Doctor's advice: How to get your kid ready for a nap

This story was originally titled "Your Kids: 0-5 Years" in the June 2009 issue. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!

The situation: I'm at my wit's end trying to settle our three-year-old down for a nap. She screams the whole time.

The solution: There's no reason to make a three-year-old take a nap. While there are plenty of charts stating how many hours a child needs to sleep, every child is different. Some three-year-olds are little bears unless they have a midday snooze, while others do perfectly well without one. Nonetheless, a child might refuse to nap, even when she seems to need one, because the timing is off and she's got her second wind.

The best time to encourage napping is at the first sign of fatigue. Watch for that initial yawn, when she becomes less attentive and more demanding. The key message here is to remember your child is an individual with her own set of priorities, requirements and preferences. Her behaviour and ability to cope and enjoy the day is your best guide to whether she needs a nap. For those tireless kids who resist naps, I'd suggest you encourage a quiet period at a regular time each day. This will give you both a chance to recharge and enjoy the rest of the day.

Cathryn Tobin is a pediatrician and author of The Lull-a-Baby Sleep Plan and The Parent's Problem Solver.

Read more:
• Understanding your child's misbehaviour
• Parenting a preschooler
• Beat morning mayhem

Check out:
• CanadianLiving.com Parenting
• Canadian Living.com Toddlers & Preschoolers
• CanadianLiving.com Babies

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