As much as we parents would love for our babies to stay babies, they grow up so quickly. And part of this growth involves changes in their established sleep patterns, most notably, naps. Most children give up their nap by 4 years old, but that doesn’t mean that your child doesn’t need naps if they’re displaying tiredness. In fact, many children transition to something that is commonly referred to as quiet time. These periods of quiet time are particularly essential to those children whom still have ‘nap days’. This often occurs when your child is transitioning out of afternoon naps, but may actually ask for, or show tired signs (which indicate they need a nap) a few days a week. It’s actually quite common for preschoolers to need afternoon sleep two or three days a week just to recuperate and be their happy selves. The following may be indicators that your child would benefit from quiet time, or even transitioning to nap days, rather than a set nap every day: • She is regularly fighting the bedtime routine. • She has suddenly become a bedtime jack-in-the-box, popping in and out of her bed. • You can hear her singing, laughing, playing, talking, or getting up and down for an hour (or... more
