No naps? … for five days! Please someone tell me why my 22 month old child has more energy than me? and without naps…I feel as if I am running on fumes and she is just running circles.
Vey has been a bit restless at nap time for me since she hit the 12 month mark. I work part time so 3 days a week she is with my mother and usually will nap like a champ for her. On days Vey is home with me however, naps are a hit or miss.
It seems as if we have hit a halt with naps this last week. Friday, no nap for my mom. Saturday & Sunday home with us, no naps. Monday for my mother, no nap. Today with me, you guessed it …no nap again.
I take it you all get what I am stressing about. How do I find time for laundry, dishes and all around sanity?
Today when T got home from work I had already been 8.5 hours deep of nothing but madness. My head felt like it was about to pop off. He decided we would order dinner so I didn’t have to make it, thank you lord! Then we decided to head to the local park and maybe let her get tuckered out of an early bed time. It seems as if she caught her 45th (exaggerated) wind of the day.
Even after running around, fresh air and a warm bubble bath. Her energy is still going and going. We have a prompt bed time for her every night which she does great with but now I am wondering if the days of nap times and a little alone time are gone!
I appreciate my 10-12 solid hours a sleep a night she gives me so I don’t want to be too picky. I just worry about my little one as I always will. I don’t want her to be too tired or feel stretched thin.
[[For the first time in a blog post I am also asking for advice and for anyone to tell me if they have had their child stop napping or taking a time out from naps. ]]Thanks in advance.😘
I understand your frustration . My son has had periods of no nap also. In the days when he little I often snuggled him until he gave in to sleep. All of that being said, as long as you little one isn’t fussy she’s probably ok without the nap. I know it doesn’t help you need to have time to clean, etc.
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I can get cleaning done whenever, I do worry about her being so tired or how it could effect her. I’m glad to know that your child has done it too! Thank you 🙂
It’s been a lot of years since my daughter was that age, but I clearly remember her stopping the naps. It is frustrating and exhausting. But if your daughter is sleeping 10-12 hours a night, she may be getting sufficient rest, and might not need a daily nap. Every child is different though, some need less sleep. If you think she might be stretched thin try to figure out what activity calms her and allows her to refocus. (My daughter was a book girl, while my niece likes magnetic “paper” dolls)If you’re worried check with your Doctor. It gets easier….and harder….
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I definitely think that if it persists I will check in with her doctor. The last time she was going through this spell she was so little so it was also more alarming for me. She has been extra cranky though and throwing fits. She does yawn a lot and acts sleepy. So I don’t know exactly what is stopping her. As soon as she gets in there though the energy bursts!! One day at a time!! Thanks love 🙂
My son is a few months shy of his third birthday, and he difinitely went through a phase of not napping. It still happens occasionally now, too. I agree that as long as your daughter sleeps enough at night, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. (Though it does suck when no naps equals no quiet time for Mommy!)
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She just seems to be super cranky and agitated but then doesn’t nap and then gets a spring in her step. So I’m at like a fork in the road and not sure what to think! I’m going to just see how it pans out and hopefully her body will allow her to do what’s best for her. Thanks mama! Love the advice!
Growing out of naps is normal, especially when she’s sleeping well at a night. My daughter wasn’t a napper & it was required by law at Texas daycares (ha…I’d like the person who made that law convince a little one to take a nap). I put books and her bear 🐻 in her bag for nap time. As she got older it was coloring books. It was just quiet time. She didn’t have to sleep but she had to have quiet time. I would suggest that you always check with your pediatrician if you are concerned with her health, trust your gut. 💗 You’ve got this!
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That is such a good idea! I think I may introduce quiet time! I think it’s so important to have the little wind down time!
I’m sorry you are losing YOUR nap time! I recommend you let her play by herself for at least 30 minutes in a baby safe area. Also let her help with laundry! My kids (1 &3) love loading the wash machine and dryer and “sweeping” and “mopping”. Good luck!
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Yes, great idea! Thanks so much! Wow you have those kids working hard Haha!!!
My oldest (who is now 11yrs old) was never a good sleeper. Nap time was only 45min on a good day, and was cut out by the time she hit 18 months. It was INSANE.
But she was just fine. Now, she LOVES sleep (go figure!)
If you can get help with chores, don’t be afraid to ask family members. Maybe your little one can even start helping you with tidying up or chores she is capable of helping you with. 10-12 hours is a sufficient amount of sleep for that age..if there is an activity she likes or show she likes to watch, maybe you can have her do that while you get things done. 😊
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I feel the reason she is sleeping so well is because she isn’t napping. The pedi recommended waking her up in the morning as such parents with full time jobs have to do. So we may try that as well. Thanks for the advice :$
Every kid is different though. Have you tried lying down with her to try to get her to nap? Maybe do an activity that is calming or relaxing during what would otherwise have been her nap time. It’s tough, but you will get through it! Hang in there.
We have a 9 month old who is the opposite. She will go for naps but bedtime can be a disaster. Seems silly but the best advice is perseverance. 🙂
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I think you are 100% correct! Thanks so much for your input 🙂 good luck with night time !!!
Thank you and good luck to you 😀
I have twins and they stopped napping around 15 months. In some respects it may have been easier because there were two of them and they sometimes entertained each other. But it can be super tiring and super frustrating. My son was super hyper – it took a couple of years of preschool for him to sit in circle time for one whole minute. When I was overly tired, I would lie on the floor and just let them crawl all over me and ultimately we would end up sleeping there with them sprawled out on top of me. Take your rest where you can. The laundry and cleaning are not as important as taking care of you (and your daughter). It really doesn’t matter if their clothes are not impeccable or the house is not perfectly clean or if you eat take out several days a week. What the kids need most is your unrelenting love and it sounds like you are giving that to them. But looking back play dates helped a lot because it gave them people to run around with and we took turns at whose house they were at so we could also get chores done. Good luck mommy!
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We have her in activities and she isn’t home 3 days a week with me so we definitely keep her busy. I just feel as if she needs the nap because some days she seems so exhausted. I think we are going to just keep up with what we are doing and see how she is adapting! Thanks so much 🙂
All three of my boys were never good nappers. My three year old will MAYBE nap one day a week, and on rare occasions twice! That is pure bliss. I have no advice, but just know that you aren’t alone! 😊
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I totally hear you! I mean some of the want for naps is for myself yes but mainly I just don’t want her to be exhausting herself at such a young age. I would take a 20 minute nap for her over nothing! 🙂 thanks for the comment! Hang in there as well!!!
That’s how I feel about my youngest. The little guy is the energizer bunny. No idea how he keeps going! 😂 You’re welcome 😊
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They are wild !!! Haha
I had a non-napper and a great baby sitter too. I would not put him down for a nap at a specific time, the baby sitter( my aunt) did, and she did not have a napping problem. The structure of course trains the body. He may have cried a little while, but after a while got it. One question, did something change, like no more bottles or pacifiers? If so, that may have an affect.
Deborah
womenraisingboys.com
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Hi Deborah! No changes. She hasn’t had a pacifier since she was about 13 months old & she still gets her cups of milk at the same time as always. I’ve been racking my brain and I’m leaning towards teeth or just her deciding what she wants and doesn’t want. Children are tricksters aren’t they? Lol
First of all, I just started following your blog and I love it! The nap thing can be tricky. My three year old napped fairly consistently until she hit 2 1/2. Sometimes, a miracle will occur and she will fall asleep in the stroller. I’m a stay at home mom, so the disappearance of napping came with a trade off. She would at least go to sleep much earlier (around 8:30 as opposed to 10). This gave me a little freedom, though half the time I fall asleep with her. These kids truly amaze me! My kid barely eats, doesn’t nap, and still goes 90 to nothing. Kids are crazy and amazing! Keep your sanity for now girl! We will miss the chaos soon enough!
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That was what I decided to do was to just enjoy the extra time with her even if she was a total grump but she has gone back to napping for mama just not for my mama haha! She will enjoy the extra time I suppose now too! Thanks for following along I love to hear from anyone with similarities! Happy Friday 🙂
Thanks for the post and the chance for all of us to discuss the dreaded SLEEP subject. I’m not in the same boat as you, but I read a lot about sleep as my 17 month old naps well but sometimes takes a looong time to settle down at nigh, and has always woken up at least twice a night (obviously more when he was younger). Thankfully (touch wood )he has just started sleeping all the way through the night and I am elated! From what I’ve researched of child psychology, at around 2 years old, naps will most likely stop, so your little monkey may be on her way out of the napping window anyway. I totally agree with another commenter about quiet time. Sometimes it’s just a good as a nap. Make the room cozy and dark, give her a book or toy that occupies her and maybe stay with her a bit. There’s a piece of music on YouTube, https://youtu.be/zlh0vBWqEgU try it- it’s magical! Just persevere with the quiet time if naps don’t pan out as trying too hard sometimes creates frustration and then more tiredness! The last thing is that she could definitely be going through a growth spurt and that’s always disruptive. Really good luck to you and just remember that little munchkins do run on instinct and we should trust them that their little bodies are working for the best for them. As long as you’re showering her with love , happiness and good food you’re doing an amazing job. 😊😊
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Wow thank you for this amazing comment! We do believe it may have been a little growth spurt as it quickly faded out and my little lady is back on track with her naps. She seemed very uncomfortable and
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Oops I got cut off… and overtired! But thank you for all of your wisdom! I wish you nothing but the best with your little bundle!!! Thanks for reading 🙂
So glad to hear that, amazing! Thank you for your kind words.😊😊😊lots of luck and happy vibes to you and little one x