Moms of Toddlers @20-24 months: Questions about Napping (Long!)

I am curious to see what your toddlers are doing in terms of napping; and how much they are sleeping at night. We are having a nap strike over here for the past 2 weeks or so and it's making me nutty.

Nikolas is 21 months old. Up until the past few weeks, he napped about 2 hours everyday, sometimes longer, and slept about 10-11 hrs a night. His typical schedule was:

Wakeup: 7am
Nap 12-2ish or 1-3ish
Bedtime: 8pm, but usually falls asleep closer to 8:30.

Now I know this is the time that some kids give up napping, but I truly don't think he is ready to give up the nap yet. He is VISIBLY tired by 12 noon, rubbing his eyes, yawning, etc. Plus on the days where he hasn't napped, he is downright miserable the rest of the day. I've had to put him to bed at 7pm lately because he just can't stay up past then... he is wiped.

Aside from being sick recently, I can't think of what has changed to cause the nap strike. I've tried napping him earlier in the day, later in the day -- still nothing. Up until this strike, he would practically beg me to put him in his crib for naptime .. I just don't get it.

Now the second part of my question ..

When I do put him in down for a nap, he doesn't cry or fuss at all. He will stay in there, talking to himself, playing, rolling around, etc - perfectly content, for HOURS. Now my ped said to leave him in there for the normal duration of the nap, to show him that even if he doesn't nap it is his 'quiet time' and that hopefully he will learn to nap again as a result. But I just feel bad to leave him in there all that time w/out him sleeping when he could just be going about his day. Right now he's been in the crib since 1pm and no sleep in sight And I KNOW I'm in for a miserable day with an overtired, cranky child as a result of this.

Yesterday we went to the supermarket after his 'quiet time' (aka no napping) and he fell asleep in the shopping cart... something he's NEVER done -- EVER!

I'm at my wits end here I hate seeing him spend his entire day exhausted because he won't take even a 1/2 hour nap!

Any input would be appreciated!

Message edited 7/22/2008 2:48:11 PM.

Re: Moms of Toddlers @20-24 months: Questions about Napping (Long!)

Leah is just about on the same wake-up/nap/go to bed schedule. Recently, she has been skipping naps even when I try to put her down. Sometimes I let her CIO and she cries herself to sleep, and other times I give up and just take her back out. I don't know if there is a real answer here, but I just know what you are going through and I hope it's just a phase.
Heck - I am the one that needs the quiet time sometimes too

Re: Moms of Toddlers @20-24 months: Questions about Napping (Long!)

Flee...

Bella got REALLY sick around Thanksgiving and was an amazing sleeper until then. It took MONTHS to get her back into a good nap schedule. She was a couple months past her 2nd birthday and still desperately needed a nap. She fought is TOOTH and NAIL every nap time and at bedtime....and the only change that that I could trace

Now she sleeps at least two hours at naptime and shows no sign of giving up the nap...

Sorry I have no REAL advice as I was at my wits end in May...but then all of a sudden she snapped back to normal...

Kids are weird.

Re: Moms of Toddlers @20-24 months: Questions about Napping (Long!)

Michael is 23 months and most days will be take at least a 2 hour nap. I do not need to put him down he usually falls alseep on his own. My problem is that I can not get him to go to bed at night at a normal hour.

Re: Moms of Toddlers @20-24 months: Questions about Napping (Long!)

We've been going through what seems like a change in sleeping - and sleeping less, too! Not really sure how to help you unfortunately because it's happening with DDs too. I really do try and keep them up until 2, but some days they're cranky and falling all over, so I cave. Then they only nap for 1.5 hours. They're sleeping less at night too - I guess it's because they're getting older and require less sleep. Great!

Re: Moms of Toddlers @20-24 months: Questions about Napping (Long!)

We have the same situation here. Except add in foot stomping tantrums - I watch her in the monitor. But she gives up after a while or I just leave her and she plays sometimes for 2 hours. Don't feel bad and enjoy the time. He sounds like my DD - she has toys in there and music and actually enjoys spending time up there. Even when she wakes up I sometimes don't get her for another hour because I know she's not ready to come out yet - she likes to chill out up there.

Re: Moms of Toddlers @20-24 months: Questions about Napping (Long!)

wake: 8/9
nap 1-3
bedtime:9-10

20 months

Re: Moms of Toddlers @20-24 months: Questions about Napping (Long!)

thanks everyone!
I guess it's definitely the age and maybe needing less sleep and/or a change/shift of schedule... I appreciate everyone's input (and yes the 'quiet time' is just as important for them as it is for Mommy )

But wouldn't you know that minutes after I posted this, after playing in his crib for over an hour, Niko FINALLY fell asleep .. and just got up now. The nap WON

Of course now I'm probably in for it at bedtime tonight

Re: Moms of Toddlers @20-24 months: Questions about Napping (Long!)

I'm glad he finally napped for you. Lily is 20 months and her schedule used to be:

awake at 7 or 7:30
nap 12-2 (or around that time)
bedtime routine starts at 8; asleep by 8:30

We just got back from a 1.5 week trip to NY, so she's kinda messed up:

awake at 6:30 or 7
nap 10:30-12:30/1
same bedtime.