Is Your Child Ready to Drop the Last Nap?

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Ahhh naps - A chance to reset, recharge, and get some quality, restorative rest – but not just for you, for your child too! Sleep is so important for your child's developing brain and growing body, which is why I suggest taking your time when dropping naps. This can be a tough transition for parents and children, especially if it's done too soon. So let’s go over some signs your child is ready (or getting ready) to drop his/her nap, and how to go about doing it.

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Signs the nap is ready to be dropped:

1. Your child is between 3 and 5 years of age - Any time after the age of 3 is when most children will start to show signs of not needing to nap anymore. While there can be variations here, I will often advise parents to keep the nap until at least 3 years of age.
2. Fighting the nap – Your child could be taking a lot longer into nap time to actually fall asleep, or maybe he/she doesn’t nap at all some days. Sometimes this could be fixed by simply adjusting the timing of the nap, but could also mean they don’t need to nap every day anymore.
3. Good energy and behaviour – On days when your child doesn’t nap, he/she still seems in great spirits and generally has good energy throughout the rest of the day. If they are fussy, cranky, or just a basket case all afternoon, you may need to make some other adjustments so your child can continue napping. 
4. Bedtime is challenging and much later than usual – If on days when your child does nap, and he/she struggles to go to bed at an age appropriate bedtime, then it’s likely the nap is affecting their ability to be tired and ready for sleep at bedtime. This may seem harmless, or you could just decide that they can stay up later, but they will still be getting less restorative sleep at night if they are waking at the same time in the morning, and this will eventually catch up with them and cause them to be overtired – which, as we know by now is not a good thing!
5. Not napping still allows for consolidated nighttime sleep – If your child can still sleep well through the night on days when he/she doesn’t nap, then you can be sure they are likely ready to drop it.

 
So you’ve determined your child is ready to drop their nap. Now what?

1. Make gradual changes – going cold turkey and not allowing your child to nap at all, all of a sudden, will usually get you into trouble. Dropping a nap is a gradual process and should make room for gradual changes. This could mean allowing your child to nap on days when he/she needs it, but not worrying about the days when he/she doesn’t nap. It could also mean having your child progressively sleep less – so waking him/her up 10-15 minutes earlier over a few days/weeks until they are no longer napping.
2. Adjust bedtime – On days when your child doesn’t nap, bedtime should be at least 30 minutes to an hour earlier to make up for lost sleep.
3. Quiet time – Even though your child is no longer napping during the day, it is still really important to have some time to rest to help recharge the batteries and give moms and dads some much needed quiet time as well. So set your child up in their own quiet space with some books, or other quiet toys/activities. Consider playing some kids books on tape or set up a playlist to have it play quietly and end when quiet time is over. Keep it to the same time a day and for the same amount of time each day, so your child knows it is his/her own designated time to play alone, quietly. 

By following these tips and letting your child guide the way, you will make it through yet another transition ;)


Happy Sleeping!
Ashley ​