Why Do My Child's Naps Suck?!?!

Whether your child attends daycare full-time or is home with you all day, it SUCKS when they don’t nap well. Naps are fantastic! Even as adults, a nap can be absolutely therapeutic, both mentally and physically. And babies and toddlers need naps in order to keep themselves happy and thriving. But when you first start teaching your little one the glorious skill of falling asleep independently, you’re likely to notice that getting the hang of daytime sleep can be a lot more difficult. Out of all the kids I’ve worked with, I’d say most of them have had trouble with naptime. Here are my top tips to make naptime go more smoothly!

• Black out the windows! Cellular shades with blackout curtains over the top to block out light coming in around the edges is one of the best investments we made! It doesn’t really matter what you use as long as you achieve total darkness.
• No screens at least an hour before sleep time! Sunlight and blue light from screens stimulate cortisol production which is a stimulant and a real detriment to getting to sleep!

• Physical activity is hugely beneficial for building up sleep drive

• Avoid FOMO! Do exciting and engaging activities near the start of your child’s “wake time”. When sleep time is approaching do calmer activities like coloring, reading books, cuddling, etc. Timing is everything. If your child is in the middle of their favorite Paw Patrol episode or a killer game of hide and seek, of course they aren’t going to want to stop for nap time and so the protesting ensues!

• Use continuous white noise to block out environmental disturbances like sirens, doorbells!
• If your child depends on you or something external to get them to sleep, then teach them how to fall asleep on their own. This may be where you need me to come in for the assist!

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you’ll make good sleep for your family a goal for 2022. Reach out if you need some help reaching that goal!

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