Toddler Times - Quiet time

Print Page | Close Window

Quiet time

Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: Toddler Times
Forum Description: Is bubs growing up and getting into everything? How do you train them to use the potty? When do you start feeding solids? Share your tips and advice here!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=32393
Printed Date: 05 August 2025 at 1:38pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Quiet time

Posted By: mamanee
Subject: Quiet time
Date Posted: 21 March 2010 at 1:05pm

Sam hasn't had an afternoon nap in what feels like forever, and it's a really long day sometimes.

Is quiet time in his bedroom ok? He's not the kind of kid who will just read some books or play with toys and be quiet. He will literally scream the entire time until I get fed up and let him out again. I've tried putting activities in there for him in the hope that he will amuse himself, but he just screams and cries and kicks the wall. I've tried putting nothing in there so that he won't be able to amuse himself and will just go to sleep but that doesn't work either.

On days like this should I just keep him up instead? Usually when I have put him down for some quiet time it's because he's behaving that way anyway, (crying, overtired, has a cold, just generally acting up) so I can't win either way.

Replies:

Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 21 March 2010 at 1:10pm

What about a nice quiet dvd? Daniel sat on the couch this morning while I was feeling sh*tty and had my laptop on his lap watching one of his song dvds

Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 21 March 2010 at 1:17pm

That's a good idea, our DVD player is broken, but we have freeview so he can watch Kidzone. At the moment he's lying on the couch with one of the baby blankets quietly. Green snot has appeared so that probably explains the crying!

I totally understand though, having horrendous morning sickness with Jamie and trying to entertain Sam was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Much harder than having a full on child and a newborn!

Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 21 March 2010 at 1:19pm

I subscribe to jofrosts newsletter and this was in one of them.

HTH in someway

hi
my 3 year old daughter has just started at nursery and is going on the afternoon sessions. me and my husband have different opinions about when she should sleep. Confused
at the moment i like her to sleep about 7.30pm and she wakes up between 6.30 and 7.30am, i don't like her to have a nap in the daytime as this means she will not sleep until late and she still wakes at the same time in the morning.
Mad yesterday he let her nap in the daytime and she went to sleep finally at 9pm, i had her in bed from 7.30pm but she was just messing about and fighting.
my husband insists she needs a nap because she needs lots of sleep "to grow" and doesn't think what she gets through the night is enough.
so i would please like to hear from you, is 12 hours sleep for a 3 year old enough? she does get grumpy and whiney from feeling tired after nursery but i have found if i distract her with cartoons and playing i can keep her awake until 7.30pm

Dear Tracey Khadija,

A mother's routine is sufficient and 12 hours sleep is amble for a three year old. If your toddler has had a busy morning, she may show signs of being tired. Thirty minutes of peace and quiet with books and puzzles is sufficient. The fact that she didn't go to sleep until 9 p.m. confirms that it's not necessary for her to have long nap periods. Our children taking naps becomes a break for us. And, your husband insisting on naps for growth purposes is redundant because she's already sleeping twelve hours per day as it is.

So if you want me to referee, at this stage of the game I would firmly say I'm in your corner.

Warm Wishes,

ETA what I meant was if he's having enough sleep at night maybe he just needs to chill where ever he is and doesn't need the sleep.

-------------
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">

Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 21 March 2010 at 1:40pm

Thanks for that! Sounds exactly right for our situation as he is a great sleeper at night time. Sometimes it takes him a little while to wind down but he generally sleeps 11-12 hours straight. On the odd occasion he has had a day sleep he's mucked around until well after 10PM so we usually try to just ride it out until bedtime. Just becomes such a looooooong day and this time of the afternoon I'm pretty much over it as I've had four hours of broken sleep with the little one overnight.

The quiet time on the couch seems to have helped though.

Thanks for that.

Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 21 March 2010 at 1:45pm

Glad I could help!

-------------
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">