My dd is a little over 2.5 years old. The past few months, she has started napping about 1-2 times a week. This would be fine except that she loses it around 4pm, either by being kind of "hyper"/very difficult time listening or she is an emotional wreck, crying about any little thing. It is hard to get her to make any choices or help her through having a meltdown. I have tried:
"quiet time" in her room (reading books, listening to stories on CD), but she jumps around in her room, kicking the walls, etc. My other dd (16mos) is sleeping in the room next door and she NEEDS her nap. She has woken up from dd1's noise level, then I really have 2 crabby ones.
I have reluctantly had her watch a video during nap time which is OK, except not something I really want each day as a routine. I do this when I know she won't rest and I need a little quiet myself.
So, does anyone have any other ideas, suggestions or words of wisdom for easing through this transition? It is hard because I think she still needs a short nap each day, but instead she is up for days then crashes and takes a 2 hour nap, then repeats the cycle. Night time is not a problem (8pm bedtime and is up about 6:30am).
Thanks so much.
"quiet time" in her room (reading books, listening to stories on CD), but she jumps around in her room, kicking the walls, etc. My other dd (16mos) is sleeping in the room next door and she NEEDS her nap. She has woken up from dd1's noise level, then I really have 2 crabby ones.
I have reluctantly had her watch a video during nap time which is OK, except not something I really want each day as a routine. I do this when I know she won't rest and I need a little quiet myself.
So, does anyone have any other ideas, suggestions or words of wisdom for easing through this transition? It is hard because I think she still needs a short nap each day, but instead she is up for days then crashes and takes a 2 hour nap, then repeats the cycle. Night time is not a problem (8pm bedtime and is up about 6:30am).
Thanks so much.