There we were, night seven staring at our 31-month old’s (2 year and 7 months) monitor as she rolled around in her bed after laying there for 60 minutes. We had dropped the total nap time down to 45 minutes and still… she could not seem to fall asleep sooner than 60-90 minutes, after bedtime. The dreaded thought appeared in our minds…. It is time to drop the last and final nap… UHHHHHH. What are we going to do ALL day to ensure she 1. Doesn’t fall asleep and 2. Doesn’t get Overtired.

If your three-year-old, or older child is also, taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep at bedtime, and you have already decreased nap to 45 minutes then, it is probably time to drop the last nap.

Understand that any nap transition can take an entire month to actually see progress. Stick with it and know there is freedom in dropping the nap.

Okay, so…. I know what you all are thinking, “Brooke, does this mean my kid stays awake… ALL DAY, and there is never a time for them to regroup, rest or for me to even get a “break?” WRONG.

While dropping the nap, we want to introduce a time during the day for a quiet regroup, I like to call it.

During this time your preschool aged child will have a blocked- off time period where they are not around anyone else, they are offered a quiet (brightly lit) place and are able to rest and regroup their minds to finish off the rest of the day, without becoming overtired.

Listed below are a few key items to ensure you have set your preschool aged child up for a successful quiet-regroup that will in the end allow their minds to rest and reset.

Key 1:

§ Brightly Lit Room:

· Ensure that you have offered them a room that is receiving a lot of natural daylight. This is not artificial light as in television or tablets, but light from outside. This room is the perfect temperature so that they are not too hot, or too cold. Having quiet- regroup in a room that is pitch black, or where they are used to napping could lead to them falling asleep.

Key 2:

§ Quiet- Regroup Drawer:

· Create a drawer in your home that is filled with quiet-regroup activities. This is a “special” drawer that only they can choose from which has options such as; bucket full of animals, puzzles, blocks and play-dough. Items and toys that promote and create thoughts, creativity and growth.

· Staying away from any toys that make noises or have bright colors.

Key 3:

§ Hatch System:

· Use the white light on the hatch for the time period you want your child to stay in their quiet-time area.

· Have the Hatch turn Yellow when you want them to begin cleaning up.

· Green for when they are allowed to exit quiet-regroup.

When it is time to begin implementing quiet-regroup be patient with your child and know there are many changes that are occurring. Have low expectations about the length of quiet-regroup time.

Offer quiet-regroup 5 hours after they have been awake for the day, and then, allow it to last about 2-2.5 hours. This may seem unreachable in the beginning, but your child will grasp what is needed from them as long as, you stay consistent. Start off with a time period of 30-40 minutes and each week, increase the time.

Quiet-Regroup is a time period that allows your child to take a breath, spend time alone and have independent play, but it also is a time period for Moms and Dads to also, get the mid- day break to ensure their tanks are being filled too. Losing the nap should not have you fearful of filling your mid-day tank.

If you need support putting these steps in place, let’s chat on a FREE call.