Birth to 2 months - 10 1/2 to 18 hours
2 to 12 months - 14 to 15 hours
1 to 3 years - 12 to 14 hours
3 to 5 years - 11 to 13 hours
5 to 12 years - 10 to 11 hours
Naomi, who is nearly 4, sleeps 12 hours each night. So she's pretty much right on there. She takes a "nap" in the afternoon - but there is usually no sleep involved. I tuck her into her bed and say goodnight around 1:00 and she stays in bed about, oh, 5 seconds after I close the door. After that she plays "until the 3 comes" on her clock then she knows she can come downstairs. I think it's pretty much miraculous that this system works. I don't think for 2 seconds that any of my other children will be as good about "nap time" as she is - because...well...it's just miraculous.
Asher, who is 18 months, sleeps 12 hours each night too. Then he takes a morning nap that is somewhere between 20 minutes and 2 hours depending on the day. But no matter how long the morning nap actually sleeping part is, he stays in bed for about an hour and a half. How do Mom's get dressed if their little ones don't take a morning nap? Asher is not trustworthy enough to be left totally unsupervised for that long. Anyway, then he also takes a 2 to 3 hour nap in the afternoon at the same time as Naomi. Here is where I think the problem is. That makes a total of 15 to 17 hours of sleep for him. According to that chart he should only need 12 to 14 hours of sleep per day. So if I cut back on night-time sleep does that mean he would sleep better during the day? But then - isn't the point that he doesn't need that much sleep at all? Or should I just let it be since if he's sleeping then he obviously needs the sleep. That chart is just an average calculation, right?
[There is no picture of Asher sleeping here because it is impossible to get one. The second you walk into his room he pops up and bounces on his bed no matter how asleep he was half a second before]
Isaiah, who is 6 months, sleeps 15 hours at least every day. It's hard to calculate him exactly since he kind of cat naps mostly. He sleeps at least 11 hours at night, and takes at least an hour nap in the morning while I'm showering and stuff. And he usually takes an hour or two nap in the afternoon (he goes to sleep about the time the older kids wake up - we'll have to work on that when he's a little older. Right now I think it's great that he's awake when they're asleep so that I can have some time with just him. Eventually though, I'll want a total break during that time). Then he snoozes after dinner too for a while. So I think that all adds up to 16 hours on a bad day.
Am I letting them sleep too much? What do you think? Is there such a thing as letting a kid sleep too much?
(This was an incredibly long, detailed post. If you actually read all of it and you're not my sister Angela, I'm impressed. [No offense, Ang - this is just the type of thing that you and I discuss all the time so I know you'll read it.] Anyway, thanks for reading it all if you did.)
8 comments:
I read your entire post... it's not at all too long. I say let 'em sleep. What's it gonna hurt?
I am a firm believer in letting them sleep. I think those little bodies know what they need, so if they are falling asleep and staying asleep, keep it that way and enjoy it. My kids are also pretty good sleepers (at least I thought they were until reading your post), but on the off days when they don't sleep well, their moods make it very obvious that the sleep is very good for them. I like the guidelines you listed--I think a lot of parents don't realize their kids aren't getting enough sleep--but I wouldn't take those guides as maximums. Long post ==> Long commnent (Sorry).
I read it all and I say let sleeping babies sleep - as long as they want during the day as long as they sleep when you want them to at night. (you worry too much!!!) You are a wonderful Mom!!!
You pegged me. I am embarrassed to say I read the first paragraph in full, biut then skipped down to the bottom because I was so anxious to post a response that I think the hours that you quoted for recommended sleep are poo. If/when my kids sleep that little, they are emotional basket cases. I've found that if a kid is sleeping (even if I had to force him/her to do it) they needed it.
Plus, they're just so much more peaceful when they are unconscious eh?
I say let them sleep! When my Leah stopped actually sleeping during naptime (or when it varied between 20 minutes and 2 hours each day), I knew it was time to transition from two naps to one, but if your kids still stay happily in bed even if they are not asleep, I say milk it!
If they're sleeping fine at night, why on earth would you have them sleep less during the day? Also, I think quiet time and private time are very valuable, even if they're not sleeping. It's a good habit to learn to take time to be alone and relax. Count your blessings and love it!
if they are happy to sleep at night after napping during the day, then by all means - let them eat cake...I mean take naps. sleeping babies should sleep.
Like Nancy says, honor the sleeping baby! When they stop taking naps and start staying up till 10 you'll be pining for these days. We NEVER wake sleeping kids in our home. Who cares about charts. I can't believe Naomi is so good at staying in her room "until the three!" You are one lucky mama!
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