In the real world, naptime may not always be the scene of perfection we see on television or the movies. Human beings just aren't made that way. A baby may decide one day “I just don't feel like a nap” or “Who needs a three-hour nap, anyway?” Babies also refuse to tell time, read the baby experts' opinions, or decide to make your life easier. They'll sometimes just refuse to get to sleep, wake up after five or ten minutes, get sleepy an hour early, and do anything they can think of to screw up your bedtime routine.

The golden rule here is to stay flexible. You just can't tell a baby what she is and isn't supposed to do. If a baby decides it's time for a trip to “nappieland” in the middle of feeding, off she'll go without buying a ticket from you. Here's how to handle seemingly difficult situations and keep your cool.

What If Baby Doesn't Want to Nap?

Try holding and rocking her for awhile, talk or sing gently, or do any of the routine things you do to get her to sleep at night. If it doesn't work and she gets upset, just skip it and go on with her day as if nothing happened. If the crying becomes excessive in length or volume, investigate the possible internal and external reasons.

What If Baby Wakes Up after Five or Ten Minutes?

Do you end the nap or put him back down? Usually, if a baby wakes up, she thinks, “Well, that was a nice nap. Now I'll go on to something else.” She doesn't have a watch to tell her she wasn't asleep long enough. Trying to get her back to “sleepyland” probably won't work, but you can try.

What If She Gives Up Naps Too Soon?

Do you try a quiet time? Yes. That's what preschools do. They have all sorts of built-in sleep schedules and also one-shot schedules. They let them lie quietly, read books, or play with dolls. This is a transition to full-scale activities. You can do the same by reading and/or playing with your baby. Your baby may want to jump full blown into daytime activities — go for it.

What If He Wakes Up Very Grumpy?

Do you give him a cooldown period before taking him out of his crib? Most parents would consider that mean. There are some people who bound out of bed and greet the day with a sunshine smile and those who … well, don't. You know who you are. Why should a baby be any different? Treat the grump with good will, toleration, and a big smile.

What If He Misses a Nap?

Do you keep him awake until the next nap or let him take his second nap earlier, which will likely disrupt your bedtime routine? A baby won't ask your permission to take a nap. Trying to keep a baby awake is self-defeating — it will interfere with nighttime sleep, just the thing you want to avoid. The only problem is napping too close to bedtime. That you want to avoid by carefully planning nap times earlier in the day.