Nap issue

sarahandtim

I was told to "see what your Internet friends think" about this. Logan will be 2 in February and he still takes long naps for me and my parents (2-3 hours usually). If I have to struggle with him it only takes 15-20 minutes to get him down.

He completely refuses to nap for Tim. He has tried everything but Logan will not sleep for him unless it's bedtime. This is becoming an issue especially now that I'm at musical rehearsal on Sundays. Yesterday he refused his nap and then fell asleep on the living room floor at 5:00 for a solid 2 hours.

Anyone have a situation like this or have any suggestions?

BethieB

We struggled with something similiar in the Ben wouldn't go down for my MIL, or would take forever to go down.  It is an issue since it interferes with bedtime routines. 

What does Tim do while he tries to get Logan down? Has he tried the "boring daddy" routine where he just lays there and pretends to sleep?

Is it always on a particular day that Tim tries to nap him? For our MIL situation, we found it was more about breaking his routine... on M& T he goes to daycare and is used to napping there. Then on Wed MIL would watch him and he'd be thrown enough that it effected naptime. 

If you are desperate, I suggest a dose of liquid melatonin (found at Giant Eagle by Natrol). We still to this day haev to give 5mls to Ben to get him to settle down. His ped is totally okay with it since it's OTC.  15 mins after we give it to him, he is out like a light.

Good luck! Kids don't know how lucky they have it to have to take a nap!!

AmandaJLewis

Does Tim have any strategy to getting him to start to settle down before nap? a story, some quiet cuddle time?  It could be he is just transitioning differently than you would do it and perhaps a change to that would help.  Does Tim ever put him down for a nap while you are home?

sarahandtim

He tries the same thing my dad and I do - bear hug until he calms down, lullaby station on pandora, shhh-ing and singing. He has tried pretending to sleep, but Logan see that as party time. Haha!

Since I'm home now it seems he's just more used to me putting him down and Monday/Wednesday is my parents. Maybe if I start letting him do it on Saturdays when we're both home. Usually if Tim tries we both get frustrated and I come in and get him down for the sake of a nap.

Good ideas so far though! Thanks ladies! Keep em coming if you've got them.

ryanthegirl

We have a semi-similar situation. G is super tough to get to bed if both Casey and I are involved in bedtime. Even though Casey doesn't really do anything to amp him up, if Casey is there at story and crib time, G seems to get a second wind. Papa is a play-thing and mama is boring, I guess, lol.

I don't have any advice b/c what we typically do now is Casey will handle bath time and I get him ready for bed and do the whole "going to bed" thing - which isn't realistic for your circumstance. 

I think maybe trying to put him down when you're home (and without you intervening) may help Logan to understand that you and daddy both have the same excepectations. Maybe I'll try that with bed time too! Good luck.