Until a week ago, my two year old (25 mo) son would take lovely two to three hour naps each afternoon between 12-4 (12 - 3 or 1-4). I am 36 weeks pregnant, and until now I have relished this time to lay down and restore some of my own waning energy in the afternoons.
Lately naps have become a battle. He used to go to sleep in the car around noon so that I could just carry him up to his bed. If that didn't work, I would rock him and tell him a story around noon - and he'd be out in no time. The last week nothing has worked. Even if he goes to sleep in the rocker or car, he wakes up and wants to play when I put him down. I have tried putting him in his room, in my room, laying down with him...everything. He cries and cries - throws tantrums, and might eventually go to sleep out of exhaustion from the tantrum, only so late that it throws off his night-time schedule.
If I put him in his room, he gets right back out again two minutes later and runs downstairs. I am desperate to find a solution. The new baby will be here in 4 weeks, and I was counting on afternoon nap-times to get me through the newborn stage. A couple of friends tell me that their 2 year-olds have "outgrown" naptime, but from what I read online, children need a quiet-time or nap-time until about 5 years old to recharge their energy. When DS doesn't get this, he is a bear all evening (and me too!).
What do I do? I tried putting a child safety lock on the inside of his door yesterday (so he couldn't get out), but I quickly took it off. Now I wonder if I shouldn't make a set time (say 1pm to 3pm) and keep his door closed/locked to enforce this quiet time and nap time. I hate locking it, but I want to establish some sort of quiet or nap time. How do I do it? Thanks for the help!
Lately naps have become a battle. He used to go to sleep in the car around noon so that I could just carry him up to his bed. If that didn't work, I would rock him and tell him a story around noon - and he'd be out in no time. The last week nothing has worked. Even if he goes to sleep in the rocker or car, he wakes up and wants to play when I put him down. I have tried putting him in his room, in my room, laying down with him...everything. He cries and cries - throws tantrums, and might eventually go to sleep out of exhaustion from the tantrum, only so late that it throws off his night-time schedule.
If I put him in his room, he gets right back out again two minutes later and runs downstairs. I am desperate to find a solution. The new baby will be here in 4 weeks, and I was counting on afternoon nap-times to get me through the newborn stage. A couple of friends tell me that their 2 year-olds have "outgrown" naptime, but from what I read online, children need a quiet-time or nap-time until about 5 years old to recharge their energy. When DS doesn't get this, he is a bear all evening (and me too!).
What do I do? I tried putting a child safety lock on the inside of his door yesterday (so he couldn't get out), but I quickly took it off. Now I wonder if I shouldn't make a set time (say 1pm to 3pm) and keep his door closed/locked to enforce this quiet time and nap time. I hate locking it, but I want to establish some sort of quiet or nap time. How do I do it? Thanks for the help!
). Today, he actually slept. Thankfully, he just reads books and plays in his room if he doesn't want to sleep. He might fuss towards the end, just before he falls asleep, but it's not full out crying or anything.
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