The cost of gas in my area is roughly $3.47/gallon these days.
So is the cost of a nap.
Note the correlation; it's no mere coincidence. That's because my child is fighting with all her might to give up her midday nap.
If I were still a working mom, this wouldn't be a problem. "Let the nanny cope with it!" I'd say nonchalantly. But now that I stay at home -- and am in the exhausting 3rd trimester of this pregnancy -- naps are a hot commodity. I enjoy on them. I anticipate them. I need them.
One day a few weeks ago, purely by chance, DH & I discovered the only remedy to G's avoidance of naptime: a ride in the car. If the time is right (and by "time," I mean if G has already eaten lunch and it's after 12:30pm), G will fall asleep in the car within mere minutes of me buckling her into her carseat. She'll then let us carry her up to her bed, where she'll stay asleep for another 60-90 minutes. To me, this is an obvious sign that she still needs her nap; it's only her two-and-a-half year old stubbornness that's causing her to refuse it in the first place.
So, DH & I schedule our days around these naptime drives. Play dates end at 12:30pm. Trips to the grocery store don't happen until after we've had lunch. Errands occur precisely at midday.
The cost of each nap? Roughly $3.47 each, or a gallon of gas. But, as our friends at MasterCard would say, their real value is priceless.
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When my YDD was 2 1/2 that started too. I would fight and fight until and nothing until around 3 when we would go get her sisters. You are luck she stays asleep! My dd would wake up cranky the minute I got her sisters out of the car. I wish I had advice. . .Just understanding. Goodluck!
Sleep is like the universal kid issue, isn't it? I mean, in one sense, I'm kinda happy to hear you're having issues with G and her napping because it makes ME feel better that we have been having issues ... misery loves company? No, not really. I mean, I'm not HAPPY ... you get my point.
God bless you. That's all I have to say. *yawn*
hang in there... noah 27 months, still takes naps too. it is much needed. but even my almost 4 yr old still has "rest" time. some days she naps, some days she doesn't. and if she doesn't, then she has to stay in her room, be quiet, play, etc.
keep trying to get her used to taking a nap. even "rest" time later will be a big help.
We faced the same battle a few months ago and while the car ride always works, he instantly wakes when I get him out of the carseat. I even took a nap in the car with him one day when he didn't quite make it home in time for his nap.
One weekend, I laid down in bed with him and snuggled with him tightly until he agreed to lay there on his own. I paid attention to how I held him and didn't squeeze, just held him and said he must take a nap. He'll try and fight a little now, but I can ask if he wants me to hold him down or if he can do it on his own, and he always chooses to lay down on his own. It has been a fight, but we found what works for us, as it sounds like you have too!
Yup, been there, still doing that (sometimes).
Yep... J tried to give up naps around 2.5. I even considered it. It made my life easier at night.
However, his new school requires he have at least rest time & unlike DCP - TV is not an option.
So we are back to enforcing naps.
One trick I found helped a lot was something fun planned - AFTER his nap. A trip to the park. A sucker. A cookie. I let him pick, within reason of course, but it was the carrot that required at least an hour nap.
Good luck!
I know how hard it can be sometimes. A suggestion that someone had for me and I foudn out after the fact it is what they do at my son's daycare. When a child gets older they have rest time. So we make dylan stay quiet and no noiese or toys but if he can't sleep he has to lay thier quiet. The only other option is looking at a few books. I few days of this and the napping restarted. There is the occasional time he doesn't nap but he is always quiet and that allows me some time too!
We started running into this issue once Gracie got a big girl bed and could get down as she pleased...Now, before naps, I tell her she doesn't have to sleep, but she does have to stay in her bed and rest until I come back to get her. She almost always ends up asleep for 1-2 hours (complete proof that she needs the darn nap!), or at the very least she talks and sings for an hour before I let her get up. I agree with you, I have to have that down time in the middle of the day to survive. ;)