[clouise]

OMG....I seriously can't have another day like today. My nerves are just shot. The endless crying and screaming just really wears me out.

So Katy Ann is 23 months now, and has decided she doesn't need a nap. Matt and Beth napped until about four. Carrie stopped napping at one, but I didn't care because she was still happy. Katy can't function without the nap...she is a hot mess from about 4pm until bedtime if she skips it. Today she fell apart about 1, as this was when I tried to force the nap. So 1pm to 8pm of her acting like a total monster. DH was working, so no break to be had.

Here's our situation - she has her own room and sleeps in a toddler bed. Crib is long gone, as she could climb out of it. She can also turn her doorknob and come out already. I've thought about putting up a baby gate in hopes that pinning her in there will make her give up and go to sleep, but then I'd have to leave the door open and she could hear the other kids.

Over the past few weeks she's gone from happily letting me tuck her in and leave, to a crazy elaborate routine involving back rubs and me making the other kids pretend they are napping too, lol. The last week has been no naps at all. Today she screamed and hit me and threw things and it just never ended. Finally I smacked her leg and put her in the bed. Then I stayed in that room a full hour tucking her back in and basically keeping her from leaving. No luck. I gave up, she came down, and proceeded to fall apart completely. Just not her happy self at all, and there was nothing I could do to calm her back down.

Any nap advice? I'm at the point where I'm considering driving her around so she can at least get a car seat nap....back to the newborn stage I guess, lol. Pitiful!

[Farmers-wife]

When #1 did tis at about the same age, I spent one nap time standing by the door and when she cameout, I gave her 3-5 swaps with the spoon and put her back to bed. It really only took one day, but it was 8 or 9 times til she went to sleep. Never happened again, though.

But I also suggest that you be sure she is tired enough for a nap. Ors used to nap from 2-4. if she isn't tired, tis could go on. But don't let her sleep too long!

[8miraclez]

Yep, I've spent many days standing by the door, putting them back to bed. With my 4yr old, we found a book on tape that she loved. We would only let her listen to it if she laid down. Sometimes she'd fall asleep, sometimes not. Either way, as long as she laid down, when it was over, she could get up. It's 30min long. Yours may be too young for that to work, but it will eventually set in. Whatever you do, it just needs to be the same every time. That way, she'll realize if she just lays down, she'll be able to get up to play soon.