It happens to us all at some point. The days suddenly get a whole lot longer when your darling child decides that sleep is for the weak, and there is far too much mayhem to be caused to have a daytime nap.
I appreciate that when kids drop their nap it’s a difficult time. I’ve been through it. twice. But I am happy to say I lived to tell the tale. I came out the other side stronger. Dare I say that it’s quite nice not to be constrained by nap time. All though my house is a mess because I have a toddler and no time!
Here to help you are the 5 stages of grief after nap times are no more.
Denial:
This cannot be happening. It’s just a phase. A weird blip. Things will be back to normal this week. We just need to persevere. Consistence is the key. I am not ready for this. You are not ready for this. It’s simply not time yet. You’re not old enough. I had this lasting until you started school. At least.
Anger:
God dammit when am I ever going to have a hot cup of tea again. We are going to be living in squalor because I won’t have time to clean. And how the hell am I going to know what’s going on in Neighbours ever again. Seriously. Why? Why? Why?
Bargaining:
Please sleep for Mummy. I’ll let you watch Paw Patrol and eat chocolate biscuits in the lounge? How about we go to soft play so you can run around and get really tired? Just half an hour. Pleeeeeaaaassse. Do you want to see Mummy cry?
Depression:
Wishing you would sleep so that I can have a break makes me a terrible mother. But I liked things the way they were. We had a routine. I miss hot cups of tea. Stop growing so fast. You’re not a baby anymore. Oh God, you’re going to be leaving home soon. *Sobs
You can read about other causes of these feelings and how to deal with them here.
Acceptance:
It’s okay, you can just help me clean. It doesn’t matter that it will take twice as long because we have ALL day now. I’ll just read the spoilers for Neighbours. It was just a guilty pleasure anyway. At least we can go out at any time, without being tied down to your nap because you would be cranky without it. Ok, you are still a bit cranky. We’ll survive.
Of course once you have been through all of these stages and embraced your new life with very little time to drink a hot cup of tea, you may find yourself going through this process again in response to the impromptu ‘fell asleep in my dinner at 4:30 so i won’t be going to sleep until at least 10:30 tonight’ nap…
“No this can’t be happening. @$#*, @$#*ity, @$#*. If you wake up now you can have two chocolate puddings. What did I do to deserve this? I guess that’s my plans for this evening cancelled then.”
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Haha – yes, both mine have dropped their nap now. It’s upsetting. Mind you, nap was only good with eldest anyway. The little one would only ever nap lying on me, so it’s not like I ever got any time to get things done out of it! #FridayFrolics
I really need that time so I make them have quiet time until they go to kindergarten. If I just send them to their room, they won’t sleep after about 4 years old, but I sit in there and read/nap/work on my computer and usually they do fall asleep. I have a deal with my 5yo that she can read or color in bed, and when she’s ready she has to lie down and be still with her eyes close for 5 minutes. 90% of the time she falls asleep.
#FridayFrolics
Ahhh I am still mourning the lack of naps. Then yesterday Youngest had a nap in the afternoon. It was amazing! I shouldn’t have been so happy, I should have realised that the nap was because she was coming down with something. She is now poorly! #FridayFrolics
Ha! Yes. We are close here. Three or four months and I’ll be in a black veil wailing… #FridayFrolics
It is a sad, sad day. I feel your pain. #fridayfrolics
So true- no matter how many kids I have KNOWING this day will come- I go through months of denial.
#fridayfrolics
Ha ha soooooo funny, I really needed that giggle. I certainly felt very bereft when my daughter dropped her nap gaaaaah. #fridayfrolics
We cried like big wusses. The Tubblet may not have needed the afternoon nap but we still did! Now she’s a teenager she just sleeps all the time and we just get on with stuff! #FridayFrolics
Peachy is 15 months old and still has her one nap. It’s nice to have that break during the day but it also gets in the way of things sometimes. I guess there are pros and cons to these things. #FridayFrolics
haha!! Brilliant! My eldest dropped his nap at 12 months, what kind of sadistic little mini-demon does that to their mother?! #FridayFrolics