Smartie was a great sleeper at night but not so great at napping. She gave up naps completely at 18 months. I fought hard to keep naptime for another 6 months, but eventually I realized it wasn't going to happen. We started doing a "quiet time" instead, which worked great.
Sweetie was completely different. While also a great night sleeper, she took a good 2 hour nap every afternoon until almost 3.5. When she finally gave it up this past summer, she joined her sister in quiet time.
With the twins, I have one of each. Sassy would gladly nap 2-3 hours every afternoon. Monkey hasn't napped at all this past week. The problem is that Monkey does not understand the concept of quiet time, or if he does he has no desire to actually do it. Nap/quiet time is a necessity at our house, too, because it's when Smartie does her school work.
I can't just put him in his crib and let him play. He and Sassy share a room, and will need to for another 2.5 years or so. If I put him in his crib with books, he very quickly starts yelling at Sassy to wake up and play with him. I can't let him play in the basement or living room, either. He'd never stay there, and he'd disrupt school time constantly.
Suggestions welcome. What do you do with a non-napping, active 18 month old boy for 2 hours every afternoon?
4 comments:
Elmo for 30 minutes. Pay Catie for 30 minutes of "babysitting." 30 minutes of helping Mommy. 30 minutes of quiet time in the pack n play. If he wont be quiet just show him some accident victims.
Could you put him in a pack n play with books & toys in another room of the house - maybe your room? Otherwise, I would do a video. :)
Accident victims...haha! I forgot about that!
Amy
Sounds like everyone else has about the same suggestions as I would have - thankfully, my twins (3.5) still take 1-1.5 hours naps - and I sometimes even have to wake them up because I don't want them sleeping too late. My (just turned) 5 year old is even still good about taking at least a 45 min. nap during the boys' naps (she does quiet time in her room but usually falls asleep).
But, to make a long story short, if my boys are being "tough" at naptime, I just seperate them - one in their room and one in my room (sometimes a pack-n-play and sometimes in my bed). It works every time for us as they no longer distract each other and will just fall asleep then.
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