Exact Answer: 6 Hours
One of the best feelings in the world is to become parents. Mothers all over the world share their experience when they became a parent for the first time. It makes them nostalgic and brings tears to their eyes. The sensation of holding the child for the first time is priceless. The parents take extra care of their children and keep them away from things that might be dangerous for them.
When the child becomes a toddler, there are certain things that the parents need to follow. Toddlers require a lot of sleep. They have different times for their nap. But the main time to sleep is at night. The parents should be careful about their child’s afternoon nap as it might affect their sleep at night. There should be at least a 6-hour gap between the two.
How Long After Afternoon Nap Is Bedtime Toddler?
| Name | Time |
| Afternoon Nap | 1:30 PM – 2 PM |
| Bedtime | 9 PM – 12 PM |
For toddlers, the time gap between the afternoon nap and night sleep should be 6 hours. In general, toddlers require 12-14 hours of sleep every day. Excluding the night sleep, the toddlers require two more nap times. One of them being the afternoon nap and the other being the morning nap. The naps keep them healthy both mentally and physically. The naps should be around 1-3 hours.
The time for a morning nap may differ depending on the waking time of the toddler. Some of them may wake up at 7 AM while some may wake up at 10 AM. When it becomes too late, the morning nap is excluded. Only when the toddler wakes up early, the parents can make them take the morning nap around 9:30 or 10 in the morning.
In the case of an afternoon nap, the toddlers have a fixed time. Generally, it good for the toddlers to have a nap between 1:30 and 2 in the noon. This keeps them right on schedule for the night’s sleep. The afternoon nap should be for at least 1-3 hours. This will give the toddlers to spend time with their parents after waking up. If the afternoon nap becomes late, then the toddler might not be able to sleep at night.
Different households have different bedtime schedules. Some may sleep early and rise early while some despise the idea of early sleep and early rise. Whatever the case may be but the designated time between afternoon nap and bedtime for toddlers should be 6 hours. The toddler may sleep at 9 PM as well as midnight depending on the afternoon nap.
Why Does Bedtime Take Long After Afternoon Nap For Toddlers?
The time gap between the afternoon nap and bedtime remains the same for every toddler. Six hours are not much when it is considered in this case. Toddlers are fast learners. They require time to know their surroundings and become physically and mentally healthy. In these six hours, they can spend time with their parents and involve in a lot of fun activities.
The six-hour gap is also important for their bedtime because, after having an afternoon nap, they are full of energy. They do a lot of physical work like playing in the park and meeting with different people. After running and jumping all the time, they become tired, which finally leads them to have a good sleep at night. It is important to let the toddlers sleep in their beds and not in their strollers or couch.
Following a daily routine will help the toddler stay stable. Sometimes parents can co-sleep with the toddlers to make them feel safe and secure. They should have their blanket and toys which help them sleep well. They need to have a quiet time so that they can be more active later. If they miss a nap time, the parents can indulge them in audiobooks or do fun activities so that they do not fall asleep and hamper the schedule.
Conclusion
Toddlers need a lot of love and care from their parents. Parents who are working cannot spend much time with their children. The six-hour gap becomes the prime time for them to interact with their toddlers. They play with them and try to get as much fun as possible. It is good for the toddlers to co-sleep with their parents sometimes but not always. It has some positive sides as well as negative sides.
Co-sleeping with them all the time will make them unable to sleep alone and if the parents are working, then the toddler might have difficulty in sleeping. On the other hand, toddlers wake up several times at night and this, in turn, may hamper the sleep of the parents.
References
It’s a bit ironic how an article about child sleep has me yawning!
At least you’re in the right mindset for bedtime, Cmason!
What a beautiful post! It brings tears to my eyes!
I couldn’t agree more, Mason!
The scientific background provided here is really interesting.
Agreed, the mention of the total hours of sleep they need really helps understand the importance of naps.
Absolutely, it adds credibility to the information.
The specific recommendations make sense in the context of a daily routine.
Absolutely, it’s about establishing consistency and stability.
As if parenting wasn’t challenging enough, the schedule now includes nap times!
Hang in there, Ruby01! You’ve got this.
Parenting is quite the adventure, Ruby01!
Another strict schedule to follow? The pressure of parenting just keeps piling up.
Parenting isn’t easy, Dscott. It’s about finding the balance.
Being a parent involves responsibilities, Dscott.
This is great parenting advice!
I appreciate the clear explanation of nap times and bedtime for toddlers.
It’s so helpful to have specific timeframes for nap and bedtime. Thank you!
I’m not convinced that such strict schedules are necessary for toddlers.
I agree, Craig. Kids need flexibility, not rigid schedules.
Really? I think structure is important for kids.
I don’t agree with everything here, but it’s an interesting read for sure.
I can see where you’re coming from, Vlloyd. It’s not all black and white.
I respect your perspective, Vlloyd. Everyone has their own approach to parenting.