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Bye Bye Naptime?
By Shel Franco
Until recently, naptime at the Schmidt home, in Moundsville, Ala., went off without a hitch. Now, it takes some extraordinary measures to ensure that sleep occurs. "I put up a gate on his room [and] close the blinds," says April Lee Schmidt, talking about her 2-year-old son. "He has recently been getting up and playing so I have started taking his toy box, little table and a rocking horse out of his room at naptime."
Most people think that once it's established, naptime is guaranteed well into the preschool years. Before too long, however, they find themselves fighting an age-old battle, second guessing their tactics every step of the way.
Fortunately, parents and experts who've been there have been tackling the questions of naptime for years. Here's how they suggest parents handle this common struggle!
A: "Some children give up naps at 2 years old," says Laurie Waldstein, co-author of the book The Pink and Blue Preschooler and Toddler Pages. "For whatever reason, their bodies just don't need it." Without the secluded nap, chances are the child will still reach a point during the afternoon, when some down time is necessary. Waldstein recommends resting the body quietly through activities such as playing in their room or reading or looking at a book.
Jeri Carr from Lakewood, Wash. learned this first-hand, after her 2-year-old stopped taking naps. "The way I finally reduced the struggle was to quit making her take a nap," Carr says. She says that during the afternoon, when her child begins to act tired, sitting down and playing quietly or reading a book is a great way to recharge.
Parents should also be aware that once the child drops a nap, bedtime will most likely occur earlier than it did when the child was sleeping each afternoon.
A: What you're doing to encourage naptime is probably not as important as who and where you are. "[Children] may do better at school about taking naps than they do at home," says Leslie Zinberg, co-author of The Pink and Blue Preschooler and Toddler Pages