What's the earliest age......?

[queenbee]

What's the earliest age that you will switch a toddler to just 1 nap a day?

Very recently, a few of my toddlers - ages 14mo, 15mo and 15mo - are taking 45 minutes to 1 hour to fall asleep for their morning naps (our Morning nap is 1.5 hours). I've never had this problem before. Ever. All of my toddlers switch to one nap a day between 20 - 24months and it's always been so easy.

I've had a few early transitioners in the past years, but never this early. I initially thought I'd just go ahead and keep them up in the morning and put them down in the afternoon with the rest of the kids for just one nap. It seems like the easiest solution. But.....my problem is that all three of them (including brother of 14mo) arrive at 7am each morning. That means, they need to be up at 6 - 6:15am in the morning to get changed and ready, loaded into the car, and to come to daycare.

Is 6+ hours too long for 14 & 15mo's to be awake before they're allowed to nap? I have a feeling that they'll be crying and whining all through lunch because they are so tired.

Thanks in advance.

[AnneCordelia]

I have 4 toddlers and they are all on 1 nap a day. There is no avoidable way, as I do two school runs a day to drop off and pick up my own children.

Mine were 12mo, 12mo, 13mo, and 15mo when we switched to 1 nap back in September. It was a week of them all being BEARS and then they just adjusted. They all are doing great on one nap a day now. They nap from 11:30pm-2pm daily.

[kidkair]

I've had them as young as 10 months go down to one nap because they fight their morning nap so much. The most recent toddler switched about 14 months and I switched him to a mat at the same time. Our nap is from 1 to 3 and he had a hard time staying awake through lunch for the first couple weeks. I'd just get him up and moving again to keep him active so I could clean up lunch and change his diaper before laying him down. They sleep in the dining room so clean up is a must.

[MarinaVanessa]

As soon as they show signs of not needing their morning nap I move them to only one nap a day. I've also had them as young as 10 months old on one nap. Right now the youngest one that I have is my own 1yo (just turned one last month) and he's beginning to fight his morninf nap already.

[mismatchedsocks]

Usually once they are over one I have them on one nap a day, unless they get here between 6-7am, where as they go right back to sleep until 8-830am. I have all my kids who get here at that time lay down until 8-8:30am.

I have to say that I used to change them to one nap at 18 months but like you are saying they are struggling to fall asleep for morning nap, which disrupts afternoon nap.

[Sunchimes]

Ok, now you're scaring me. My 14/15 mo olds are still taking 2 a day. One takes 3, but she gets here around 5:30. One won't go down before 9:30, but at 9:30, she's ready to sleep an hour or so. Morning naps run from an hour to 2 hours, as do afternoon naps. I don't want them to stop. I like the break!

[laundrymom]

Typically 9-10? I don't lay them for morning nap after about 6 mo. But they nap on their own.

[youretooloud]

Usually between 9-12 months. I have had two kids that took two naps a day for a little longer, but they were unruly otherwise.

[Meyou]

They are 18 months + here when they give up the morning nap in most cases. I have a 17 month old who naps for 1.5 hours every morning, a 10 month old who sleeps for close to 2 hours and a 2.5 year old that still takes a morning nap a couple of times a week when the crankies come out. Totally normal for me.

[caligirl]

As soon as possible. I strive to get them all on the same nap in the afternoon so I can get a break

[Country Kids]

As soon as possible. I strive to get them all on the same nap in the afternoon so I can get a break

This is me totally! I had one that still took a morning nap at 18 months and parents said the child would also sleep in the afternoon. I never took a chance just started them at one nap a day because I was afraid he would get it out in the morning and not lay down in hte afternoon. We also stay so busy in the morning there is no time for sleepys.

[queenbee]

Thanks everyone!

The 3 toddlers in question instantly fell asleep for morning nap, so go figure If I'm having any sort of trouble next week, I'm going to start that 1 nap a day.

To Caligirl -- I get a full afternoon break whether or not they are on two naps a day or just one. Our morning nap for the babies is 8:30am - 10am and afternoon nap is 12:30 - 3pm for everyone. I'm never worried about not getting a break

[caring4kidsinSD]

I tried to stop giving my 2 18 mo old girls their morning nap a few weeks ago but they love naps and would whine until I put them down like the littler ones I love that they love naptime - I suspect it's because that's the only time in the day they are allowed to have their paci. My 20 mo old on the other hand is adjusting fine but he's only part time and I don't think he's been getting morning naps at home. The first week was hard for his - he fell asleep at the table a couple times.