sleeping help

[mushpea]

I look after an active nearly 3yrold child,, mum still wants him to have a daytime nap but no matter how i try or what i do he wont,, he dosent like laying in the buggy,, I have tried a long cushion on the floor and tried the sofa too but he just hops up after 5mins,, i have also tried laying him down with the tv on,,, i think half the problem is he is the only one who is laying down for a nap and he wants to be playing with the others,, there is no where that he can lay with out seeing the others play (babies sleep in the pram in the hall), i have tried taking the others in to the kitchen to do an activite but they are 2yrs and just 3yrs and wont sit till long enough for him to drop off!
so any ideas on how to get him to nap!

[Helen79]

does mum say why she still wants him to have a nap? Most toddlers start dropping their naps around this age so would have thought it was normal. You can't force a child to sleep so if he isn't tired then there's not much else you could do. I'd say to mum that you've tried and he's not going to sleep but say that if he does get really tired then you'll see if he'll have a nap. Maybe reassure her that even if he doesn't have a nap that you're having quiet time after lunch where you all have snuggles and read quiet stories so he's still having a rest and the chance to doze off if he needs to.

[Louise0208]

all my own kids & mindees over the past have grew out of naps by the age of 2-2.5 so maybe LO doesnt need one now.

maybe an earlier bed time if LO is grumpier in the evenings which makes mum want him to nap.

my DD (2) stopped napping at 11 months i was exhausted but she would still be climbing the walls for 12 hours a day

[mushpea]

my son stopped napping at 19months old,,, I think its more that he goes to a day nursery 3 days a week and after lunch there they lay them down in a dark room for a nap so I guess as its his routine and thats what hes used to then he still sleeps there but she did say when they were on hols he didnt nap during the day

[sarah707]

Maybe suggest to mum that he has a rest time along with all the other children for 1/2 hour after lunch.

You could pop on a DVD for a short time and sit with them so that everyone has the chance to let their food settle.

Good luck

[The Juggler]

i would ust go for quiet time. curtains drawn, story time, blankies and cuddlies and no talking for an hour. if he's really restless give him some books to look at and then if he's tired he'll drop off - if not, he'll be well rested at least