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megsmom
06-01-2004, 09:54 PM
I figured this day would come sooner rather than later since Meg was one of the first to give up her morning nap. She still takes an afternoon nap sometimes, but 75 percent of the time she does not anymore. I still am reading her stories in her bed after lunch at the same time and am letting her have quiet time in her bed for 1- 1/2 hrs (yes, she will actually stay in the bed with her animals and books). I figure for a while at least I will still give her the opportunity to sleep if she needs it.

I have now moved up her bedtime to after supper (which I need to be getting on earlier, like 6 at the latest). I told her if she didn't sleep after lunch then the new rule was that she needed to go to bed after dinner. I was beginning to notice on her days with naps that she wouldn't go to sleep before 9:30 sometimes 10. Today she wasn't even crabby around dinner and I've noticed that she's now sleeping later in the morning and almost slept 12 hrs. last night. Anyway, this wouldn't be so bad if I weren't trying to get dinner on, bathe the kids and getting Brian to sleep before he was overtired (he goes to bed between 6:30 and 7).

At first I was lamenting this, but it has its upsides. I'm having some time in the evening now and still get a small break in the afternoon. Gone are the days when both my kids nap at the same time so my house looks like a mess come night, but oh well. My husband and I actually watch TV in the evenings every now and then!

Jen
mom to Meghan 7/13/01
and Brian 11/11/03

JulieL
06-04-2004, 03:25 PM
If I remember this right a toddler should get 12-13 hours of sleep a day. So if she naps and goes to bed later and gets 12+ great. If she doesn't nap then putting her to bed earlier is better, so she gets 12+. The thing I try to remember is that the patterns I give my son now will be the ones he will have when he starts school. It's not good to let them have odd sleeping habits (I am completely not saying you have odd sleeping habits btw ;-)) like staying up late then expecting them to make a big change once school starts. So it looks to me like you've got it figured out. Although you are still at a day to day arrangement. It will eventually even out.