[bottle~rocket]

I have posted here before about DS dropping his afternoon nap shortly after he turned 2. I gave up on trying to get him to sleep in the afternoon, especially since on the occasions that he does sleep in the afternoon he doesn't go to sleep until 9 or 10 at night.

The problem is that he is still getting tired during the day, and by late afternoon things get quite tense. I am finding the afternoons at home with him really hard, by the end of the day we are driving each other mad actually! He starts whining and demanding things non-stop, the only thing that will pacify him is the TV and I don't like to rely on this too much.

Anyway I was hoping some of you might have some ideas about how you spend your afternoons with your LO. Do you have a routine or regular activities? We are out every morning but home by 12 and from then until around 6 or 7 I am on my own with him, some days this seems like forever.

TIA.

This post has been edited by bottle~rocket: 07/08/2012, 09:41 PM

[libbylu]

DS dropped his nap at age 2 as well and it took about 4 months to adjust and get over the extreme afternoon grumps.
We would do activities that included some resting (for me as much as for him) such as:
-swinging together in the hammock on the deck and chatting and looking at the trees and birds
- making a cubby house with chairs and blankets and cushions and pretending to have tea then pretending to have a nap.
- sitting on the couch looking at lots of books (went to the library a lot during this period)
- putting him in the bath for a much longer period than necessary (water is calming)
- putting him in the pram and going for a walk

It was a trying time.

I also started making and serving dinner to him really early (i.e. 5pm) so he would be less grumpy and eat better.

This post has been edited by libbylu: 07/08/2012, 09:47 PM

[VintageEyes]

My 2yo DS loves:
- anything outside: walks, exploring the garden, "helping" me weed, sandpit
- duplio: I build bridges & garrag es for him to use with his cars, sometimes he just has fun taking them apart
- "fishing" games made from paper & magnets
- play dough (with me)
-drawing (with me)
-puzzles (with me)

As he is getting older, he is getting better at independant & immaginative play.

[cinnabubble]

We do quiet time on the couch watching Yo Gabba Gabba and very early dinner.

The real sanity saver is picking up her big sister from school, as that breaks up the afternoon and occupies her until very early dinner.

[Just Another Cat]

My DD stopped having naps around 2 as well.

Afternoon walks in the pram were always a good way to relax her. If she had a really busy morning she would even nod off for a power nap on occasions.

On rainy days she would watch a DVD.

ETA a drive in the car was always a life saver on the really bad days.

This post has been edited by VioletSwallow: 07/08/2012, 09:57 PM

[Ehill]

DD is now 3 and has adjusted to the no-nap but it took a while and finally the whinging has reduced.

So here are a few ideas which I did during the transition period (some of which we still do):

Have a 'rest time' around 1 or 2ish or whenever the nap used to be. DD would lie on the couch with a rug, her baby, her dummy, whatever, just REST AND LEAVE MUMMY ALONE! Yes, that is how I said it some days. I am fine with TV for this period as yes, I agree it is a mindless activity but that is the whole point! Mindless and she stays still. I rest too, have a cup of tea, use internet, read a book. i am very adament that she needs to leave me alone for a while so I can rest. We still do it but sometimes she plays or draws on her own.

'Help' with dinner, yes it is PITA but it entertains them. I do dinner in the afternoon and she often helps. We also cook afternoon tea like pikelets or a cake or something. Messy but she loves it.

Sit down at the table for a set afternoon tea, cut up some fruit, have something yummy and make a big deal of it.....takes up 20mins!

About 4 ish we often go for a short walk to get some fresh air and clear the heads. Do you have a pground nearby or a park? I keep it under an hr otherwise my evening routine goes a bit pearshaped.

I dont like getting in the car for anything at this stage of the day if I can help it.

DD's bedtime has moved 30mins earlier since the no nap. Makes the evening end very qckly.

Hope that helps. It is a difficult transition but they do get used to it.

[BlueUnicorn]

My ds still day sleeps, but with my dd I put her to bed for an hour every day while ds sleeps ( rest time). She can read/ play/ colour/rest whatever, but she has down time in her room for that hour. It gives us all a break from each other and makes for a much nicer afternoon. He is usually asleep by 11 (earliest) and up by 1 at the latest.

We get up have lunch then play for a few hours. Usually a mixture of riding bikes outside and coloring in/ playough or just them free playing with toys/ cubbys etc.

When dd is at school my ds will play cars/ planes on his own or we go outside. I do my own thing mostly and let him go. Sometimes he helps me do washing or we go to the park. Sometimes he brings me a car and we have a play. Usually I put play school Or a movie on at 4.30 while I make tea and do few things. Then tea time, shower, teeth, story and bed by 6.30. Sometimes we watch a movie or some abc kids after tea time and before shower.

Not sure if that gives you some ideas, but it works for us.

[*Finn*]

The only way I can get through an afternoon at home with DS if he hasn't slept is to go for a walk to the beach/park. Even in winter. At home my kids will whine, fight and just generally trash the house. I still make him rest for at least an hr in his bedroom too.

[bottle~rocket]

Thanks for all the replies. That gives me quite a few ideas to start with.

For those who have an early dinner - how early? - and do you cook a separate dinner for the kids? What do they do when you are cooking dinner? Sorry to sound so clueless.

This post has been edited by bottle~rocket: 07/08/2012, 10:29 PM

[3_for_me]

We enforce quiet time where they are expected to go and spend some time on their own reading books, etc, that includes the two year old. Usually i will cook dinner while they are doing this and then just a quick heat up later so they can eat. At that stage a 5:30 dinner was a common occurance.