You know that moment when a parent tells you their toddler “just won’t nap anymore”? Or when they insist naps ruin bedtime? Well, researchers at the University of Western Ontario developed two validated questionnaires that measure what parents actually believe about naps. And here is the news – these beliefs directly predict nap behaviors. This is a tool you can use tomorrow.
What Did They Actually Do?
Adam Newton and Graham Reid tested these questionnaires on over 900 Canadian parents with children aged 1-5. They ran a pilot study with 201 parents, then confirmed everything with 702 more parents. The sample matched Canada’s ethnic and regional demographics, so this isn’t just random internet data.
They created two separate scales:
The Parents’ Nap Beliefs Scale measures general beliefs about napping. Does the parent think naps are good for children? Bad for children? This scale has 14 items split into two categories: Positive Beliefs and Negative Beliefs.
The Reasons Children Nap Scale gets specific. Why would this parent encourage their own child to nap? Why would they discourage it? This scale separates child-related reasons from parent-related reasons, and even distinguishes between “my child doesn’t want to nap” versus “my child functions fine without one.”
What Makes This Research Valuable?
Parents’ beliefs aren’t just opinions floating in their heads. The beliefs correlate with actual nap behaviors. Strong positive beliefs? The children napped longer and more often. Strong negative beliefs? Shorter, less frequent naps.
Look at the numbers. In both studies, parents who believed naps were beneficial had children who napped 6-7 days per week. Parents who believed naps were problematic? Their children either didn’t nap or napped less than once per week. The difference was consistent across both samples.
This gives you a concrete assessment tool. You can figure out what beliefs are driving the nap resistance before you create a plan.
What Did They Find About Parent Beliefs?
The research splits parental encouragement into two types:
Child-related encouragement: “I encourage naps because my child gets cranky without them” or “because my child told me they wanted one.”
Parent-related encouragement: “I encourage naps because I need a break” or “because it helps me get things done.”
Both are valid. Both predict more napping. And yes, parents will admit they encourage naps partly for their own sanity. The researchers found this was completely normal and correlated with better nap routines.
The discouragement reasons split three ways:
- Child preference: The child just doesn’t want to nap.
- Child functioning: The child seems fine without napping.
- Scheduling: Naps mess up bedtime or don’t fit the family routine.
Parents who scored high on any discouragement subscale had children who napped less. But here’s what is useful – you can see which specific concern is blocking the nap schedule.
The Bedtime Connection (Weaker Than You Would Think)
The researchers tested if nap beliefs correlated with nighttime sleep problems. They did find correlations, but they were small. The effect sizes ranged from very small to small (r = 0.11 to 0.20), which means the relationship exists but isn’t strong.
This tells you something important – nap beliefs and nighttime sleep problems don’t move together in lockstep. A parent might have strong negative beliefs about naps without actually experiencing nighttime sleep problems. Or they might encourage naps while dealing with bedtime battles.
You have probably seen this disconnect. A parent insists that naps destroy bedtime, but the sleep diary shows bedtime is already smooth. Or a parent loves naps, but nights are a mess. The research confirms these beliefs and nighttime problems are somewhat independent issues.
What This Means for Your Consultations
Start with beliefs, not schedules. If a parent believes naps delay bedtime, giving them a nap schedule won’t help. You need to address the belief first.
Separate child factors from parent factors. Is the parent discouraging naps because the child resists? Or because the schedule doesn’t work? Those need different solutions.
Check for belief-behavior mismatches. A parent might say “my child doesn’t need naps” while their diary shows a cranky, overtired child. The belief is blocking the obvious solution.
Understand that parent needs matter. The research confirms that parents encourage naps partly for their own rest. This isn’t selfish. This is realistic. You can validate this while building a sustainable plan.
The Science Behind the Transition
The researchers reference behavioral genetics studies showing that nap patterns become more environmental than genetic after age 2. Before age 2, genetics plays a bigger role. After age 2, what parents do and believe matters more.
This is the exact age range where children transition from guaranteed nappers to maybe-nappers. The window where your guidance makes the biggest difference. The window where parent beliefs can either smooth the transition or make it chaotic.
Most children stop napping between ages 2-5. But the variation is huge. Some children need daily naps longer. Others drop naps at age 3 and do fine. Parent beliefs predict where a specific child falls on that spectrum.
How You Can Use This Tomorrow
Assessment phase: Ask about beliefs before looking into schedules. What does this parent think about naps? Do they believe naps are restorative or disruptive?
Education phase: Share the research. Parents respond well to “researchers found that…” statements, especially when you can cite a university study.
Follow-up phase: Check whether beliefs shifted along with behaviors. Sometimes fixing the schedule changes the belief. Sometimes you need to target the belief directly.
Think About The Bigger Picture
This research fits into the socio-ecological model of children’s sleep. Individual child factors matter (temperament, development). Family factors matter (beliefs, schedules). Cultural factors matter (childcare policies, work schedules). You already knew this from experience. Now you have validated questionnaires that measure the family factor piece.
A Thought About This Work
Reading research like this makes you realize how much depth exists in sleep consulting. You are working with family systems, developmental transitions, and deeply held beliefs that parents might not even recognize they have.
This kind of work needs proper training. Understanding the science. Learning how to assess what is really important. Knowing when beliefs are blocking progress and when the schedule genuinely needs change.
If you are reading this and thinking about becoming a sleep consultant, that reaction makes sense. The field has real substance. Research like the Newton and Reid study shows that sleep science keeps growing. New validated tools and frameworks appear.
The International Institute of Infant Sleep teaches this evidence-based approach. The institute focuses on the research, the assessment skills, and the practical application. The kind of training where you learn to think, not just follow scripts.
You already know if this work calls to you…
Reference: Newton, A. T., & Reid, G. J. (2024). Parents, preschoolers, and napping: the development and psychometric properties of two Nap Belief Scales in two independent samples. Frontiers in Sleep, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsle.2024.1351660