I found this post bc I have a DS that is a 3 yr old non-sleeper. (I also have a 2 yr old that sleeps all the time). My DS stopped taking daily naps at 15 months. I fought it for months. You name it, i tried it...black out curtains, white noise, me lying in bed with him, CIO in his bed, i even tried introducing a mid-day bath routine. I did this bc I felt like he needed a nap because from 5:30-7pm (lights out), he was a TERROR (actually he was just overtired, and i felt it was my fault for not getting him to sleep.

It was such a stressful time, and it got particularly bad bc if I left him in his room to CIO during rest/nap time, he would disturb my DD would LOVED her nap. I finally just stopped trying around when he turned 2. I just allowed him to stay downstairs and not disturb his sister and not yell. It worked out ok, I so wish I could have kept the nap in his schedule bc it really limited out lives and it made dinner/evenings intolerable. Mostly I just felt bad for DS. I took him to the ped on several appts and even requested a sleep study (came back normal). He finally started STTN at 3 yrs, but that is about 1 time a week and he suffers from frequent bouts of sleep walking. We joke that god gave us DD (an amazing sleeper) to equal out our exhaustion. As an aside, it used to drive me crazy when people would offer advise on how to get him to go to sleep. Believe me when I tell you that I tried everything...we had hours of outdoor exercise, an outing EVERY, SINGLE, MORNING. Friends would text me that their kids were out cold after going to the park, zoo, museum, etc with me and my son during the morning. And I would be left with a wide awake toddler looking for more stimulation.

Anyways, I LOVE my children dearly, but I can say through personal experience, even a loving mother has difficulty dealing with a non-napper every day! I dont care what you call rest/break/nap time, it is so important to caregiver and child and noone should say that providers are just kicking back during that time! I cannot imagine putting the onerous of a non-napping child on a in home daycare provider. Mostly because I don't think it would allow the child or provide to but their best self forward.

I actually found this thread because I will be returning to work in a few months. DS had a nanny for his first year, then I became a SAHM for two years. Now that I am looking at going back to work, I was researching other people's experience with non-napping children. At first I considered a nanny, but I want my kids to have friends/social aspect. As much as I would love an in home provider (family environment, siblings stay together, less germs) I just think my son's special sleep requirements merit center care. Kudos to any in home provider that does non-nappers...I could barely handle it with my own child!

Eta: I think my DS is amazing- his non-sleeper status has been a tough pill to swallow, but he has excelled in many other areas...walked at 8.5 months, toilet trained (including night time at 17 months), began riding 2-wheeler (no training wheels) at 22 months, could do a handstand at 2.5, unbuckled carseat at 2, you get the picture...he is a gross motor all-star. I've often wondered if this is related to his non-sleeper status- just needs more activity than other kids.

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