https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 12 May 2026 22:14:32 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dropping-the-afternoon-nap#post-2632796 Thu, 06 Oct 2016 10:34:37 +0000 kpc324 2632796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all of the advice!! I think I'm going to keep trying for the next few weeks...and then institute solid "quiet time" if it truly is over 😢😢 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dropping-the-afternoon-nap#post-2632553 Wed, 05 Oct 2016 21:46:53 +0000 SweetiePie 2632553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have personal experience, but I hear you on needing that time in the afternoon to recharge and just get sh*t done.<br /> A good friend of mine still institutes quiet time when the nap used to be. Her kids still have to play quietly in their rooms during that 2 hour window. She said sometimes they lay there and MIGHT fall asleep, but mostly they are coloring, playing with quiet toys, looking at books, or something else quiet/calm.<br /> She instituted it very early, never skipped a beat between nap and quiet time. I think because she was clear and consistent it worked well. Though I'm sure part of it is personality driven (the child's). She said she uses that stoplight clock that people use in the morning. When it turns green they can come out. </p> <p>Just offering hope that if the nap truly is over you can maybe still get some quiet time.<br /> They will have to pry my sons nap out of my cold dead hands, btw. :-) So I'm in the camp of keep trying and trying for the nap until an amount of time you're comfortable with has passed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dropping-the-afternoon-nap#post-2632550 Wed, 05 Oct 2016 21:35:40 +0000 Alba4 2632550@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DS turned 3 in Aug and he was randomly skipping naps this summer when the new baby arrived. He has returned to his naps, which can still last 2-3 hours. At school he only naps 1.5-2 hours. </p> <p>His bedtime is between 8&amp;8:30, which is too late for me!!! I'm tired! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dropping-the-afternoon-nap#post-2632524 Wed, 05 Oct 2016 20:08:33 +0000 winniebee 2632524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son dropped his nap two months before he turned 3. He continued to need it for about 6 more months so a few times I week I forced a car nap! But then it got to be that when he did nap he was up until 9....so then it was really time to drop it. It was sad :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dropping-the-afternoon-nap#post-2632510 Wed, 05 Oct 2016 19:30:05 +0000 DigAPony 2632510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son will be 3 in November and stopped napping at the end of the summer. Seems pretty normal to me! It's been hard to lose my tiny bit of alone time/sanity in the afternoons, but oh well. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dropping-the-afternoon-nap#post-2632492 Wed, 05 Oct 2016 18:42:02 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2632492@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also, I'm kind of a stickler for sleep so my kid is going to have to go a month straight of zero naps before I decide to stop trying. I will never let go! Haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dropping-the-afternoon-nap#post-2632491 Wed, 05 Oct 2016 18:40:54 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2632491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are in the same boat! My DD turned 3 last month and has been skipping naps about once a week for two-ish months. She's skipped her nap 2 days in a row now. She's in a toddler bed and just gets up, runs out and says "I just took a faster nap". When I took her back to her room today she peed in her bed on purpose so she could come out :meh: we've been working on independent play. I find that if there is entertaining music on in the background (she's been enjoying The Lion King soundtrack) she is more likely to engage in other tasks quietly or even just listen while staring into space! It's amazing. Im thinking of checking out some book/audio duos at our library for a few minutes of TV free quiet time. And if all else fails, lll just let her watch shows after I put her sister down instead of right before dinner. My goal isn't to add more screen time, just rearrange it, if that makes sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dropping-the-afternoon-nap#post-2632481 Wed, 05 Oct 2016 18:28:12 +0000 BadgerMom 2632481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The sleep experts I follow say anytime between 3 and 6 depending on the child so you're LO isn't out of line. If she's content in her crib, I'd probably keep putting her down in the hopes that she'll nap occasionally. And if she doesn't nap I'd try putting her down a little early to hopefully get some me time then. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dropping-the-afternoon-nap#post-2632472 Wed, 05 Oct 2016 18:19:33 +0000 BabyTsMom 2632472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kpc324: I'm not there yet (LO is almost 2.5), but I would say she's at an appropriate age for dropping the last nap. Since you mentioned that her night sleep hasn't been affected, I'd keep offering the nap to her and see if she takes it or not. You may find that next week she'll be back to napping, then skip a week or two, then go back. It's a long transition for many kids before they drop the nap for good. Personally I'll be ecstatic if my LO can nap until 3. Fingers crossed! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dropping-the-afternoon-nap#post-2632346 Wed, 05 Oct 2016 14:33:11 +0000 kpc324 2632346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm just not ready for this yet!!! My little one turned three about two months ago. She's been skipping her afternoon nap about once a week for the last 3-4 months, but has had a great two hour nap the other 6 days of the week so I just went with it. Right now we are going on day five of no afternoon nap...her night sleep is not affected either way, and she's usually pretty happy in the late afternoon regardless of having a nap</p> <p> Is there a three year nap regression and I should stick it out and the nap will come back, or are we done with napping now? She's still in a crib, would changing to a big girl bed help? </p> <p>What do you do during nap time once they drop it?? I really need that afternoon sanity/laundry time but she's not great and independent play... </p>