I have 2 and 3 yr olds. How long should they be taking naps? 3 out of 4 go down easily and sleep for 2-3+ hrs. Then I have the 1 child that just turned 2yrs and fights to take naps. If left in the room with the other kids she will even try to keep them up with her. I have even caught her shaking the pack and play with the 18 mos old in it to wake him back up. For the past couple of weeks I have brought her upstairs and put her in the spare bedroom floor and I shut the door. I have the TV down as quiet as I can and try not to do much during naptime to wake anyone. She maybe gets in an hour and a half at most! One day was like 45 mins. I have tried making her still lay down quiet until the other kids are starting to get up but she just lays there and kicks the floor, wall, door whatever she can do to make noise. if I let her out and just watch cartoons quietly she gets up and roams and gets out all of my daughters toys or finds the one that makes the most noise. The other kids get woke up by my trying to keep her quiet. Of course this is the most difficult child I have ever seen, a bully at 2! She takes toys away from everyone, everything is hers and if told no she screams and cries. (yes only child) So mostly I need her to take a good nap for my sanity sometimes and to give the other kids a break. Any ideas for me?

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I have a two hour window that I would think reasonable for those ages knowing some would need a little less and some need more. After two hours I allow kids up and we start going about our day. If you can nap her separately then I would try that.

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My kids are 2-4, and we nap from 1:25-35 to 3:45. My younger ones are down instantly and my older ones can take up to 30 min to fall asleep.

At 3:45 I turn their stories in CD off, and open the blinds. Anyone who sleeps longer is allowed to do so.

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I would expect a 2 year old to play quietly in their crib once they wake up. It's actually important for their development. I would provide her with a few durable books, and tell her she can read quietly until it's time to get up. I would not let her sleep with her friends until she is ready to show you she can be quiet. Eventually, she will get it.

I'd put her down for nap last, and get her up first. That way she's not being expected to be quiet quite so long, and she can see that she's not missing anything. . If she wakes up, go in every 15 minutes or so and whisper "it's still nap time. Everyone is sleeping. I will come get you when nap is over".

That said, a half hour is about as reasonable as you can expect for her to be awake and alone and somewhat quiet.

As far as the shaking the crib, yelling, etc., I'd put on some white noise so the other guys don't hear it and ignore it.

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FOREVERRRRR!
My naptime lasts from 12- 3. Not all kids fall asleep immediately and some stir before like 2:30 but generally, play hard, sleep hard!

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I remember this from years ago, and we rarely hear of it in the child development world any more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crib_talk

Crib talk was linked to brain development at one point. I wonder if it's been debunked? I always thought it was an awesome thing to listen to.

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All day

Mine lay down at 12:30-12:45, and they are usually all asleep by 1:00. If they are not awake at 3:00, I wake them up.

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I have 20 month old (my youngest dck) that LOVES to talk to himself before going to sleep & after waking up everyday. How I ADORE listening to the conversations he has with himself! I have a safety crib where one end is mirrored...and today his conversation was "car...boom...uh, oh" for about 5 minutes.

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This is my schedule, exactly!

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The name and idea just sound COOL! Let's just pretend it has NOT been debunked....maybe it is still considered part of brain development...how could it not?

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My rest time is from 1 to 3 before rest time is story time to settle them down most are almost out by the end of the story.

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We go to nap right after lunch (which depending on the lunch is between 11:30 and 11:45) All but maybe one or two are asleep by noon and most are up by 2 or 2:15. We do have some that get up earlier and some that would sleep later (but 2:15 in pushing it with our director- she thinks getting up by 2 is necessary).

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BINGO. I would argue with anything debunking it. I think that time is gold. The talking, and even the physical and metal skills gained by having some alone time in bed before going to sleep, are IMHO priceless.

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I don't know if it HAS been debunked. It's always made sense to me, too. I just haven't heard about it in a long time. Perhaps it just fell out of fashion, like so many EC things.

Perhaps the "expert"s decided that people would use it as an excuse to put babies in cribs and leave 'em there for hours. who knows.

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I would check with your linscensing regulations. In some states you are required to provide 2 hours of continuous (or total through out the day) "quiet time" or "rest time", they don't have to sleep but they need to be quiet so others can rest. I wouldn't force them to sleep but they do need to stay quiet and on their mats, maybe with a book to look through if they are a little older and can quietly read (or look at pictures) without disrupting anyone.

But I think its kinda better to sometimes just let them stay on their mats and let their minds wander... I don't think kids get enough time to just think about things or remember things (or meditate). Maybe it can help them learn to focus or reflect and possibly help them to become deep thinkers. It's just a thought, not a proven fact (that I am aware of).

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Thanks for the ideas. Books helped today. I think it's going to be a day by day situation.

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How Long Should Naptime Last?

About 8 hours.......

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Yes!


Mine is 2 hours. Sometimes 2.5 if everyone is still asleep. All 2-year-olds that were here in the past and are currently here fall asleep first and sleep all the way until I am turning on music and opening blinds. I've had about 7+ two-year-olds here in the past year or so. I would cry if they didn't want to sleep LOL!

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[quote=EntropyControlSpecialist;370383] Yes!

I would cry if they didn't want to sleep LOL.

Exactly!!! This is my most difficult child. She is here for a full 10 hrs a day, by naptime we both need a quiet time to continue through the day.

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This is me too.....and it is often 12:30 when they go down and sometimes they are up at 2:30. Older kids are allowed to read or do quiet activities. If a child has had a hard day I will let them sleep till no later then 3:30 but most of the time they are up between 2:30 and 3

I start lunch at 11:30ish, then we do clean up, potty and soft music while I clean the rest of lunch up and prep for afternoon. Then I jump on here to visit with all of you for a little bit.

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pretty much me too.

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