Help! 18 mnth old refuses to nap

[waterloo day mom]

Hello all, I am looking for some advice. I have a 17-18 mnth old who up until recently was still on 2 naps a day. All of a sudden he gave up napping all together! He gets a full night sleep at home (probably about 12hrs) but is usually yawning and grumpy by the time he gets picked up. For the older kids who don't nap, I have a tv on with cartoons for about an hour so that they can rest. I tried putting him in there in a playpen but he screamed for 20 mins before I gave up and moved him. I would really prefer that he nap, since he is still so young, or at least have some rest time so that I can get my lunch, clean up, etc. Any suggestions? He apparently also isn't napping at home.

[Play and Learn]

All my kids nap (under the age of 3). I don't care if they just lay there, but they have to stay on their cot or in their playpen. How many days has he screamed? Or did you just try it the one day?

Kids need to be taught that it is nap time, and they say put, and quiet. It may take 1-2 weeks of constant 20 minutes of crying, but they'll soon get the point. As I tell my parents, I NEED my break. The kid can cry as long as he/she wants, but I'm not picking them up.

[KingstonMom]

Strange he just gave up naps all together!
I agree with playandlearn, nap time is our only time to regain sanity and to do things around the house to prep for afternoon etc.
I hope there is a separate room you could place him to nap (cry it out) without disturbing you or the other older children. That would really be too bad if he disturbed the others while learning to nap again.
But I would for sure have him cry it out if need be and too bad if the parents dont like it. Part of being 'daycare ready' is being able to nap during the day if they are under the age of 3. Espicially so young as 18 months.
It would be great if the parents would work with you on this and have him start napping again at home. Sleep is VERY important to young ones and depriving them of it is a form of neglect IMO...

[waterloo day mom]

he's with me 4 days and week and has been doing this for about 3 weeks. He'll scream for the full hour and a half if I leave him there. I have him in the basement (2 floors away from the others) but he doesn't seem to get it

[waterloo day mom]

I forgot to mention, he was with me for about 5 months and napping beautifully before this

[Judy Trickett]

CIO.

And NO, it is NOT mean or uncaring. Napping should not be optional for young children and toddlers.

[mom-in-alberta]

Kids under 3 absolutely still need some kind of quiet time. And since he is too little to just lay down on a couch or cot somewhere, I would keep doing what you are doing. As long as he is in a safe and secure spot where no harm can come to him, I am an advocate for letting him fuss. The tricky question is: will mom and dad do the same thing? Or allow him to call the shots at home? That always makes things harder. But he should eventually figure out that at your place, nobody is coming to get him, so he may as well sleep.
Any chance he is teething/ getting molars right now? I know I have a little guy who is absolute HELL to get to sleep properly (and stay asleep) when he is teething. If he is showing any signs of that, maybe mom and dad would okay a dose of tylenol to take the edge off when he is trying to nap? Only if he is teething though! I am not advocating drugging the child, just to get some quiet time!!! :)

[KingstonMom]

good point with the teething mom-in-alberta.
Waterloo day mom, I think you are doing what you are suppost to do. Let him cry it out for 2 hrs if he must, at least he is realizing slowly that its not an option at your house. As it should not be optional.
I do hope mom and dad do the same at home.

[waterloo day mom]

Hi all, just wanted to let everyone know that he is still rarely napping at home, but now only screams for a few minutes here. Then he wimpers whenever I walk by and is sobbing when I go in to get him. So we have made some progress but we still have work to do :)

[playfelt]

Now if only his parents would do the same thing on non-daycare days the child would learn that a quiet time is just that - a chance for everyone child, parent, caregiver to recharge. Kudos for sticking out the screaming and hope he rewards you by settling even better in the days to come.

[Sandbox Sally]

Hmm...not sure that letting a toddler cry or scream for two hours is something I would do. I would definitely have an open conversation with the parents about being consistent, and if the problem persists, I would likely give them notice. This is disruptive to your group, as he is fussy due to lack of sleep. Not worth it.