Nap Transitioning
Patrick is about done with long afternoon naps. You know what that means. A really crabby sleepy child at 5:00 pm. If we have to pick up a sibling in the car after 1:00 pm, I’m trying desperately to keep him awake in his car seat while his eyes get all droopy.
That sounds soooo familiar. I am going through that with my 3 year old. It is hard giving up the nice quiet afternoon naptime. But, a tired little one at 7:30 is sooooo worth it! Good luck!
~timi
http://www.jettandseri.blogspot.com
My twins are losing their PM nap, much to my dismay. It was during their brother's homework time – fun challenge, doing homework and keeping the Kiddos from destroying the house. Gotta love the witching hour.
I have a hard time getting my almost one-year old to nap period. She goes to bed around 6 or 7pm and is out for most of the night. But during the day, even when she's desperately sleepy, she refuses to go down. Tough as nails that one. Patrick is so adoreable! How do you capture such great shots? Do you carry your camera everywhere you go? I keep trying to do that and everytime I think I don't need to take my camera with me, I miss the cutest shots.
When they get grumpy around 5, I give them a nice bubble bath–it tides them over until after dinner then story then bed! Sometimes I bribe an older sibling to sit on a chair in the bathroom and read or do homework with the little one so I can get dinner. This, of course will only work if you can be home during the critical hour 🙂 instead of running around, like we mom's usually are around that time.
Good luck! I am envious that Patrick has been napping this long, Casey stopped about 9months ago. Yet, I do get an early bedtime. Hehe. Hope all else is well. I really enjoyed your post yesterday, it made me reflect upon so many things.
Such a sweet photo. That must be a special blanket – it looks like it is still loved despite a missing corner? Favorite blankets/toys are such a sweet part of baby/childhood. 🙂
I remember that transition with my ::now:: 4 1/2 year old. =( My least favorite transition had to be from the crib to a bed, though!
my little guy will be 3 in april. i am going through the same exact thing. if he takes a nap, he is up until at least 10 or 11! but when i try to skip his nap, he sneaks into my bed when i'm making dinner and falls fast asleep! i'm hoping the warmer weather will help with this because we'll be able to keep busy during the 5:00 hour outside and then maybe he'll be tired out by 730 or 8!
I learned to have a "quiet time" after lunch. I put the kids-still-at-home on their beds with a stack of books they picked out to "read". Then I went down for a short nap. Sometimes they'd fall asleep, mostly they looked at books for one hour. Then they did fine until 8pm bed time. Even 20 minutes of quiet time helped, as long as it was after lunch.
And sometimes I even went and WOKE UP the child who fell asleep, because I wanted them to go to bed at 8pm, and because I'm the Mom.
so sweet! a trick my friend uses on her little one when she picks up her older son at school is giving the younger a sugar free lollipop in the car. occupies him and makes him not fall asleep. may just work for her little guy but thought i'd pass on.
Ugghh 🙁 I remember those days 🙁 Wish I had a great helpful tip…alas, I do not 🙁 But yay!! Going to bed at 8:00 🙂 Butttt….does THAT make him get up at 5:00…..if so, not so great 🙁 Good luck Friend!
It's so hard, isn't it? I love nap time, so sweet for me and I love the quiet pocket in the day, but I know what you mean, it's lovely to have a tuckered out kid at bedtime. Good luck with the transition.
This was probably one of my worst times of early motherhood. You know how much they need it and you know how much you don't! I'd do everything short of dancing on the tables to keep them awake (okay, I just might have danced on tables) to get them to dinner! Wishing you luck, Sarah! If anyone can do this quickly, it's you!
Godd luck! Not a fun transition as I recall from my older one, but well worth it in the end.
Oooh it's nice to pop back in to see you 🙂
I am right there with you. I can often be heard asking my daughter to keep B awake. If he naps, it makes for a long night. If he doesn't it is also a long night 🙂
Good Luck!
Feeling your pain. Look at the cute face!
My little girl (16 months old) sleeps 3-4 hours in the afternoon! She had 3 days in a row with less sleep 1.5 – 2 hours and it was so hard for me (all my plans were turned upside down :-)). Now she is back to the good and normal behavior. In this very moment she is sleeping for 3 hours already.
I wish you an easy transition!
THat is what happens to me, but it happens at 2 in our house! boo I wish my kids would nap until they were 3!
My youngest stopped napping ages ago, but she has got an annoying habit of sometimes falling asleep at around 2.30 / 2.45, just before we have to go out to pick her sisters up from school. Cue crabby child walking to school.
Believe it or not, Rachael (turned three last October) gave up naps over a year ago, so I lost my mid-day "break" a long time ago. Waaaaaa!!
Oh, do I EVER feel your pain! Silas has been a good napper this week…because he's sick. Right now, he's up partying in his crib, which I guess means that he's officially on the mend.
Calvin stopped napping right around 2, too. He's almost 6 now and is usually ready for bed sometime around 6. No joke. It always means trouble if we have somewhere to go after dinner. Homeboy can't hold it together.
That was always the worst period of transition! Then of course, they turn into teens and you don't have any hours to yourself again!
We have always done early lunch, early nap, early bedtime. So lunch at 11, nap at 11:30, wake up by two, and down for bed at 6:30. My oldest stopped napping at age 2.5, but the next one didn't stop until age 6, and my 4 and 3 year old still nap on weekends. I guess we just love sleep 🙂
Oh the pain. Nap transition is hard!! But yes, the early bedtime makes it worth it. Hang in there!
Absolutely loving all your posts lately Sarah. xo
Awww…..so sad when they give up the nap. I don't let my kids give it up until 5 : ) Did I tell you that I think we are going to name #10 Patrick? I'm due in 2-3 weeks. Thanks for having such an encouraging blog. You are a blessing!
Love your blog- I've been reading daily for about 2 years now. 🙂 I'm a first time mom to a 5 month old and especially enjoy your posts about motherhood. I would love to hear about your kids sleep schedules when they were new and any sleep/nap troubles or tips you have!
My 4 yr old naps maybe twice a week. Some days he just needs it. The other days he has to play very quietly in his room while his 2 yr old sister naps. That way we all get a break from each other.
I am right there with you. In the last month Caleb (1 year old) has given up his morning nap (unless we are driving) and GracieAnn (3) has given up her one and only nap of the day-ugh! Gracie is such a grump by 7 and Caleb can't keep his eyes open by 2. Good luck!
april@Party of Five
http://www.westerhold.blogspot.com
We're in the exact same boat. Although, I have to admit something. Watching her fall asleep in the car is one of my favorite moments. It just cracks me up as she tries desperately to fight it, but surrenders.
oh, that was my whole summer last year. we are totally done with naps these days. and it gets to be long around here. but, i have used the tv…i know not good to get a little quiet time in the afternoon, an hour for them, so i hope that is not too bad.
precious time, precious photo
We are in the same boat with Landen…I'm not always successful at keeping him awake in the car, so then the 20min cat nap in the car means 1030 or 11 before he crashes for the night. ugh. thanks for sharing your puppy surprise with me other day, loved it.
Sweet photo!
Brad Fallon
Such a cute photo.
I am so with you, but at least we are now entering the end (I think). My son is done with the naps, but the car is HARD. Very hard. We have a 30 minute drive home from school, so we sing, tell stories, I talk endless about how he can have a snack and chocolate milk when we get home… If he falls asleep, bedtime is a mess. But yes, we always have a challenge around 6!!
Good luck