Naptime – Take it or Leave it?

When is enough, enough? When is it appropriate to finally put an end to the early childhood naptime that we have grown so fond of? Honestly, I don’t see why you would ever want to.

It’s the parents’ time to be able to be productive and get some things done, maybe have some quiet time together, or mentally collect themselves. Maybe we would even like to take a little siesta while our kid sleeps.

I took naps in kindergarten back in the 70’s. It was not an option, but a staple and just the way it was. We had no say in it and neither did the parents, for that matter.

My grandmother swore by it, but then again, she swore to putting A&D ointment on everything too. Though I had no doubt it was necessary because she said so, I actually enjoyed taking my naps when I was a kid.

I’m not big on following the rules and guidelines my parental figures set for me in the way in which I raise my child, but this happens to be one of the rules I actually believe in and fully adhere to.

It does have medical benefits

Sleep is a necessary evil. Enjoyed by some because it comes easily to them, dreaded by others because it doesn’t, it’s not only important, but necessary to the overall contribution to our good health. We, as adults, need to rest our brains, but children need to even more.

Sleep experts, pediatricians, and psychology professionals specializing in early childhood development agree that young children need 12-14 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. Children play all day long and this expends energy and their creative abilities for growth. Without proper sleep, kids not only become unbearably cranky, but their brains are deprived of the rest they need to process thoughts and retain more information gathered through their play times.

Some kids need only 30 minutes of nap time during the day to be reenergized until bedtime because they sleep 12 hours a night on a regular basis. For the child who doesn’t get much restful sleep, or those who really enjoy it, a good 2 hour nap can only benefit them.

While it’s still a parental preference as to how long your child should take a nap for, and how old they should be when they stop taking naps entirely, it comes down to a matter of common sense.  What applies to some family schedules, doesn’t apply to others. It’s your responsibility to set schedules within your family structure to what works best for you.

What if my child doesn’t want to go to sleep?

This really isn’t an option, and it really shouldn’t matter if your kid doesn’t want to go to sleep. If she is put in her room in her bed where she generally sleeps at night and told to take a nap, she needs to do just that. If she lies there and cries, leave her there. She will quickly learn that your word is final if you stay strong and don’t cater to her whims. If you do, you are letting your child control you, and not setting boundaries that really need to be set.

A child at this stage in life is crying because she wants your attention rather than for you to fulfill a need.  She will learn it’s much better to take a nap rather than to cry for a couple of hours.  It will start to dawn on her that you are serious, this is something that’s going to be enforced and demanded, and eventually, she will probably be taking naps with ease.

You are the parent and the one who makes the decisions in raising your child. If you stay focused on what you want to happen, it will happen in time.

Again, consistency is king

My 2 year old takes naps in preschool where the kids range in age between two and six years old. The owner of the school enforces naps, saying it is vital to the overall health of the children. On top of that, she doesn’t want them to be cranky so she has to deal with it throughout the course of the day. Who could blame her?

He also takes naps on the weekends when he’s home. It’s a really necessary break for me, and as well as good for him. Unless he starts waking up continuously throughout the course of the night, I plan on keeping naptime around until he goes into first grade. I won’t let it be an option. I stay consistent with his schedule. He goes to bed at 8 PM and takes naps every day, from 1 PM to 3PM.

Just as he knows dinner is in the evening and lunch is in the afternoon, naptimes are an expected routine.

Establishing good sleep patterns early

There should be no reason for a parent to keep a toddler or preschooler up past 8:30 PM. Boundaries need to be established early on to ensure your kids are getting adequate amounts of rest.

Some argue it’s not the best practice to allow your kid to stay up to where they show signs of being tired such as rubbing their eyes and yawning. Some suggest kids get put to bed before they exhibit those signs, arguing that the child will sleep longer if they are not too tired when put down to sleep. This is debatable, but also depends on the child.

My suggestion would be to set a bedtime and a naptime and do your best to try to adhere to the schedule you are setting. If your kids know from early on that this is the way things are, it makes it a lot harder for them to argue with you.

Make naptime and bedtimes a mandatory routine, and you should be smooth sailing. Maybe you can catch a few extra Z’s of your own.
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