Trying to End Naptime Issues

[mommalissa]

We are going to Disney in November and I would like for the kids to not have to have a nap everyday. The kids are four and still take a 2-3 hr. nap. I have been trying to have them nap only every other day or every third day. When they don't nap, they don't sleep any later in the morning. Instead, they just get sleepier as the days go by. When they get really tired, they run fevers and sometimes vomit. They will be a month shy of five when we go, and I would really like them to be able to spend an entire day in the parks without having to go back for a nap. Anyone have any ideas about how to help them get over naptime?

 

[taitai]

Well, it sounds like if your kids are sleeping 2-3 hour stretches at naptime and are vomiting and getting cranky when they don't nap, that they really need the sleep. Some kids, mine for instance, require a LOT of sleep. At 5 and 6 they don't nap anymore (EXCEPT at Disney) but they sleep a solid 12-13 hours a night. Sleep is critical to a child's brain development and physical development and overall mood that I would not in any way try to short change that.

I think you will be setting yourself up for failure if you take away their naps. Yes, it might make touring the parks simpler, but it won't make it any more fun or memorable for anyone if you have sick, cranky kids melting down as they need a break. Disney is overwhelming on so many levels and almost all visitors benefit from an afternoon break away from all the chaos and commotion.

Good luck!

 

[WantToGoNow]

It sounds like your children still need the naps. I would plan a couple hour downtime in the afternoon and let them sleep. Honestly, being in the parks all day is exhausting and most adults would take a nap if they could. I wish my kids would nap - they both dropped the naps around age 3.

 

[Mama Lo]

If your kids wake early enough to make it to rope drop, I'd say get to the parks early and keep the nap. Go back to the park in the afternoon when they are refreshed. If it's hard for them at home it will be horrible at Disney.

It's funny that you are trying to get away from the naps and I am wondering if there is some way I can get my 5 and 7 year olds to go back to them during our trip!

Good luck!

 

[*pixie*dust*]

If your kids need naps now they will definately need them at WDW. WDW is exhausting for adults. I agree with a PP if you try to eliminate naps at WDW you will have a much less enjoyable trip.

 

[natashag76]

I also vote for keeping the naps, especially if you children tend to get sick if they don't sleep. Who wants to be sick (or tend to sick kids) on vacation? And that way you can skip the heat and crowds in the middle of the day, but enjoy the cooler and less crowded times. If you are determined to skip naps, maybe pick every other day or every 2 days to have naptime, but just go back to your hotel earlier on the no-nap days? Either way, have a great trip.

 

[monorailsilver]

I stopped my kids cold turkey on naps.

My oldest was 3 & staying up until 10 so I just stopped it. The 4-5pm hours were not fun.

My second was just shy of 2 when I stopped him since he was staying up way to late. But we went to Disney at that time & I made them both nap (they were 22 mo & 4½).

My youngest was about 1½ when I stopped her since she was turning into a night owl.

But when we went to Disney she was 2½ & my other 2 were just shy of 5 & 7½ & I made them nap since they needed it while there. My 5 yo wouldn't fall asleep so he just had rest time with the "daddy, daddy, can we go on Test Track again...daddy daddy, can I get another popcicle....daddy, daddy I want to eat at Chef Mickey's again, etc..

So my non-napping kids needed a nap at Disney. It made them refreshed & us parents happier since they weren't grouchy children come 9pm at night.

So I agree with the pp's & keep the naps at Disney. It is very tiring, even for an adult.

 

[squirrlygirl]

I'm curious-what time are they going to bed? When you skip naps, do you put them to bed earlier? Every time one of my kids has given up naps, bedtime was moved up. So instead of going to bed at 9pm, they'd go to bed at 8 pm. This way they got the same amount of sleep, so no crankiness issues.

That said, as far as Disney, I also vote to keep the naps. My middle kids were 7 and almost 6 on our last trip and they still took a nap about every other day.

 

[tinkermom23]

Let them nap !!!!!

My twins just turned 3 and DS definately needs a nap or he is miserable whereas DD doesn't need a nap and prefers to sleep-in in the morning. I still have both lay down for nap and they need to have quiet time. I feel that they need the "down-time" to rest and I need a few minutes of quiet time myself. After an hour DD can get up and play while DS sleeps.

When we were at Disney we were all a little more tired than normal and the afternoon nap/rest were great for us all. Some people think it's a waste of time but we all enjoyed ourselves at the parks more because we weren't tired and crabby.

IMO you should take the cue from your children that if they need to sleep, let them. There are so many health & behavior issues that are linked to lack of sleep in young children.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

Wow...I must have strange children because neither of them has taken a nap since they were 3! Around that time, with both of them, I noticed that if they took a nap they wouldn't want to sleep at bedtime. So we took away naps and moved bedtime up a bit. I couldn't imagine my 7 yr old needing a nap on a regular basis. Kindergarteners don't even get a resttime at our school.

If my children got cranky or sick if they didn't nap, I wouldn't chance it. Give them a nap and everyone will enjoy their Disney vacation much more

 

[kalc12345]

I agree let them nap. We were at Disney in Dec and we got to the parks at rope drop then left after lunch so my son could nap. After he got up we headed back to the parks. All of us enjoyed the break

 

[Macduffy]

Sorry.... going to have to go with "let them nap!" Getting physically sick when the don't sleep sounds like they REALLY need them. I know it might SEEM like a drag to take the afternoon break but I really think it's good for the entire family to recharge and break from the parks. Sounds like you might be able to try and shorten their naps though. Trying working on getting them to 2 hrs, then down to 1.5 and you won't find most of the day wasted at the hotel or condo!

Good Luck

 

[badblackpug]

Just a thought...have you thought about shortening the naps instead of taking them away totally? Instead of a 3 hour nap, shorten it to 2, then to 1 then 30 mins, then cut it out. I think that this would gradually get them used to no nap. I know if you plan to send them to pre school, there will be no chance for a 3 hour nap. You didn't say what time they went to bed or woke up, but I would adjust their bedtime earlier if need be to "make up" the sleep missed due to the shortening or elimination of the nap.

We never do afternoon naps @ WDW. I will qualify that by saying we go in November and it is not that hot and park hours are shorter, and the baby sleeps in her stroller.. We do sleep in some days (to us rope drop is the same type of legend as the sasquatch, we have heard of it but never seen it) We don't tour "commando" and we leave if someone is overly tired.

 

[teachallday]

Why do you want to end naps for the Disney trip?

Just seems like a strange thing to do when most parents of Preschoolers are trying to figure out the best way to get back to the resorts for an afternoon break / nap.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Just a thought...have you thought about shortening the naps instead of taking them away totally? Instead of a 3 hour nap, shorten it to 2, then to 1 then 30 mins, then cut it out.

I think badblackpug's got a great idea. Personally, my guys barely napped even when they were really young, so I'm envious of anyone whose kids nap more than a half hour! But I think reducing the length, especially for 4-year olds, sounds like the plan I'd take. (Although if they still needed them by the time we went to Disney, I'd let 'em keep them. But I'm a believer in going with the flow, so take that FWIW!)

 

[SmallWorld71]

None of my kids would nap past the age of 2. However, they still needed the same amount of sleep. What I had to do was put them to bed earlier. DS10 was the only one who would sleep later in the morning, the other 2 were up at the same time no matter when they went to bed. At age 4, they were not napping, but they were sleeping from 7:30pm-7:30am.

I like the suggestion of making the naps gradually shorter. I would also try to gradually make bed time earlier as well. (This will be easier as the summer ends and it gets darker earlier.)
Good luck!

 

[mommalissa]

Thanks for the idea of shortening nap time. That's something we can start working on tomorrow.

To answer some questions: They go to bed at 8:30 and are up around 6:45-7:15. Even when we skip naps several days in a row, they are still usually up by 7:30.

I would like to end naps before we go to Disney so I don't feel like we are wasting time or money. We are staying off property so I am guessing it will kill almost an hour to get the kids out of the park, loaded, back to the resort and down for a nap. By the time they nap for 2-3 hrs. and we have to do the process back to the park it wouldn't be worth going back. I have always said that I didn't want to take them when they were this little but this is a trip my mother-in-law planned. She wants to take all of the grandkids before it is too late. She had breast cancer earlier this year and her kind has an 80% reoccurrance rate and she wants to go when she knows she will be able to enjoy it.

I had also thought that they might be able to catnap during some of the shows or on Carousel of Progress.

We were planning on having a full day in a park then the next day would be a slower day so they had a chance to recoup.

Also, I need them to get past naptime before they start school. I cannot have one of them sick every few days during the school year.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

We are going to Disney in November and I would like for the kids to not have to have a nap everyday. The kids are four and still take a 2-3 hr. nap. I have been trying to have them nap only every other day or every third day. When they don't nap, they don't sleep any later in the morning. Instead, they just get sleepier as the days go by. When they get really tired, they run fevers and sometimes vomit. They will be a month shy of five when we go, and I would really like them to be able to spend an entire day in the parks without having to go back for a nap. Anyone have any ideas about how to help them get over naptime?

OMG don't try and get them over naps, afternoon naps are our number one best tip for people!

We go into the parks really early, stay until lunch, go back to the resort and swim for a few hours, and then all konk out like zombies for 2 hours until dinner time. Then we eat and head back into the parks all fresh and ready to go when the rest of the world and their kids are crying, exhausted, and sunburned.

And why are you making them so tired they run a fever and vomit? Sheesh, woman, just let them sleep.


eta: our kids are 9 & 10 and Disney is the only place they (and we) nap. Really, you won't get your "money's worth" if you make everyone miserable.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Sounds like your kids sleep about the same amount of time as mine did at that age; it's just that mine went to bed earlier and slept a little later instead of naps.

This won't help for school, but for WDW make sure you bring strollers with you. That way, if returning to the hotel is a problem, they can still rest if they need to.

 

[QVCshopper]

I would love if my kids still napped. My son gave up naps at 19 months, when my then 3 year old stopped hers. They are now 3 and 4, and neither nap. They sleep from 8 pm - 8:30 am, though, so I get a nice long stretch of quiet. I think young kids usually sleep about the same, it just depends how they spread out those hours.

In Disney, even my non-sleepers fell asleep once in a while. It's a lot on a little kids (and their parents)!