleeping, it’s time to say goodbye to naps.
Don’t force it.
SLEEP NEEDS
Does your little one seem tired right before their normal naptime?
If so, your little one is not ready to nix the naps.
Closely monitor your little one’s behavior and watch for signs of sleepiness like eye rubbing, yawning and even behavioral changes.
QUIET TIME
If you believe your little one is ready to be done with naptime, it is a good idea to transition to quiet times.
This means that instead of napping, they can play quietly in their room doing something like reading or coloring. Your little one may not need frequent naps, but they can still greatly benefit from a little downtime.
Putting together quiet time bins or buying a quiet time activity book is a great way to keep your child occupied and calm.
It may seem daunting to transition away from your little one taking naps, but the truth is, as long as they are ready, not displaying any overtired behaviors and getting adequate sleep each night, it won’t be as scary as you thought.
You may also like this post on TIPS TO GET YOUR TODDLER TO NAP:
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Asia Rosario
Friday 30th of August 2019
Thanks for the post! I have a 4-year-old who I'm debating to cut their nap times. There are nowadays that she can go on without them. She puts a fight every night before bed and I can't help but wonder if it's because she's just not sleepy.
Brynn
Wednesday 20th of June 2018
Thx this helps a lot