Why do kids stop napping

Your child has a consistent personality from morning until bedtime, even on busy days. Of course, most children have ups and downs throughout the day, but a child whose ready to ditch the naps is generally stable.

They don't have meltdowns in the late afternoon when they miss a nap. They experience trouble napping. When your child is put in bed for a nap, they rarely fall asleep. They may also act fidgety and restless at naptime. Note that if your child responds negatively to naps but still snoozes for an hour or longer, they're probably not ready to ditch their midday slumber, says Pantley.

Naps mess up their bedtime routine. When your child naps, they have a hard time going to sleep at their regular bedtime. They may take a long time to fall asleep, or they could wake up too early. Bedtime is generally easy without naps. Even when your child doesn't sleep during the day, they go to bed at a reasonable time and sleep well all night. Your child doesn't act tired throughout the day. Most kids take this final step over several weeks—napping some days and not others.

Ultimately, your child will completely switch to an afternoon quiet time. When your tyke gives up her last nap, expect her to start running out of gas earlier in the evening.

So be prepared to slide dinner and bedtime an hour earlier. If your child is able to skip naps without any sign of crankiness or exhaustion, then they may be ready to stop napping.

It is important to stay patient and understand that the process of stopping naps is different for every child. This transition can be challenging, and there is no one way to do it successfully. Initially, they may feel irritable and grumpy. Caregivers can try introducing an earlier bedtime, which will give them the rest they need. If these mood or behavioral changes persist, it may mean they are not ready to drop their nap, even if their age suggests otherwise.

It is important to remember that the transition from biphasic two-part to monophasic one-part sleep is about how the sleep is structured more than how much sleep is needed. Caregivers should expect that when children stop napping, they need to sleep longer at night. One study found that non-napping children had a longer nighttime sleep duration than napping children. It is also important to reduce naps at the right age.

Dropping naps when a toddler is not ready could make them feel stressed and cause them to misbehave. Because all children stop naps at their own pace, it is usually unnecessary to see a doctor. An underlying health condition could be affecting their energy levels.

A healthcare professional can also diagnose nutrient deficiencies, such as a lack of iron , which could be making them tired. Children usually transition from two naps per day to one nap per day when they are around 18 months of age.

They then begin skipping their once-daily nap when they are around 3 years old. Those older than 5 years rarely take naps, and most children stop completely when they are 7 years. Transitioning out of naps is a gradual process that requires patience. Caregivers can ease the transition by introducing quiet time, which gives children the option to either nap or play quietly. Stopping naps can be a challenging process, but it is also an exciting developmental milestone.

The best nap duration varies from person to person, but experts tend to agree that 20 minutes is ideal. Learn more about how long naps should be in…. Night terrors in toddlers are common. Interestingly, twins often give up naps sooner than single babies. For this reason, you may want to put them down for naps in separate rooms.

Read more about naptime and nap schedules here. Your child will stop napping when she no longer needs these extra periods of rest to keep up her energy throughout the day.

Here are some signs that your child is ready to stop napping:. Difficulty falling asleep during naptime. Instead of sleeping, your child may attempt to play or sing while lying down for naptime. Difficulty falling asleep at bedtime. The best strategy is to shorten the nap and not try to push her bedtime later.