Trouble at nap times

[Mrs.L.C]

Can any1 give me any tips?

I care for a 27 month old. She usualy still needs a nap in the afternoon and I know when shes tired as she starts playing up...hitting, throwing etc. Usualy she would be a sleep within minutes but lately she has started to refuse her naps. Shes a V tall child. Most think shes about 4 so I cant use the travel cot and she usualy sleeps on the sleep mat or in the pushchair in the lounge as I have no other suitable room for naps unless using a travel cot which is where I sleep the baby at the same time no problems. Her parents are also having problems at night.

Help!

[sarah707]

Tough one... some children do give up their naps much earlier than they should because they don't want to miss out on anything.

Keep it calm and quiet, gentle music on in the background, no distractions or toys out and start up a routine...

Put toys away, have a story, get a drink of milk... like a bedtime routine.

If it doesn't work, try the tv quietly in the background - mine will sometimes drop off to that.

Good luck

[flora]

We had a bit of blip with Hannah a while ago. She just stopped napping fell all behind on the farm and everyting as she just sat in her pram and refused to go.

We just kept to the routine as much as poss (unless she really really cried and got into a state)

Now three weeks on normality is resored and she's ok.

Keep to a routine and make it as boring as possible and bore her into submission.

Make it clear it is sleep time and if she won't sleep then a rest and a lay down for a bit often perks them up. Maybe just telling her it is rest time not sleeptime may do the trick???
I had one that would sleep for 2 hrs at rest time but if you told him it was sleep time he'd cry

As for bedtimes I have a strict routine, very rarely does it waver. And I have a no problems. Kids like to know where they are and sound like she is testing the water to see if she can get away with staying up???

Keepit simple and maybe workout a routine with parents and then it's the same whether home or away.

Hope this helps

ps, I started giving Hannah a bear/ doll of her choice and told her xxx was really tired and needed a sleep, could she make sure they had a good sleep Often she would be so busy tucking them in etc, it would distract her from moaning about being put down for her sleep

[Lou]

Agree with Flora!!! great advice there

[Mrs.L.C]

Hi all. Just wanted to give you an update on my nap time problem. I took the advice of lieing on the sofa watching tv then after 1 program iv turned it off and mindee has been napping no problems again so thanks for the advice

[sarah707]

Great news Laura! Glad it worked