my 16 month old son will not take naps anymore. I put him in his room, and he'll either play for two hours or scream and cry for two hours. I've always kept the same nap routine, so it's not change of routine. The problem is, if he doesn't take a nap, he is extremely diffacult to deal with all afternoon. He'll go to bed between 5:30 or 6 tonight, but how the hell am I going to keep him happy and content in between? He seems to get bored easy with the same old booring toysd and books.
2007-01-11 04:08:32 · 14 answers · asked by ? 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
I know 5:30 seems to early for bedtime, but we have tried holding him off, but he actually asks to go to bed. He has always been an early bedtimer, since birth. He sleeps through the night, but he wakes up at 6:45 the next morning, it seems like such a long day in between without a nap.
2007-01-11 04:17:21 · update #1
It's hard to take him outside because there is snow here, and he doesn't walk yet. I mean he can walk, but he's too stubborn to do it. He knows he gets around faster by crawling. He's a very stubborn baby. so it makes it very hard to do anything with him
2007-01-11 04:19:37 · update #2
Emrod, thanks for your answer. I already felt guilty enough because he went to bed so early, and then some of the answer's I recieved made me feel even guiltier. It's nice to know my child isn't the only one with such a early bedtime. I do put him in his room for an hour anyway, at normal naptime. Today was just a little hard, cause he cried really hysterically, i've neer heard him like it before.
2007-01-11 05:13:03 · update #3
My 19 month old had the same issue...actually, naps have ALWAYS been an issue with us but he goes to bed around 6-6:30pm and sleeps the night, which is just fine with me! Unfortunately, your son may be one of those kids who cuts out napping early. If he's getting 12-14 hrs of sleep in a 24 hr period, then he's sleeping enough. But I think you should keep putting him in his room, no longer than an hour, for naps for a few more weeks. He will either 1)eventually sleep or 2)play and wait for you to come get him. Let him scream, don't go in for an hour and he should start to get it. You could also try a toddler bed and lay down with him to see if that works-it did for my girlfriend's 18 month old.
My son, 19 months, went through a phase like this for about 2 weeks. He takes one 45min-1 hour nap a day now, but like I said, he goes to be early like yours and that's fine with me.
2007-01-11 04:34:23 · answer #1 · answered by emrobs 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its hard right now because it kinda cold outside but i would try talking him out side for a walk let him walk not in a stroller or maybe to play at the park or in the back yard throwing or kicking a ball get him to burn off some of his energy if this does not work there are some inside ideas as a preschool teacher we use on rainy days to get the wiggles out: play music and do free dance then play music and if you have a remote on your stereo press mute or pause and play freeze dance there are some really great 30 min toddler movement and exercises videos out there that you guys could also do together and they are really simple like reach up to the sky touch your toes simple moves and with you right there doing it with him he will be able to follow along better! take a balloon and play keep it up which is where you keep it from touching the ground but hes running around and trying to keep throwing it up and in the end its just about the energy that he is burning and depending on what time he wakes up which might all ready be pretty early wake him up a half hour early so he is getting tired easier good luck!
2007-01-11 12:25:42 · answer #2 · answered by peterpansdate 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Put him in his room and make him take a nap if he gets up put him back in his bed and leave the room you just have to keep going with it till he learns that he has to take a nap. Also try putting him to bed around 8pm instead of 5:30pm or 6pm thats a little early to be putting him to bed for the night. Putting him to bed around 5:30 - 6:00pm could be the reason why he isn't wanting to take a nap during the day.
2007-01-11 12:19:41 · answer #3 · answered by navy_seabee_wife 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like the same trouble i had with my nephew when he was a baby when I was babysitting him and his sister. Usually when a child doesn't take a nap usually it's ethier because he's not tired or he's afraid to miss out on stuff. If you can't get him to take a nap let him out and let him play. As long as he's happy and contact that's all that matters. You could play with him and talk to him to keep him happy until his bedtime but it seems like that's to early for bedtime. That's proably why he won't take a nap in the day time. You could get him new toys and books.
2007-01-11 12:14:43 · answer #4 · answered by Irish Girl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my son was the same way when he was about that age. he just refused to take them. i layed with him for a while and he would eventually go to sleep. i know a lot of people don't like to park there kids in front of the t.v. but it works for my 2 year old. i don't literally park him there all day just at nap time. i put him in his bed and turn on a movie and he either lays there and rests for the length of the movie or he falls asleep and wakes up when he wakes up. when he is in a bad mood and doesn't fall asleep, he rests and gathers his strength and is normally better when it's over. hope this helps, holly oh yeah have you tried playing hard with him. like lots of physical things. take him outsid ein the backyard if you have one and just run with him, roll around and spend quality time together and he will be out like a light.
2007-01-11 12:16:52 · answer #5 · answered by Holly D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Give him activities that will get him tired.I have 17 month and I am going thru the same thing.He thinks he is going to miss out on something if he takes a nap.My baby destroys the whole house,wakes up early in the morning and will refuse to nap too.Even if he goes in his crib for quiet time he is safe and in his crib.Take time for yourself.
2007-01-11 12:43:53 · answer #6 · answered by poohtiggeroo2003 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have the same problem with my 2yr old son. what i usually do is that i let him go outside and play for a while just enough time for him to take all his energy out ,then it is usually time for lunch , after lunch a nice bath to relax him (their is some calming bath shampoo that really helps) that really helps, he sleeps for an hour or two just enough time for me to do my cleaning and prepare dinner ..
2007-01-11 12:31:48 · answer #7 · answered by lizeth 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Believe it or not, his crying isn't just so you won't put him to bed. 16 month olds are not mentally capable to manipulate you. His cries are probably because he's not tired and is starting to grow out of nap time.
2007-01-11 13:49:04 · answer #8 · answered by brittneyisacracker 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kids are very unpredictable!! Try taking him for a walk to tire him out before or after lunch
2007-01-11 12:13:17 · answer #9 · answered by eb114 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
is it possible to take him out prior to nap time and wear him out? Like a playground, bike riding, swimming, anything physical, or watch his juice and food intake before, cut back on sugared drinks and sweet snacks...just a thought
2007-01-11 12:15:26 · answer #10 · answered by Waagosh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋