Taking Away A.M. Nap

[Josiegirl]

How do you introduce 14 month olds to 1 nap a day? I'm starting 2 tots in a couple weeks and at the moment dcm says they sleep at 10 and 2. I'd really like them to follow our schedule of laying down around 12:30-2. Dcm is pretty easy-going and happy to let me do my thing.

I hope it goes smoothly.

[littletots]

It's a provider / parent transition. Parent starts at home the weekend before. I start the following Monday. Most transition smooth.

[permanentvacation]

I always move up nap time for everyone and move down the younger one's morning nap time and then start moving the nap time for everyone back to my normal time over the course of a week or so.

For example, if the baby is used to taking his morning nap at 10 and your older ones are used to sleeping at 12:30, keep the baby awake as long as possible by doing activities with him. With your normal nap time, I'd try to keep the baby up until 11 or so. Then lay them all down at 11. The next day, try to keep the baby up another 1/2 hour and lay them all down at 11:30. Every day, try to keep the baby up another 1/2 hour until you have everyone back to the normal nap time of 12:30.

It is usually hard to keep a baby awake when they're tired. I have found that if I do a lot of preschool activities and projects with them, they stay interested in the new activities and stay awake better. I do things like painting, Playdoh, coloring, cut and paste, singing, dancing, etc. Things where you are engaging the baby in hands-on activities and moving activities. And of course, keep them outside for as long as possible in the morning as well. I personally can't take the heat, so we go outside early and stay outside as long as I can take it and then come in and do the preschool activities to keep the baby alert and active.

[Silly Songs]

When do they eat lunch on early nap days ?

[Crazy8]

I usually transition a little later, 16-18 months. But do as PV said, move the big kids nap time down just a little (15-30 minutes) and move the baby's nap time up in increments of 15-30 minutes for a week or two until they can do the usual 12:30. Feed lunch more like 11-11:30 just for that time.

[Rachel]

I always move up nap time for everyone and move down the younger one's morning nap time and then start moving the nap time for everyone back to my normal time over the course of a week or so.

For example, if the baby is used to taking his morning nap at 10 and your older ones are used to sleeping at 12:30, keep the baby awake as long as possible by doing activities with him. With your normal nap time, I'd try to keep the baby up until 11 or so. Then lay them all down at 11. The next day, try to keep the baby up another 1/2 hour and lay them all down at 11:30. Every day, try to keep the baby up another 1/2 hour until you have everyone back to the normal nap time of 12:30.

It is usually hard to keep a baby awake when they're tired. I have found that if I do a lot of preschool activities and projects with them, they stay interested in the new activities and stay awake better. I do things like painting, Playdoh, coloring, cut and paste, singing, dancing, etc. Things where you are engaging the baby in hands-on activities and moving activities. And of course, keep them outside for as long as possible in the morning as well. I personally can't take the heat, so we go outside early and stay outside as long as I can take it and then come in and do the preschool activities to keep the baby alert and active.

I do the same. Push lunch earlier and lots of activities. Lunch as early as 11/11:15 and nap after. If I have all little kids sometimes I do big breakfast around 10, nap 10-2, lunch after.

[AmyKidsCo]

I guess I'm a meanie - I don't transition them much, once they turn 1 year they follow the big kids' routine. Usually it takes a week for them to adjust to just 1 nap, but IMO the week of crabbiness is worth it to have everyone sleep at the same time.