Most parents live for those daily naps that your toddlers regularly take, myself included. It is thought that about twenty-five percent of toddlers will give up napping by the time they are three years old. Another fifty percent will give up their naps by the time they are four years old and the final twenty-five percent will nap on up to five years and older. So how do you know if your toddler no longer needs to take their daily naps? Here are a few tips that will help you to decide if your toddler is finished with napping or if they are just going through a no-napping phase.
Resists All Attempts At Naps- Many children will resist taking a nap but most will still eventually go to sleep and sleep for their normal amount of time. Once your toddler decides to resist any and all attempts at napping for their entire naptime then it’s most likely time to do away with naptime. For example, your 25 month old will cry and scream as soon as you mention naptime but you can soothe them and soon they will be asleep. This toddler still needs their naptime. If your 25 month old toddler screams and cries from the moment you mention naptime until the time naptime is suppose to be over then I would say you are not getting them to nap that day. If that continues for several days in a row than it may be time to discontinue naps.
Plays in the Crib All Naptime- Another sign of your toddler no longer needing their daily naps is that they play in their crib all of naptime. You may be able to get them to lay down like a regular naptime but within minutes you will hear giggling, playing, toys being thrown around or just flat out yelling for you. If your toddler is just playing quietly then you can leave them in the safety of their crib until naptime is suppose to be over. Unfortunately, not all toddlers will allow that to happen. I know my youngest will throw everything out of her crib (blankets, dolls, pillow, etc) and then she will take all of her clothes off, including her diaper. As soon as that happens you know that you will have to clean up a mess if you don’t quickly go in and redress her. That is her way of letting me know that she’s just not going to nap or play quietly today.
Wakes Up Earlier in the Mornings- There is still a possibility that your toddler does not actually need a nap even if you can still get them to sleep. Some children will nap during the day, go to bed at their regular bedtime but will begin to wake earlier in the mornings. No one wants to get up at 4am to a toddler who thinks it’s time for breakfast. If this problem begins to occur it might be a good idea to start shortening your toddler’s naptime and see if their waking pattern returns to normal. If it does then it could be time to reduce the amount of time your toddler sleeps during the day because it is cutting into their nighttime sleep.
Is Not Cranky Without Their Nap- If your toddler has decided that they no longer want to nap, goes without a nap for several days and yet still seems like their normal, happy self then it could be time to forget about anymore naps. If yoru toddler seems happy and untired then apparently they don’t need the naps that they are missing. If you notice that they are cranky, ill-mannered or just downright nasty little creatures to be around then you may want to try a different routine to encourage napping.
If you are still unsure about whether or not naps are a thing of the past then try doing some vigorous activity with your toddler an hour or so before their scheduled naptime. Take them to the park and let them run wild or just go outside and play a game of tag. Anything that may tire your toddler out will be helpful, but be forewarned that some overly tired toddlers can also refuse to nap even though they need one. If you are able to tire them out just enough then you may be able to convince them that a nap is actually a good thing. If that does not work and your toddler is still their normal, happy, untired self then it’s probably time to discontinue naps.
Once you know for sure that napping has become unnecessary for your toddler you can replace naptime with a rest and relaxation time. Cuddle up for a story together, turn on a favorite cartoon while laying in your bed or on the couch, play some relaxing music and help put a puzzle together or just anything that it quiet, peaceful and will help your toddler unwind for a little while. Everyone needs a little mental break, even your toddler, so make the activities soothing, quiet and something would happily enjoy doing on a daily basis.
When your toddler no longer needs daily naps it is alright to mourn the loss of your quiet time. Parents need some down time too. So when you are faced with having your toddler by your side all day long, instead of being able to take a two hour nap break, try to remember that they are only young once. They can try our patience and they can make us want to scream but they can also cuddle up in our laps at just the right moment and say “Lub you mommy” right when you need to hear it. Try to enjoy your time together because the years fly by so quickly and they will be in school before you know it.
