What to do when the child does not take a nap?

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Many studies have shown that napping in children plays a very important role in brain development and intelligence. Parents need to pay attention to some issues to help children sleep well and sleep well at noon.

1. Why don't children take a nap?

Surely most parents have experienced this situation: Your baby sends out sleepy signals like yawning, rubbing his eyes, lying on the floor and crying, but no matter how hard you try, you feel exhausted. The child still refuses to sleep.
The reason for this problem is because children are interested in what is going on around them, they are curious about many things and are afraid that if they take a nap, they will miss something.
Also, some children refuse to nap as a way to assert their independence. Refusing to sleep is your child's way of taking control from you.

2. What to do when the child refuses to nap?

Here are some methods to help improve your child's nap, including:
Determine your child's sleep time: As a baby, babies can nap about 2 to 3 times a day but when they When the baby starts to walk, the baby will gradually transition to a day's nap. By 18 months, your baby probably won't sleep in the morning. When the morning nap wears off, try switching to an earlier nap, right after lunch. Your baby's nighttime sleep will be affected if he naps late because he won't feel like sleeping just a few hours after waking up from the nap. Stick to your baby's nap time: Toddlers need routines to feel secure. If your child goes through the same steps every day, he'll know what to expect and you can hope he'll be more compliant. For example, if your child usually reads three books before bed, make sure you don't skip this activity even if you're tight on time. If your child is at home with you, make sure your child sleeps in the same place where he sleeps at night, says Jodi Mindell, a pediatric sleep specialist. Try to stick to the same routine even when your child is at home or in kindergarten. Make sure your child has his or her own familiar stuffed bear or blanket. You need to make sure that your baby sleeps on his own at night. Once your baby has gone to sleep on his own without being held, cared for or lulled to sleep, he should be able to do so during the day. Stay calm: While it's frustrating having to deal with a toddler who won't nap, the best thing you can do is not show your child that you're losing your cool. Nap time should not be turned into a battle. Just tell them that they seem tired and need a break, and so do you. Then hug and kiss the baby, hold the baby in your arms, and leave the room. If the baby cries, check and try to comfort the baby but do not lie next to the baby. If you do, your baby will get used to going to bed only when you're there. If your child refuses to nap at all, leave him some toys and books and let him know this is a quiet time.

If you can't get your child to sleep, at least you can help him relax, says Tina Payne Bryson, psychotherapist and co-author of No-Drama Discipline. Explain that although he may not need to sleep, he will fall asleep more easily if you whisper to him. Then, teach the child how to make his/her body warmer. Lie down together, have your child place one hand on their stomach or chest, place your hand on theirs, and breathe slowly together for about a minute. This will help the child feel relaxed. Create a resting place: Things will only get worse when you try to force your child to go to sleep when he doesn't want to. This conflict will make the child feel hurt. If your child insists he doesn't want to nap, don't argue with him. Instead, you can make a deal with your child by setting up a few special books and toys in the “rest place” for rest time only. Signaling the end of nap time: Some children run out of the room after just a few minutes of napping. "Most 3- and 4-year-olds don't have a good concept of time," says pediatric sleep specialist Jodi Mindell. She suggests giving kids a clear signal to mark the end of naptime or quiet time - but not one that will wake them up if they're asleep. You can use a night light with a timer and explain that your child can leave the room when the light is off. Or you could order a soothing playlist and tell her that quiet time will end when the music stops. You can also use a timer that counts down to zero or displays the elapsed time. This means that the child's lunch break is not over until the signal is given. Turn nap time into story time: if your child doesn't like to rest in a quiet space, try telling him a story or two that he loves. This helps the child to lie still and relax. Choose stories that are slow-paced, repetitive, and familiar. If you've tried everything and still won't nap, you have to accept that he doesn't like napping or doesn't need naps as much as you think. Therefore, do not try to force the baby to sleep, make this time a quiet and relaxing time for both mother and child.

To prevent diseases that young children often get, in addition to children's sleep, parents should pay attention to nutrition to improve children's resistance. At the same time, add supporting foods containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, B vitamins,... snacks and less digestive problems.
Parents can learn more:
Why do you need to supplement Lysine for your baby?
The role of zinc - Guidelines for reasonable zinc supplementation
Please visit the website Vinmec.com regularly and update useful information to take care of your baby and family.
Reference source: babycenter.com