Daytime sleep is very important for the baby. Rest in the afternoon contributes to normal development. And what if the child at 2 years old does not want to sleep during the day? And how does this affect his well-being? The article will discuss the reasons for refusing sleep and the ability to quickly solve this problem.
Why does a child sleep during the day
Experts say that a good afternoon nap increases effectiveness and concentration, improves the emotional and mental state of the crumbs. A sleepy child is balanced, calm, independently entertains himself and does not require the constant presence of an adult next to him. Pediatricians note the benefits of daytime sleep not only for infants, but also for older children. For the prevention of neurological and behavioral problems in children after a year, daily afternoon rest is important.
Many parents make a mistake, believing that a child who did not sleep during the day, easier to fall asleep in the evening. Most often, a different situation occurs: an overexcited baby cannot fall asleep in the evening, and at night it constantly turns and wakes up. This indicates overwork.
It is important to remember that in infancy, children sleep as much as they need. And starting from the age of 2, their psyche changes greatly. So why does a child at 2 years old not want to sleep during the day? The fact is that from this age, crumbs have a feeling of anxiety, fear, agitation, so the quality and quantity of sleep is significantly reduced. If he is constantly in a state of lack of sleep, then his ability to learn decreases, the state of the immune system worsens.
One of the main tasks of parents is to properly organize daytime sleep for the baby. This will help him to develop well both intellectually and physically.
How many hours should a baby sleep?
There are no strict standards on the issue of sleep; the baby independently determines how long he wants to sleep. For some children, a long rest is considered normal, and for others a short rest.
How many hours does a child sleep at 2 years? So, according to the research of Dr. Komarovsky, there are such norms of the average daily need for children in a dream:
- up to 3 months, the baby should sleep from 16 to 20 hours;
- up to 6 months - at least 14.5 hours;
- from 1 to 2 years - no more than 13.5 hours a day;
- in 2-4 years - at least 13 hours;
- at 4-6 years - about 11.5 hours a day;
- at 6-12 years, the daily norm of sleep does not exceed 9.5 hours;
- after 12 years, it is enough for the child to sleep 8.5 hours a day.
If a baby under 3 years old sleeps less than 12 hours a day, then most often it compensates for insufficient daytime sleep at night. Specialists draw the attention of young parents that if the baby did not sleep for a long time, but remains calm, inquisitive, cheerful, then for him there are individual norms.
Usually newborns sleep from one feeding to another. And the older they get, the less they relax. First, the baby begins to stay awake after dinner, and sleeps no more than 17 hours a day. Then the child switches to a 2-day nap.
Each age has its own characteristics. The child’s sleep pattern at 2 years old changes, and he sleeps only 1 time, and the duration of such a dream does not exceed 3 hours. Closer to 3-4 years, he can completely abandon daytime sleep. However, some children retain the need for afternoon rest up to 6-7 years. And pediatricians advise preschoolers up to this age to relax during the day.
What to do if the child does not want to sleep during the day
The daily routine, food, clothes, walks very much affect the quality of the baby’s sleep. In order for the baby to go to bed with pleasure, you need to set the correct sleep mode at 2 years, and also parents need to ensure:
- Proper and balanced nutrition.
- Constant walks and outdoor games.
- Regular wet cleaning in the children's room.
- Comfortable, clean and soft bed.
Usually, children with their own schedule do not have the vagaries of daytime sleep. They are accustomed to go to eat, play, sleep at certain times. Of course, you do not need to follow the daily regime too carefully. If the child looks tired before the due date, then it is better to put him to bed and not wait for the right time. However, if he is still playing or inspecting the last cartoon before going to bed, then you should not interrupt the process and drag him to bed by force. It is better to allow to complete what has been started and calmly go to rest.
Parents should not put the baby back to sleep if he woke up ahead of time. Also, do not wake him up if the time allotted for daytime sleep is already over. It is better to pay more attention to the condition and well-being of the child than to the watch.
Reasons for giving up daytime sleep
Not all two-year-olds have a need for daytime sleep. Therefore, if a child sleeps soundly at night, he has sufficient physical activity and does not experience tantrums, then he does not need an afternoon nap. Instead, at this time you can play calm games, lie down and read an interesting book.
There are times when parents notice that the lack of daytime sleep leads to poor health crumbs. Therefore, the answer to the question of what to do if a child at 2 years old does not want to sleep during the day will be a recommendation to study the most common causes and methods for solving them.
| Cause | Description of reason | Decision |
| Incorrect daily routine | Scientists have proven that there is a certain time when a child is ready to fall asleep and get a high-quality sleep. At this time, body temperature changes, the metabolism slows down and, if there is a need, the body falls asleep. | The optimal time for going to bed for a two-year-old child will be the interval between 12:30 and 13 hours of the day. Provided that the baby woke up no later than 7 o’clock in the morning. |
| Abrupt and frequent change of activity | Children are inherently very curious and active. Therefore, daytime is filled with games, laughter, tears, songs for them. And if at this time mom starts to sleep without completing the process, then, most likely, she will encounter an unwillingness to go to bed and cry. | It is advisable for parents to form rituals that will help the child to tune in to a nap. Do not use too long a procedure before a night's rest. However, some items can be taken. Knowing the sequence of actions will help the baby emotionally prepare for an afternoon sleep and avoid protests. |
| Improper sleeping room | It is very difficult to fall asleep when the room is flooded with sunlight, from the open windows you can hear the laughter of children playing, and I remember the recent walk. Children, like all adults, find it easier to fall asleep in a dark and well-ventilated room. Parents should not open the windows wide or turn on the light; it is better to create a dim atmosphere in the room. This will help the baby's body to produce the hormone melatonin, which is responsible for a good and sound sleep. | To create an atmosphere for sleeping in the room, you can use blackout curtains or cassette blinds. If the street is too noisy and the sound penetrates even through the closed windows, then you can turn on the white noise in the room. The background in the room may be the noise of static between radio stations, the sound of rain or surf. Such sounds are not addictive. But classical music is not suitable for these purposes. |
| Negative Sleep Associations | While the baby is small, parents do everything possible so that he sleeps as long as possible. And rightly so, up to 4 months it is very difficult for a child to go to bed on his own. But it happens that this situation lasts up to 1-2 years. And the only way to put the baby to sleep is to hold it in your arms or to breastfeed. | The solution to this problem will be two methods: sharp and gradual. Not many mothers will agree to the method of "fall asleep when they cry," although he is considered one of the fastest and most effective. In the second method, mothers will need patience and perseverance. The room should have partial shade and fresh air without any noise. To begin with, the mother should not swing the baby until it falls asleep completely, but to a deep sleep state. Then just hold it in your arms. After the baby gets used to it, you can rocking and putting the baby, who has not yet fallen asleep, into the crib. |
Only the most common causes are listed here. Sometimes the baby refuses to sleep due to lack of physical activity. Therefore, you should carefully study the regimen of the child's day. This will help determine what should be excluded from it and what should be added.
How to put your baby to bed without tantrums
You should not spend a lot of effort laying the baby. A few proven ways to put a child to 2 years to sleep during the day:
- Parents need to create a comfortable and relaxing environment in their sleeping room. Nothing should scare the baby.
- Before going to bed, you need to read good, fearless tales, children's poems or sing a lullaby.
- Some babies are calmed by a gentle, light stroking on the back or head.
- A parent can lie down next to the child, citing fatigue, and ask him not to make noise.
The kid, wanting not to wake up an adult, will be able to fall asleep nearby. Such methods should work within the first half hour. If laying is delayed, then parents urgently need to change tactics and not insist on their own.
The effect of daytime sleep at night
If the child does not sleep during the day, this does not mean that he will not sleep well at night. The main thing is to follow a few rules:
- Parents should not play noisy and outdoor games with their child before a night's rest.
- It is better to exclude watching cartoons before bedtime.
- An unhurried walk in the evening, swimming, and a good fairy tale will help you to fall asleep. For a good sleep, fairy tale therapy will help. It will help not only to realize the child all the events of the past day, but also to fall asleep faster.
But what about the kindergarten regime?
Many parents make their child sleep only because the kindergarten has its own regime. Even if a child at 2 years old does not want to sleep during the day, then you should not scare him with a children's educational institution.
He must know what is fascinating, fun and interesting. And the educator is primarily his friend, not the overseer. Most often, children are easily included in this mode and with pleasure they go to bed with their peers, eat and play.
How to captivate a child instead of daytime sleep
Instead of a day's sleep, the baby can be offered quiet and calm games. For example, they perfectly cope with the restoration of the nervous system, modeling and drawing.
Also, the parent can offer the baby to lie on the bed together and read their favorite tales, poems or stories.
Conclusion
Parents need to be patient and take into account the individual needs of their baby. So, if the baby does not want to sleep during the day and looks all the same cheerful, joyful, then you should not force him to go to bed. For such a child, a night's rest is enough.