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As a parent, your sleep is the one thing you miss the most. But once you sign up to be a parent, you need to kiss your quiet nap times goodbye. Toddlers almost live by the motto, ‘don’t sleep and don’t let anyone else sleep.’ And this obviously does no good to anyone. Soon, you will be left with raccoon eyes, a foggy brain, and a cranky toddler. So, if the answer to all these miseries is sleep, why won’t your toddler sleep? Well, there are several reasons as to why your toddler fights nap time or has an disturbed sleep, even if you put them to sleep. Here in this article are a few reasons why they have an erratic sleep schedule and how to help them with it. Read on!
1. Your Child No Longer Needs The Same Amount Of Nap Time As They Did A Few Months Back
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Consider any recent developments in your child’s life, growth, or development as a possible answer. For example, do they know how to crawl yet? Have they started eating solids or attended daycare? Alterations in routine also disrupt one’s ability to get enough shut-eye. Check for signs of fatigue in between naps so you can adapt accordingly.
2. The Naptime Routine Doesn’t Accommodate Your Child’s Natural Sleep Rhythms
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The solution is to consider your child’s circadian rhythm when deciding on things like naptime, bedtime, mealtime, the amount of light your child is exposed to, and how active your child is. Check their routine to make sure these things happen at consistent times daily. Your child’s sleep patterns may be disrupted if you do things incorrectly (such as letting him or her play in a brightly lit room immediately before bedtime).
3. There Is No Regularity In Sleep
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Your child may be experiencing problems if nap times, bedtimes, and wake-up times are consistent Monday to Friday but more erratic on the weekends. For example, your kids sleep at a specific time at daycare and a particular time at home, or if he or she takes a long nap when you’re at home but a shorter one in the car on days when you’re out and about.
4. Your Child Is Too Weary To Rest By Naptime
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If you fail to recognize your child’s exhaustion signals, you may deal with more weeping, whining, fussing, and tantrums than usual. This is because your child will have swiftly moved past their weary spell, physically exhausted bodies and into that condition of fake vitality. In addition, when you fail to recognize your child’s signals of exhaustion, they will have trouble falling asleep no matter how late you put them to bed.
5. Your Child Is Taking Short Irregular Naps
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When your child reaches that point of exhaustion, they may fall asleep for a few minutes while relaxing on the couch, swing, or car. Though it won’t be as restorative as a complete nap, this little snooze may be all your little one needs to stay awake when you finally lay them down for his or her scheduled nap time. Avoid putting your child in a sleep-inducing setting like a vehicle trip or swing at a time during which they are likely to require a nap. This will enable them to take a longer nap when they get home in their own bed.
6. Your Child May Have Health Problems
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An issue with your child’s health might significantly impact his or her ability to sleep. Common childhood health problems include asthma and allergies. Your child may have trouble breathing while lying down if they have one of these health problems. Other conditions that might hinder a kid from napping effectively include colic, reflux, ear infections, and teething. Your child’s health primarily depends on healthy naps if he or she has any medical difficulties. In this scenario, being adaptable and willing to try everything that puts your child to sleep will significantly assist. Also, as a parent you need to understand that kids don’t sleep like adults do. And they are way more energized with little sleep than adults. So you need to make sure they get enough rest, even if it’s not sleep. You can help them lie on their backs while you read them a bedtime story or they can help you count your fingers, or even sing rhymes together!
So now that you know what is keeping your child from taking a nap, you can surely help them with a sound sleep. So, what is your trick to helping your child sleep well? Let us know in the comments section.
