If you’re wondering when to transition your toddler to one nap a day, let me share what’s happening with my 20-month-old, Valentina. Every child is different, but maybe our journey will resonate with you—or at least give you a place to start.

The Typical Timeline for Nap Transitions

Most toddlers switch from two naps to one somewhere between 15 and 18 months, though the range can stretch from 12 to 21 months. Since my kids have always leaned toward higher sleep needs, it didn’t surprise me that Valentina hasn’t fully switched yet.

But even though most kids follow this general timeline, every toddler’s journey is unique. And like most nap transitions, the process is rarely smooth or linear (because, of course, toddlers love to keep us guessing).

Why Valentina Hasn’t Switched Yet

Two weeks ago, we were at the beach, and Valentina thrived on a one-nap-a-day schedule—probably because she had the excitement of siblings and cousins to keep her busy. I thought, This is it! She’s ready!

But as soon as we came home, everything changed. Without all the stimulation, mornings felt so long for her. By mid-morning, she was cranky, exhausted, and miserable—making it clear that pushing her to one nap wasn’t the right move just yet.

We’ve even had a split night (you know, those nights when your toddler wakes up at 2 a.m., ready to party). That’s usually a sign of too much daytime sleep, which is why I initially wondered if maybe she should go to one nap a day. But the resulting morning crankiness made it clear that this wasn't quite right.

But… here’s the catch. I can hear her from my office after her first nap, and she’s cranky when I wake her up. It’s no fun for anyone, and it’s got me thinking: could tweaking her nap schedule help?

My Nap Transition Strategy

Here’s what I’m trying with Valentina—and what I recommend to parents who are navigating this tricky transition:

1. Move the First Nap Earlier This one is key. The first nap doesn’t have to happen when your toddler looks tired. In fact, they shouldn’t be very tired—it’s better if they’re just starting to yawn or slow down.

For example, we’ve been putting Valentina down around 9 a.m., but I’m moving it to 8:30 a.m. That feels early, but most days I start to see yawns by then. The goal here is to put her down when she's just a little bit tired. Which can feel strange!  

2. Cap the Morning Nap If you’re still doing two naps, try capping the first nap to starting at 90 minutes and reducing by 15 minute increments until you find a time that works. As your child grows, you'll have to keep shortening the time. For Valentina, I’ve been letting her sleep 60-75 minutes., but I’m starting to think that’s too long for her now. Every child is different, so experiment with timing to see what works for yours.

3. Adjust the Second Nap Once the first nap is shortened, shift the second nap slightly later, but not so late that it interferes with bedtime. For most toddlers, the sweet spot is around 1–2:00 p.m., but don’t let the nap go past 4 p.m.

4. Be Flexible Here’s a big takeaway: your toddler doesn’t have to follow the same nap schedule every day. At daycare, most toddlers take just one nap because that’s the schedule. At home, you can keep two naps on the table for days when they're looking tired before mid-morning.

This kind of flexibility might feel chaotic, but it’s normal during transitions. You’ll know your child is ready to drop to one nap completely when they start consistently skipping one of the naps—usually the afternoon one.

Signs Your Toddler is Ready for One Nap

Here’s what to look for:

• Your toddler consistently skips one nap (usually the second one) for multiple days in a row.
• They stay happy and energetic until late morning.
  
  

​When these signs show up, start gradually moving the first nap later (and shorter) until your little one is taking one (longer) midday nap.

Nap Transition Tips

• If your toddler skips the morning nap, try pushing it no later than 10 a.m., and cap it at one hour or less.
• Keep wake-up time consistent—aim for 7 a.m. to set the tone for the day.
• Remember, nap transitions are messy, and it’s okay if things feel imperfect for a while.

You’re Not Alone

Nap transitions—from 3-to-2, 2-to-1, or even 1-to-0—are some of the toughest parts of baby sleep. If you feel stuck or overwhelmed, don’t stress. It’s normal! And if you’d like personalized help, schedule a free consult—we’ll create a plan tailored to your little one’s needs.

Parenting is a journey, and nap transitions are just one of the many milestones. You’ve got this!

Last night was one for the books. My daughter, Valentina, who’s newly 20 months old, decided sleep was optional from 12 to 4 a.m. Yep, the sleep consultant’s child was wide awake. The irony isn’t lost on me.

It wasn’t her typical wake-up, either. Every few minutes, she’d let out a single cry—just one—and then go silent. This went on for over an hour.

Finally, I went into her room to investigate. I figured maybe she was too warm since she was wearing a fleece sweater (it’s freezing here in San Miguel, and we don’t have central heating). Removing it helped briefly, but soon enough, the crying resumed.

Next, I enlisted my partner (who managed to sleep through most of the commotion) to check her diaper. Nothing.

By 2 a.m., desperation set in, and I broke one of my own rules—I brought her into our bed. Shh, don’t tell anyone! We’ve bedshared a couple of times recently while traveling, but only for short stretches and only because she’s older now. (For the record, I don’t recommend this with infants!)

She tried to settle, bless her heart. But “trying” involved flopping onto me every few minutes like a tiny gymnast, then flopping back into the middle of the bed, followed by some delighted babbling. Needless to say, neither of us was sleeping. (Unbelievably,  my partner had no trouble snoozing through most of this.)

So back to the crib she went. Same story: intermittent cries, no resolution. And the cries were starting to escalate. 

At 4 a.m., I caved and gave her some milk. I’ll admit, I don’t recommend that either, but at that point, I was running on fumes.

What Happened Here?

In hindsight, I’m pretty sure this was a classic case of a “split night.”

Split nights happen when a child gets too much daytime sleep, disrupting their nighttime rest. Unlike waking due to hunger, bad dreams, or separation anxiety, split nights often involve a child who’s perfectly content being awake—sometimes even ready to party if given the chance.

Here’s what likely led to our split night: Valentina is transitioning from two naps to one, which means her nap schedule is still in flux. Yesterday, her first nap started late, pushing her second nap too close to bedtime. She fell asleep easily at bedtime but had this prolonged, bizarre waking in the middle of the night.

The Game Plan

To course-correct, we let her sleep in until 7:30 a.m. today (when she woke up naturally) and skipped the morning nap entirely. Normally, she’d be cranky by 9:30 a.m., but thankfully, she wasn’t. She powered through, increasingly bleary-eyed, until 12 p.m., when she went down for a single, mid-day nap.

Fingers crossed this helps us all get a better night’s sleep tonight.

What About Your Sleepless Nights?

If your little one is pulling their own version of Valentina’s split night (or has any other sleep challenge keeping you up), I’m here to help.

Let’s figure out what’s going on and create a plan that works for your family. Schedule a free consult today, and I promise you’ll be sleeping soundly within two weeks—guaranteed. Click here to book your free consult.

The end of daylight savings time in the United States happens this coming Sunday at 2 am.

I’ve always recommended that parents start, ideally, transitioning their kids four days ahead of the end of daylight savings time. The challenge is that it’s complicated to remember to transition all naps, meals and bedtime every day for 4 days in a row.

So here’s a different approach, presented to me by fellow sleep consultant, Nichole Levy. She says that day-by-day approaches rarely work because children simply don’t notice and accommodate gradual changes. She prefers to either a) do nothing and just go by the new times when Sunday rolls around, b) split the transition over 2 days (half an hour per day), or c) put your child to bed at the regular time on Saturday but then wait until the new, correct time the following day to get them up. So most likely, your child will wait an hour for you to show up.

This was an interesting perspective for me. I have always recommended the 4-day approach to families: move bedtime, morning wake time, and nap times later by 15 minutes per day. If you start on Monday, you have 6 days to make the change so you have a couple days of padding, just in case.

But in practice, I rarely remembered to actually make the change gradually with my own children. Best case scenario, I remembered one day in advance and was able to spread it out over a day, and then I treated Sunday as a transition day so really, Monday was the first day the time change was imposed.

And everyone knows how good the Monday after the time change feels.

Now we live in Mexico and as of a year ago, Mexico abolished daylight savings time. This is definitely the ideal way to handle daylight savings – just don’t do it.

If you have to change time zones, let me know what strategy you choose and how it goes!

​

Is everyone in your house feeling a bit cranky these days?
​
If so, you're not alone.

As the kids head back to school or childcare—and adults return to their work routines—many families are feeling the strain. After the slower pace and flexibility of summer, the shift back to structured schedules can be exhausting. Even if your kids aren’t in grade school yet, the end of vacation mode impacts the entire household.

Sleep habits often slip during the summer, whether it’s from travel, jet lag, or kids struggling to adjust to new environments. Add to that the emotions that come with starting a new school or daycare, and it’s no wonder you’re seeing “big feelings” at home.
Transitions are tough for everyone. Here are some strategies to help your family navigate this period more smoothly:

Move bedtime earlier.
Even if bedtime has returned to what it was before summer, your child might need extra sleep during this adjustment phase. Try shifting their bedtime up by 30 minutes for a couple of weeks. Once they settle into the new routine, you can ease back to the original time.

Skip after-school activities in September.
It’s tempting to dive into extracurriculars, but tired kids may struggle with the added demands of listening and following directions. Consider a more relaxed approach for the first month—save playground trips and other fun, unscheduled activities for when your child feels up for it. A walk or scooter ride can also help them unwind after a long day.

I know you may have already paid for piano/soccer/math tutoring/mommy and me swimming, but your family will thank you if you prioritize rest and rejuvenation over skill building right now. 

Lower your expectations at home.
Children who normally dress themselves or play well together might suddenly need more help. Instead of pushing them to manage independently, try separating them for some quiet playtime or offering extra support with tasks. It’s normal for kids to regress a bit when they’re tired.

If you're a family who offers screen time during the week, save it for when you first get home.
This will allow you to get dinner on the table in peace, prevent sibling fights, and allow your child some time to decompress.

If you don't do screen time, you could offer the Toni Box, a podcast on Alexa (we like Little Stories for Tiny People), drawing, or having your little one "help" you prep dinner. A Learning Tower or similar is great for keeping your toddler or preschooler safe and engaged in the kitchen. A younger child can bang a wooden spoon on the highchair try or bang some measuring cups on the floor. 

Serve dinner earlier—skip the snack.
An earlier dinner can work wonders for tired kids. If they’re used to snacking in the afternoon, they might be too full or exhausted to eat a proper meal later. Swap snack time for dinner as soon as you’re home. Aim for quick, simple meals—nothing fancy.

If you are a family who prioritizes family dinners, I applaud you. (My family doesn't do so well with this.) In this case, have childcare provider or parent who is with the children serve dinner and then plan a post-dinner snack or dessert together when the whole family is home.

Don’t forget about yourself.
You need rest, too. Just like your kids, you’re adjusting to the demands of a new routine. Encourage yourself to cut back on evening commitments and aim for an earlier bedtime. A reminder on your phone might help you stick to it!

September can be challenging for many families, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. If your family is struggling with this transition, I’m here to help. Schedule a free consultation, and let’s get your family back to feeling rested and balanced.

Great news for many of us: a new study from the Journal of American Medicine (JAMA) showed that contrary to what we've been taught, most kinds of screen time before bed do not negatively affect sleep. 

The study was of 79 children ages 11 to 14 years old. Screen time before bed did not have a measurable impact on how long the children slept. However, screen time in bed led to less sleep, particularly when the child was engaged in either multitasking or playing video games in bed. 

What does this mean as parents? It means -- if the results hold -- that we no longer have to shy away from screen time before bed. Friday movie night is no longer a problem!

That being said, we do need to watch out for screen time creeping into sleep time. So don't let Friday night movie night push bedtime later, or that will negatively affect sleep. 

And for us adults, well, the same holds true. Scroll in bed all you like, just don't stay up later as a result. 

Here's the link to the original article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2822859

PS If you are struggling to get your kids to sleep at bedtime and sleeping peacefully through the night, schedule a free consult and find out how you can get your family back on track in 2 weeks or less, guaranteed.