The subject of nap time is becoming a very big problem. If my kids don't take a nap during the day, they are aweful from around 5PM to bed time.... and dinner, well, that is something else. It's driving me crazy. I've tried different things to try and wear them out, even walked a mile with them... didn't work. I'm at wits end. any suggestions?
I have to get Alexis in bed and give her a cup of milk. Sometimes she'll just crash without help, but sometimes I have to MAKE her lay down to avoid the attitude later. Is their room lighted by a window? Maybe blocking the light out by more than a curtain might help. Give them something comforting?
What ages? Mine are 2.5 and four. Sadly.... nap times are in fact few here. Sometime I can get the youngest to nap... but if he's not asking for it, it's useless. Does the nap need to go and some shifting on the bedtime/wake up?
my 1 year old won't even nap, he gave it up a couple months ago....between 5-7 he's grumpy as shit, just gotta ride it out i guess?!
Mine are 1 1/2, 3 1/2 and 5 1/2. We tried changing wake up to 6 AM, it's a little easier, but I feel so drained it's unreal. The beebee will take a nap, he's the most well behaved child I have ever since, it makes me scared... maybe it's part of his plot, and will be a helian in his teen years. The middle one, jeez, he's a very emotional child, and always has been... so around that same time it's hell, sometimes even when he gets a nap.... he pretends not to hear me, or screams, and sometimes gets pretty defiant. There is only one person who he really minds, but between a late night job he's not here so much... he works 11-7 and usually sleeps from 3 to 9. My oldest, he could or could not take a nap, and it not be that big of a deal... he has a smart mouth sometimes, but knows when to cut the crap (that he gets honestly ) but he's a good kid... we just feel he should be taking naps with his brothers too still at this point.
I know. Even bedtime can be rough with them, they are nosy. :tongue: They just seem to have so much energy they don't know what to do with it.... they play outside A LOT and we typically don't do the watching cartoons thing... maybe a movie or something before a nap to try and tire them out.
Ok, just shooting off some ideas here. Is it the nap they need or is it you that needs a break? The reason I say this is because I call 5pm the witching hour. My kids act like crazy ppl most days from 5 until their dad gets home. If you do not have that evening relief which is built into the *typical* family setting, I think it makes this time of day even harder. I think in my situation it is because I know dad is getting home soon so I'm pretty sure my anxiety level and stress level is higher than it normally is.
My kids were still napping 2-3 hours after they started school...they were exhausted! If they didn't, they would fall asleep during supper. The younger one would actually eat while sleeping and crying at the table. That was fun. My brothers were both nappers as well. Maybe it's a boy thing. Try making them comfy on the couch and putting on some soothing music, or I also had certain movies that would put them right to sleep. Sometimes I told them they just had to lay quietly for a time if they didn't want to sleep, but I knew they would eventually sleep.
When I was raising mine the only way I could get them to bed tired and ready to go night-night was to not let them take naps during the day.They would be really tired after dinner and that was an ideal time to sit with each and ask them about their day or read them to sleep. I know it's probably better for them to take naps,but it'll drive you batty if they're still up at 9 or 10.You get no adult time.
