Comments on: The Preschooler Nap Dilemma http://www.dupagemamas.com/2010/02/23/the-preschooler-nap-dilemma/ Guiding Our Kids Through Our Community Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:33:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: twosquaremeals http://www.dupagemamas.com/2010/02/23/the-preschooler-nap-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-1490 twosquaremeals Sat, 27 Feb 2010 04:53:41 +0000 http://www.dupagemamas.com/?p=1529#comment-1490 Sounds like you may just be in a transition period. We have been there with Hobbes for quite a while. I usually decide based on what our evening will be like. If I need him to stay up later because we are going to be out or at the in-laws', then I try to get him down for a nap. If not, I just try to put him to bed as early as possible. Calvin was much worse in the late afternoons during this transition phase than Hobbes is. Hobbes is usually just whiny or crying, but Calvin was wild like Lucas. One thing that does help is to really enforce rest time in the afternoon. I am not great at this, but when I am, it really helps. Often kids don't need a nap (or it interferes with bedtime) as much as they need some non-stimulating down time. If they learn to take that and recharge, they can often get through the day. I insist on at least a half an hour for Hobbes, usually 45 minutes to an hour, and no matter how sweet he is when he comes out to ask if it is over or if I can play with him, I make him go back to his room. He is allowed to have books or some sort of quiet toy in his bed until I release him. If he tries to get me in there, I just tell him that I will be glad to do it when quiet time is over. It helps that Calvin also has a quiet time, Linus is napping, and I make that time my quiet/rest time too. Sounds like you may just be in a transition period. We have been there with Hobbes for quite a while. I usually decide based on what our evening will be like. If I need him to stay up later because we are going to be out or at the in-laws’, then I try to get him down for a nap. If not, I just try to put him to bed as early as possible. Calvin was much worse in the late afternoons during this transition phase than Hobbes is. Hobbes is usually just whiny or crying, but Calvin was wild like Lucas.

One thing that does help is to really enforce rest time in the afternoon. I am not great at this, but when I am, it really helps. Often kids don’t need a nap (or it interferes with bedtime) as much as they need some non-stimulating down time. If they learn to take that and recharge, they can often get through the day.

I insist on at least a half an hour for Hobbes, usually 45 minutes to an hour, and no matter how sweet he is when he comes out to ask if it is over or if I can play with him, I make him go back to his room. He is allowed to have books or some sort of quiet toy in his bed until I release him. If he tries to get me in there, I just tell him that I will be glad to do it when quiet time is over. It helps that Calvin also has a quiet time, Linus is napping, and I make that time my quiet/rest time too.

]]> By: April http://www.dupagemamas.com/2010/02/23/the-preschooler-nap-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-1488 April Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:39:51 +0000 http://www.dupagemamas.com/?p=1529#comment-1488 When my nearly 4 year old falls asleep (maybe 2x a month max) she's always up til at least 9 sometimes 10 pm. For you it sounds like your guys actually NEEDS a nap-i wonder if a crazy early bedtime might help? supposedly he might need that extra sleep and even though the early bedtime seems counter-intuitive it might actually help. Maybe half an hour to an hour earlier might do the trick. I think it's worth a shot. Good luck! When my nearly 4 year old falls asleep (maybe 2x a month max) she’s always up til at least 9 sometimes 10 pm. For you it sounds like your guys actually NEEDS a nap-i wonder if a crazy early bedtime might help? supposedly he might need that extra sleep and even though the early bedtime seems counter-intuitive it might actually help. Maybe half an hour to an hour earlier might do the trick. I think it’s worth a shot. Good luck!

]]> By: Catherine http://www.dupagemamas.com/2010/02/23/the-preschooler-nap-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-1487 Catherine Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:07:09 +0000 http://www.dupagemamas.com/?p=1529#comment-1487 Its SO TRUE. And complicated for me to because if (ha ha!!) they both sleep at the same time I'm supposed to be working! But M is not home this evening so I wasn't going to put him down so I could have an early evening...and he fell asleep. So that means he'll be up well past nine, by which time I'll be about asleep myself... Its SO TRUE. And complicated for me to because if (ha ha!!) they both sleep at the same time I’m supposed to be working! But M is not home this evening so I wasn’t going to put him down so I could have an early evening…and he fell asleep. So that means he’ll be up well past nine, by which time I’ll be about asleep myself…

]]> By: Elizabeth http://www.dupagemamas.com/2010/02/23/the-preschooler-nap-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-1486 Elizabeth Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:34:43 +0000 http://www.dupagemamas.com/?p=1529#comment-1486 no idea but i know very well what you are going through. have a glass of wine- it at least makes it funnier! no idea but i know very well what you are going through. have a glass of wine- it at least makes it funnier!

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