As we speak, my toddler has decided that she doesn’t like napping. This means a few things: mama doesn’t get any time to work or to herself, increased frustration on my end as I listen to her whine on the baby monitor, an exhausted, cranky, and obnoxious toddler who is beyond weary, and a bed time that has moved up an hour (THAT part I don’t mind). As her mother, I know that 23-month olds need to take naps, and I’ve done everything in my power to replicate the scenario to when she still enjoyed her two-hour afternoon snoozes. We are deadlocked. So I’ve begun searching to find ways to get my wonderful, happy napper back. Read on to see what I’ve found!
1. Don’t Say the Word “Nap”
Even though my child is not even 2, she knows the power of the word “nap.” If I ask her if she’s ready to nap her immediate response is “NO.” I try to tell this to my husband who thinks that incessant asking of her every 3 minutes will eventually invoke a “yes” response, because she’ll be worn down and out. Not so. Take a more round about approach and use other words and phrases, like “it’s time to rest,” or “do you want to lay down on your pillow?” Yes, it’s a little bit of reverse psychology but if it gets your kids to lay the heck down, who cares!