Does YOUR Toddler Skip Napping? A Study Finds Why She Shouldn’t
From the archive. This post was first published on the original Green Eggs and Moms blog and is kept here as it was.
Hey there mama! Do you have a toddler?
If you do, you might want to keep her on a strict midday nap routine daily.
Aside from nap time giving you temporary peace and quiet, consistent afternoon appointments with lala land helps your child’s emotional development. Here’s why.
The Study
The University of Colorado Boulder in the US led a study to determine how skipping nap time affects toddlers.
Researchers worked with kids aged 2.5 – 3 years old. The kiddos were split into 2 groups: those who napped and those who skipped their midday sleep.
Each child was then given 2 types of puzzles: one easy to solve and another that was difficult because it included a wrong piece. The entire activity was recorded on video to capture emotions such as: confusion, shame, disgust, anxiety, anger, sadness, excitement, joy and interest through facial expressions.
The Findings
Toddlers who skipped nappy time:
- Showed a 34% decrease in positive emotions compared to their well-napped counterparts after completing the easy puzzle
- Showed a 39% decrease in expressing confusion
- May be at risk for developing mood-related problems
According to the lead researcher Professor Monique LeBourgeois, confusion is a good indicator that a child is engaged with the world.
In the study, when the well-napped toddlers experienced confusion they sought help from other people. This is an important response for a child to have states the professor.
She also says that sleep loss in the form of naps “…may make toddlers unable to take full advantage of exciting and interesting experiences and to adapt to new frustrations.”
Conclusion
Why let your kids miss out on the developmental benefits of nap time? Starting today keep your child on a rigid midday snooze schedule.
Done reading? What are your thoughts on the study?
Photo:Creative Commons – ECohen