Re-instituting nap/quiet time help!

[dooney]

K is 3, almost 4, and hasn't had a real naptime since he was 2. I was able to nurse him to sleep then. Now I have another toddler and a baby due soon, so I can't do the one-on-one thing as easily. But lately I think he really does need an afternoon nap. He gets wild and defiant in the evenings, and if we drive anywhere after 6pm, he falls asleep. So today we started quiet time. I told him he could read or play quietly with a few cars as long as he was laying down. I was in his room organizing his bookshelf and he told me he was "ready to talk." He thought that I put him in his room because he did something wrong! I tried to explain that he needed to rest and he started to cry. His 22m/o brother is sleeping and I am afraid he'll wake him up. HOW do I introduce a rest period PEACEFULLY?

[Rlin]

When my 2,5 y old says that he doesn't want to nap, I tell him we will "relax" instead of sleep. We listen to nice, relaxing music together or read books together. Sometimes he asks to watch a dvd. Maybe you should try to do this with him, instead of asking him to lay in his room alone. Maybe he can lay on the couch for a while (like a special treat)?