AM only the only one that lets nap time rule the day?

[angel2010]

I feel like I am the only one that plans their day around their child's nap time. I don't really want anyone here during nap time. I hate for anyone to stop by in the middle of nap time and if what ever we are planning means he can't nap, we don't do it. There have been under ten times that Carter hasn't had a nap during the day. I know that he is very crabby when he doesn't and gets very overtired. I feel like when I say "oh, we can't do this or that because it is at nap time" or "sorry we have to leave for nap" or "no, you can't come here because Carter is napping" that people think I am crazy. Or that I am being ridiculous letting my toddler run my day. Yes I cater to him, but it makes it easier for him and I when I do.

 

[little_cookie]

I do it too as I know what he gets like if he doesn't nap- and if he naps later then it messes up the routine for the rest of the day and he doesn't sleep until later which can have an impact on when he will wake up the next day.

I try to avoid tying trips out around naptime and people know not to come round- especially at the moment as I usually have a nap too (tiring being 36 weeks pregnant!)

If people come round however- I don't keep him up. I will put him down for his nap. Only once has someone got uppity with me about it (FOBs aunt) but she didn't have the decency to respect my wishes and I certainly wasn't going to impact our routine and my sons rest for her.

A few people I know don't get it either (albeit respect my wishes)- so i'm glad im not the only one!

 

[little_cookie]

I do it too as I know what he gets like if he doesn't nap- and if he naps later then it messes up the routine for the rest of the day and he doesn't sleep until later which can have an impact on when he will wake up the next day.

I try to avoid tying trips out around naptime and people know not to come round- especially at the moment as I usually have a nap too (tiring being 36 weeks pregnant!)

If people come round however- I don't keep him up. I will put him down for his nap. Only once has someone got uppity with me about it (FOBs aunt) but she didn't have the decency to respect my wishes and I certainly wasn't going to impact our routine and my sons rest for her.

A few people I know don't get it either (albeit respect my wishes)- so i'm glad im not the only one!

 

[angel2010]

I am not to 36 weeks yet, but I take a daily nap with him too! I get about as cranky as he does when I don't nap! And you are so right, a push back in nap causes a push back at bed time and so on. I usually takes a couple of days to readjust if there is shift of more than half an hour.

 

[_jellybean_]

Hi hon. We don't do what you do. We're fine with people stopping by, or going out for the day. We just figure it out as we go, but everyone is different, and if that works for you, then no one should give you a problem about it hon. xxoo

 

[lozzy21]

We don't, If Niamh is tired she will sleep wether in the pushchair or carrier or on someone's sofa.

 

[wannabemomy37]

I just want to point out that you should get your LO used to sleeping with small amounts of noise in the background from early on or it can cause problems like this. There is no need for you not to do certain things around your LO, but to adjust them to different situations. Have him sleep in different locations so that you can still go out and do things, and he can still get his nap in. I think compromising is important, but not having a social life because of nap time is quite silly - But to each's own.

 

[d_b]

Nope you're not the only one. DS needs his sleep and I will never take him out during nap time. He naps 2-3.5 hours, right after lunch. I am fine with people coming over during nap as he sleeps pretty soundly. If I know I'm going to someone's house for the day I'll take his pack-n-play and he'll nap there but a quick nap in the car just isn't enough for him.

I know plenty of parents whose toddlers won't nap or only nap for a half hour a day so if DS was like that I wouldn't be so strict on being home for nap time. I'm sure some people think we're weird but DS loves his routine and I don't like to mess with it. There are lots of hours in the day to socialize and run errands so it's not like I am really losing out on anything by staying in during nap time.

On occasion if we're out in the evening he'll go to bed an hour later than usual but he'll go down crying and screaming so we don't do that very often either!

 

[angel2010]

I just want to point out that you should get your LO used to sleeping with small amounts of noise in the background from early on or it can cause problems like this. There is no need for you not to do certain things around your LO, but to adjust them to different situations. Have him sleep in different locations so that you can still go out and do things, and he can still get his nap in. I think compromising is important, but not having a social life because of nap time is quite silly - But to each's own.

I still have a social life and don't give up things I really want to do. If I really want to do it, my mom watches him or we arrange it around nap time. I am not unhappy with our arrangement. I am annoyed that other people seem to have a problem with it when it doesn't affect them.

 

[angel2010]

Nope you're not the only one. DS needs his sleep and I will never take him out during nap time. He naps 2-3.5 hours, right after lunch. I am fine with people coming over during nap as he sleeps pretty soundly. If I know I'm going to someone's house for the day I'll take his pack-n-play and he'll nap there but a quick nap in the car just isn't enough for him.

I know plenty of parents whose toddlers won't nap or only nap for a half hour a day so if DS was like that I wouldn't be so strict on being home for nap time. I'm sure some people think we're weird but DS loves his routine and I don't like to mess with it. There are lots of hours in the day to socialize and run errands so it's not like I am really losing out on anything by staying in during nap time.

On occasion if we're out in the evening he'll go to bed an hour later than usual but he'll go down crying and screaming so we don't do that very often either!

We have people over occasional too, but if I can avoid it I do. I also find a way to nap at others house and if I can't we will wait until after. A small nap in the car isn't enough for Carter either. I also agree that if he only slept for a short amount of time, then I wouldn't be so strict either. And I really agree with the sentence in bold. And like yours, mine fights sleep if we wait to long.

 

[Aphrodite]

Yeah i have a routine, activities in the morning, then home for naps in th afternoon. Sometimes it doesnt happen, but rarely, the day goes better if they stick to their routine.

 

[Scoobys mummy]

I just want to point out that you should get your LO used to sleeping with small amounts of noise in the background from early on or it can cause problems like this. There is no need for you not to do certain things around your LO, but to adjust them to different situations. Have him sleep in different locations so that you can still go out and do things, and he can still get his nap in. I think compromising is important, but not having a social life because of nap time is quite silly - But to each's own.

Ah yes, the perfect solution...provide by someone with NO kids! I had the same idea but it didn't work. We have to respect naptime or its a nightmare. I hope your future child agrees to all your big plans!

 

[smokey]

We used to be like that, he had a set time for lunch and naps and nothing got in the way if those and god help anyone that phoned or showed up during that time (especialy neighbors that chose that time to do diy)
It was mainly because I knew what he was like in the evening, it was all done that way so not to get in the way of his evening routine.
Once he got a bit older and didnt get so worked up if things changed we started to be a bit more flexible with the idea he could nap in his buggy or at my mums and as long as it was sometime between 1-2:30 we coyld work around it.
Then it became not a big deal if he missed a nap on a odd day if we where busy, then he choose to give up his naps alltogether (i hated that day as it ment I no longer got a nap)
These days he only naps if he falls asleep in the car but I still like him to have at least half an hour a day chill out time where he lays quietly on the sofa with a cartoon on and just rest and calm down otherwise he gets too hyped up amd starts wrecking the place and trying to fly.

 

[chipsticks]

We don't, she will nap in the buggy/car and sleep through people coming over (but only if i know they are coming so I can prevent the dog from going mad at the door). But she has always been a cat napper, 40 mins max (seems to be getting close to 1hr lately tho). If you are happy with what you do then pay no attention to anyone else!

 

[suzib76]

I did with my first, and my second (22 month gap). I was so strict every day was wasted, we couldn't go anywhere or do anything as we had to be back for lunch then I would take them out in the double to get them off to sleep. I almost exploded one day when someone stopped to talk to me and Leah was 'almost' asleep, that day I realised I was doing it wrong lol

When Lana came along I was totally relaxed, she ate when she was hungry, slept when she was tired and just generally fitted in around us

 

[Tacey]

I was a bit like this with my first, but it went out the window with Arthur. He catches a nap whenever he can! I try to stay regular with bedtimes though.

I only find it irritating when arranging meetups with friends, and they expect me to always cater to their routine.

If it works for you though, and you're happy, I can't see that it's anyone else's business.

 

[smokey]

I just want to point out that you should get your LO used to sleeping with small amounts of noise in the background from early on or it can cause problems like this. There is no need for you not to do certain things around your LO, but to adjust them to different situations. Have him sleep in different locations so that you can still go out and do things, and he can still get his nap in. I think compromising is important, but not having a social life because of nap time is quite silly - But to each's own.

Ah yes, the perfect solution...provide by someone with NO kids! I had the same idea but it didn't work. We have to respect naptime or its a nightmare. I hope your future child agrees to all your big plans!

Bit harsh, just because someone doesnt have children doesnt mean they cant have a idea.
Same as it doesnt mean anyone else has to listen or that leasons wont be learnt later.
I always though this place was somewhere digs about not having children or being pregnant wouldnt happen no matter what the subject or oppinion.

 

[Button#]

I try to be home for Ashley's nap but I do have a bit of leeway with what time he naps. It doesn't make too much difference if he goes to bed a bit late and I'd hate for him to miss out on any of his play groups. I don't mind if people turn up when he's napping as he doesn't mind a bit of noise when he's asleep. But that's just the way I do things and I don't think one way will work for everybody.

 

[Itsychik]

Yes... and no. Most of our friends have kids so it's just a given that we don't meet up in the afternoon as that's when all our kids are napping but occasionally if we want to plan something in the afternoon (i.e. last week we went out on a boat with another couple without kids) we just skipped LO's nap. It means he's really tired and a little cranky starting at around 5pm, but it also means he goes right to bed when we put him in at 7:30 He usually takes about a 2-hour nap from 1/1:30 - 3:30.

Re: getting LO to sleep other places... my DS hasn't slept in his stroller/buggy since he was around 14 months old, and not even the car is a guarantee anymore! We tried in March to visit some friends and brought a bed for LO and tried to get him to nap there, and it was a disaster (lots of screaming, ultimately no nap, and a shortened visit). So no more naps at friends.

ETA: If someone wants to stop by to visit with just me or DH, we encourage them to come at naptime as that means we can focus on them without being distracted by LO. But we wouldn't intentionally schedule play time with DS during the nap time.

My DS is rather flexible though and even if he doesn't nap he's good about going to sleep and picking up his normal schedule the next day. If we had a battle anytime he'd missed a nap we would definitely be stricter about it! All kids are different though so you just need to do whatever works for you

 

[Twister]

I just want to point out that you should get your LO used to sleeping with small amounts of noise in the background from early on or it can cause problems like this. There is no need for you not to do certain things around your LO, but to adjust them to different situations. Have him sleep in different locations so that you can still go out and do things, and he can still get his nap in. I think compromising is important, but not having a social life because of nap time is quite silly - But to each's own.

I think you will find that this is easier said than done. Not all baby's/kids will adapt so easily, if at all. Some babies (like mine) are easily stimulated and find it difficult to drop off to sleep when out and about. So most of the time, yes I do try to make sure we go out between naps and get back in time for the next one (or within the hour at least). Sometimes we do stay out longer and she does miss a nap, or catches a few minutes in the car on the way home and I don't mind this happening every once in a while but for the most part I like her to get her sleep. It's important and if she won't do it whilst out then its only fair to her that I make the extra effort to be home so she's not cranky and overtired all the time.

She won't be taking naps forever, and so its no skin off my nose. We still manage to get out but entire day trips are unrealistic for us atm. Yes it would be 'easier' if she napped whenever, wherever but it doesn't always work that way, no matter how hard you try and force it.