Is three years old to young to give up naps? When did kids you have or know give up theirs?

Question

My three year old son has decided to drop his naps for the past 6 months. It is really affecting his behavior but I don't know how to get a child who refuses to nap to do so. Would love him to have a short afternoon nap when his baby sister does. I could get a recharge.

Answer 1

My 4 year old still sometimes takes naps and acts horribly in the late eveing if he doesn't... he's also severe ADHD/ODD dianosed since he was 2 which is VERY rare. My 2 year old daughter however, hardly takes naps anymore and if great most of the day without one.... so it just depends on the individual child. Maybe have him just do "rest" time. That way he has to rest but not sleep. That's what I do with my daughter if she's cranky but refuses a nap... she has to lay in her bed and watch a cartoon DVD, or play by herself in her room for an hour, and alot of times she ends up falling asleep halfway through because she IS tired, and for that reason was cranky.

Answer 2

I have three boys, 5,4 and 2. My 4 year old recently stopped napping so he goes to bed earlier. My 2 year old needs a nap and he knows it because he comes and asks for it but sometimes he get caught up playing so I take him to his room, close the blinds, give him is blankie and turn on his music. It's all about routine and sure enough he plays for a while then falls asleep. Get your son in a napping routine.

They eventually know when they don't need a nap and you will start to notice that they are not as grouchy. I think this is a good thing only because once they start school, they no longer are allowed naps.

Answer 3

My son is 3.5 and gave up naps several months ago. He gets wild/crabby in the early evening but after a long time of trying to force a nap I gave it up. It's not worth the stress and strain. We have "quiet time" a lot while his younger brother naps so I think that helps. If you need to recharge, maybe let that be his TV time - he can lay down or sit quietly and watch his 'toon while you get a short break.
One bonus of the no-nap is often my oldest falls asleep earlier at night than he did before.

Answer 4

When my middle daughter was about 4, she did not want to nap. I started calling it a 'rest' and she had to lay in her bed and look at books. Most days she fell asleep. She did not give up the nap completely until she was in kindergarten and almost 6. My youngest is 4 and we are working to give up naps because she will be awake until midnight when she naps.
Try a quiet activity a little before sister naps, and then ask him to remain in his room playing quietly while she sleeps.

Answer 5

My son has just turns 4 and still takes an afternoon nap every day - and needs to. By around 1.30-2.00 every afternoon he is ready to go down for a nap and sleeps for usually 2 hours. He goes to bed around 8.30pm at night and sleeps just fine. I think all kids are different in this respect. If your son's behaviour is affected but he won't sleep in the day, get him to have quiet time, as others have suggested - he may just drop off to sleep. If not, get him to bed earlier and night and tell him that it is due to his grouchy behaviour, and if he had a nap, he could stay up later.

Answer 6

If it's affecting his behavior, then, of course, he needs one!!!
Kids are all different - some kids take naps at 6 years old.

Don't tell him about nap time, just say that after lunch, we'll have special time reading, just you and him without his baby sister. Get cozy and comfty on the couch or rocking chair, read his favorite stories. If he doesn't fall asleep with this, then he's not tired enough and you shouldn't force it.

Answer 7

My daughter who is 2 doesn't like to take naps when I'm at home but she's always fine with her daddy. But what it works really well is if you set a 'Nap Time' for everybody. When we say: 'We are going nap time' she knows is time for the three of us to go to sleep and because is just a nap, we share our bed with her.

Totally works! Hope for you too!

=)

Answer 8

My son stopped having daytime naps at around 20 months.

If your son doesn't want to actually sleep, maybe you could introduce 'quiet time'. For example, he could lay on his bed and read a book or listen to music softly. You explain to him that he must stay there until you come to get him. Make it really appealing with perhaps a 'special' pillow or something to look forward to at the end of 'quiet time'. He may even end up nodding off occasionally.

Answer 9

my three year old decided she wanted to do that, and she has a bad attitude. so what we decided to do is make her think it is her idea to fall asleep. i get her comfortable with her blanket and cartoons and she will tell me i dont want to take a nap then i tell her that she does not have to take a nap just lay there and relax and then befor you know it she is a sleep. sometimes she wants to have me lay with her so i will and if i do not end up falling asleep when i see she is asleep i move and do what i have to do. i work alot so i kinda will go to sleep with her on my days off , and i need a nap too ( i wonder who she gets the grumpyness from?)

Answer 10

Mine gave up a regular nap at 2, and moved to an earlier bedtime. Maybe naptime could become quiet time instead - look at a book, color, play quietly, etc. You might get a little bit of a breather, anyway.