Tips for 2 year old Naptime

[sahm1225]

I have a dcg2 (3 in September) that is horrible with nap! We have to sit next to her or she gets up and walks around trying to wake up the others. She is too little to understand being quiet during Naptime and the days she doesn't nap, she is an absolute nightmare! We nap in the same room so there's no way to put her somewhere else. The only room is the kitchen, but if we put her in there, she screams/cries and everyone wakes up, We take turns sitting next to her so she doesn't get up and most of the time, she does fall asleep.
Dcm says she sleeps great at home, but I don't think that's true since they also say she's 100% potty trained and dcd let it slip that they still diaper her for long car rides and overnight (she's potty trained at daycare).

Any tips? I'm tired of not being able to sit for lunch with my assistant because she needs one on one care for Nap.
I'm On vacation next week and my patience is thin this week ::

[Blackcat31]

This is one area that I will forever count my blessings... all 14 of my kiddos are fantastic nappers... I disagree about her not understanding that she needs to be quiet. My youngest (13 months) totally understands Shhhhh!

He (my youngest) transitioned to a nap mat yesterday. I haven't had to sit next to him or place him back on his mat or anything. He just laid his head down yesterday and today and went to sleep.

[Annalee]

This is one area that I will forever count my blessings... all 14 of my kiddos are fantastic nappers... I disagree about her not understanding that she needs to be quiet. My youngest (13 months) totally understands Shhhhh!

He (my youngest) transitioned to a nap mat yesterday. I haven't had to sit next to him or place him back on his mat or anything. He just laid his head down yesterday and today and went to sleep.

Same here, when they are 12 months old they go on a cot.

[rosieteddy]

I had to use the "magic "blanket .I folded a comforter andlay it on the child.I would sit there for a few min.They normally were asleep in 3-5 min.Then I would gently take the blanket off leaving just their normal blanket or sleeping bag.I also played music .My daughter said I could have made a fortune for the blanket idea as they have a sensory blanket advertised now.You could sew the comforter and it would be just a heavy child blanket.

[racemom]

She is definitely old enough to learn to lay still and quiet. I have music on in my room, and everyone knows when the music is playing it is quiet time (ages newly 2 to 3 year olds. If she tries to get up tell her firmly to lay back down. She is just testing you by continuously getting up, and needs to learn that it is not allowed.

[sahm1225]

This is one area that I will forever count my blessings... all 14 of my kiddos are fantastic nappers... I disagree about her not understanding that she needs to be quiet. My youngest (13 months) totally understands Shhhhh!

He (my youngest) transitioned to a nap mat yesterday. I haven't had to sit next to him or place him back on his mat or anything. He just laid his head down yesterday and today and went to sleep.

All my other ones are great nappers, that's why this one has me baffled.
I should've been clearer, I meant she is too little to stay up during nap time and play quietly. She NEEDS her naps.

I like the idea of the special blanket/comforter.

[BrynleeJean]

I also do one room, and have had 1-2 year olds who were more tough to teach. But all I've ever done was really keep the routine.
lunch until blah blah
we all get up and potty and wash hands for older and as they finish they get on their mats and read a book while i change diapers.
when I'm done with diapers i read a story, the same one for a while like a month so they expect it.
after that i stand up put the book away, turn the music on ONE SONG THAT GOES OVER AND OVER FOR NAP EVERY DAY! it almost puts me to sleep.. turn the light off and cover them up and say goodnight and leave the room.

the new ones RARELY get up i think because they are like "what just happened" and everyone else just goes straight to sleep but if they do I'm right outside the door with the babies, so i just go back in and tuck them back in without a word, just a smile and leave again.

hang in there!

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

You just described my son, he'll be 3 in October. I feel like I've tried everything, he's that kid that if you sit next to him he'll keep pressing to get a reaction no matter how much you redirect, broken record, ignore, consequence, seperate sleeping room, offer a fun treat for the others that lay quietly, etc... He still needs a nap, he will fall asleep once he lays still. Our current solution is that he naps in the hallway with walls on 3 sides and me blocking the exit until he falls asleep. But like OP said, I'm so over it! At bedtime he plays in the dark before laying down and going to sleep. If I allow this he is asleep in a half hour tops, if attempt to have him lay quietly in bed we're still struggling an hour or more later. This doesn't work for naptime when the daycare kids are here.

I think the comforter thing is worth a shot for me!