When did your DC stop napping?

[ourbabygirl]

DD is almost 26 months but has started skipping some naps/ putting up a big fuss at naptime, so I've had to let her cry herself to sleep sometimes (I know she's tired and needs a nap, though).

If you have more than one DC, please mark whichever options apply.

Thanks!

[AnnieW625]

DD1 has pretty much given up the nap at home these days as she says 4 yos don't take naps. She still naps occaisionally at daycare. DD1 went on napping strikes at home a few times starting at the age of 2 (it was usually connected with teething), but we would just let her CIO too and most of the time it worked. So honestly I wouldn't give up on the nap just yet.

[KrisM]

DS1 stopped at just over 2.5. We stopped them for him because a 30 minute nap meant a 4 hour later bedtime!

DD stopped on her own a week after turning 2.

DS2 is not quite 2.5 and he naps 4-5 days a week, but only in the car.

[clc053103]

I voted older than 4.5- please explain. so here goes!

DS still napped daily until just beyond 4.5. He is now 5.5 and he still naps if he's tired or if we have plans that evening that might keep us out later than 8. So he naps maybe 2 times a week.

[MoJo]

I can't answer the poll, as my 2 1/2 year old is napping at this very minute! But she started skipping sometimes around 24 months. She also started climbing out of the crib quickly and consistently at that age.

I've tried the "lay down with your eyes closed for five minutes" trick, but it rarely works. So my possibly-bad-mommy answer is that she naps when she feels like it (probably 5 times a week) and not when she doesn't.

All that's to say you are certainly not alone!

[g-mama]

My oldest stopped at 3 years. 9 months.

My youngest stopped at 4.5, but that had a lot to do with the fact that summer started and his older brothers were home all day, rather than at school, so I couldn't get him to lay down when he knew he was missing out on whatever they were doing.

My middle ds stopped at 5 years, 9 months. I had to stop letting him nap b/c he was about to start all day kindergarten. This is my child, who, at age 7 will go lay down on his bed sometimes and just take a nap. Or he will lay down on the couch and fall asleep in the midst of major commotion of the other two kids running, yelling and playing all around him. Come to think of it, he's just like his dad!!

[crl]

Ds stopped altogether at just past three. We had about three or four months of transition where he would nap for two or three days in a row and then not nap for two or three days in a row. He did go on a week-long nap strike at 18 months and I was terrified that he had quit altogether (my brother stopped napping before age 2). But he went back to napping and obviously continued for another 18 months or so.

Catherine

[Minnifer]

Much to my dismay DD started giving them up before 2 - we worked *really* hard to try to keep them, but they were pretty much gone shortly after 2 (and no "quiet time" has ever worked with her either). Now, she will occasionally fall asleep in the stroller for 30 min or so once a week - but even that little bit messes with her bedtime. She really only needs the 11 - 11.5 hours she gets at night.

[kboyle]

i voted 3-3.5 as an avg, ds1 stopped napping around 3y, ds2 at 5y still naps 3 out of a 5 day week (we don't require naps on weekends), and ds3 who is 3.5y still naps almost daily. at some point they all "took breaks" and didn't nap, but would start napping again a couple weeks later. i just NEVER break the routine...until they are in school all day they are required a "rest" period.

[fauve01]

I couldn't vote because dd quit napping at 19 months. Yes you read that right, 19 months! i tried everything to get her to keep napping but nothing worked. her bedtime did move earlier, which was nice, but she just didn't want to miss anything during the day and she wasn't cranky at all. this is also the kid who NEVER slept in the car, even as a newborn. i ended up selling my stroller because she wouldn't even sit in that, much less sleep in it. this child flew all from CA to London and didn't fall asleep (at age 4). she's just not a sleeper! sigh.

A + DD 10-03