It's Working!!!!!!

[Country Kids]

We started revising our afternoon schedule last week and so far, so good. We have been eating lunch and heading outside for 1.5 hours right afterward. We come back inside, change into fresh clothes, hit the nap cots. It is now called rest time/quiet time not nap. ALL the kids are asleep within 5 minutes!

It is so nice not to be telling kids to lay down, be quiet, close your eyes, etc. So our new rest time/quiet time is from 2:00-3:00-

[Heidi]

yay! Good for you for comming up with a creative solution.

[WoodOx]

I use to do the same thing, but i have 2 infant/toddler who really need a nap after lunch.

[Country Kids]

They slept very HARD during that hour and didn't want to wake up but I got them up and right up to snack. They are playing great now and only about 1/2 hour till everyone starts going home.

I'm so hoping I have found the solution to this naptime issue. I don't mind them going to nap later, I just knew trying any earlier wouldn't have worked.

Most of them 3-5 years don't even nap at home anymore=. I know they need it but the weekend is way to busy I guess for naptime anymore.

[LK5kids]

Awesome idea! Simple, easy and effective!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Great idea! Can you try moving up lunch a 1/2 hour and then making rest time 1.5 hours long? See if maybe they WILL sleep that long after playing outside for 1.5 hours?

[Sprouts]

What time is your lunch?

[rmc20021]

I have my lunch at 12, and don't do naps until 1:30. Just got a 4 yo and his mom had told me good luck getting him to nap.

We eat lunch, then play for a while. At 1 pm, I get their mats out and allow them to watch (Dora) for half an hour to wind down and then it's lights out.

Within 5 minutes, all the kids, including the new one are asleep. All I have to do is turn the tv off, tell them it's night night time and they roll over, cover themselves up and they're out...for 2 hours.

[DaisyMamma]

We started revising our afternoon schedule last week and so far, so good. We have been eating lunch and heading outside for 1.5 hours right afterward. We come back inside, change into fresh clothes, hit the nap cots. It is now called rest time/quiet time not nap. ALL the kids are asleep within 5 minutes!

It is so nice not to be telling kids to lay down, be quiet, close your eyes, etc. So our new rest time/quiet time is from 2:00-3:00-

Wow that's great!!! I remember you having huge nap problems!

[Country Kids]

Thanks for all your support during the "nap issue YEARS". I think this is finally the answer-yes.

So far, so good reports from all the parents. Kids are sleeping better at night, going to bed earlier, and behavior overall is much better at night.

So they aren't getting a long nap that keeps them up all night, but just long enough to recharge till bedtime and then their bodies are ready for sleep again.

[mema]

[Thetotspot]

We do lunch around noon as well and then i have a couple children that get picked up between one and thirty after so we recently changed our nap schedule to accomodate them. We do active play either outside or dancing to music on pa dora...they have been napping much better lately as well.

[momofsix]

happyface I'm soooo glad you're finally getting them to nap! What a long road it's been to get here though. I hope it continues!

[coolconfidentme]

They slept very HARD during that hour and didn't want to wake up but I got them up and right up to snack. They are playing great now and only about 1/2 hour till everyone starts going home.

I'm so hoping I have found the solution to this naptime issue. I don't mind them going to nap later, I just knew trying any earlier wouldn't have worked.

Most of them 3-5 years don't even nap at home anymore=. I know they need it but the weekend is way to busy I guess for naptime anymore.

We play hard before lunch & have story time right after, followed by a nap. I need a break before 2-3pm!!!

[Country Kids]

We play hard before lunch & have story time right after, followed by a nap. I need a break before 2-3pm!!!

We used to do it that way and nothing! It seemed to almost ramp the kids up more for some reason. Its almost like the kids were getting a second zap of energy after eating and couldn't settle down.

I really wasn't getting a break because no one was going to settle down and it was getting to be more of a fight then anything. Now we come in, change and settle down for a nice one hour "rest/quiet" time and EVERYONE is asleep with in 5 minutes. They don't have to sleep but by this time are actually tired and do.