When I used to baby sit I used to put the youngest in the play pen with some plastic containers and cups. Keep him occupied for hours, can't crawl away to pull the cats hair and would fall asleep if he was tired.

When my son just doesn't want to go to sleep I give him a bubble bath and bring out the massage oils. That usually does the trick.

Hi   I have has three kids my youngest is only three months and pretty much sleeps all the time but my other 2 now 7 and 4 didnt sleep through the day from when they were 9 months old i guess some kids just dont get as tired as we think  they do. it does get frustratin g when you cant get things done or because they are awakw it seems like there are always things to get done but it became more frustrating for me when i tried to make them have a sleep. i just got to the point where i said Oh well. and they were sleeping 12 hours at night so i guess they were getting enough...

Thanks for the response.

I thought it was going to be the way it is and yes I will cope.   The TV I do not have it on that often but she stands in front of it regardless since she can see her reflection.  

But once again thanks

It sounds like she is starting to cut out her naps.  All ours have done it from an early age, though they have then decided at about 15 months that they would like to try it again.

It is different for every child how much they sleep during the day, some will have 2 sleeps or more a day, and some none. 

Babies can be very unpredictable and just when you think you have them figured out, they change on you. It also changes from baby to baby and their sleep patterns/hours.  If she gets 10-12 hours of sleep at night, she may be phasing out 1 of her naps, or if she only takes 1 nap to begin with, she may just need a shorter nap during the day.

I would say at this age she will still need a nap, but she might just be going through a phase.  It is still good to place her in her room for quiet time whether she sleeps or not, and some days she may, some days she may not.  At this age she still needs down time.  My daughter gave up one of her naps around this age, and her second nap up around 20 months.  I know its rough because this is the only time you can get anything done.  As mothers we always have to change our routines and find different ways to work around our babies because they are always doing something different.  My best advice if you want her to take that nap is to wear her out, do various activities with her and get her moving so she might tire out easier.  Good luck, I know when they don't nap it can be rough.

Well actually yes; it is what it is... Its how they learn; putting things in their mouth or tugging at them. Its time to go round the house on all fours & toddler-proof it. The cat situation will take care of itself; either the cat will learn to keep out of her reach, or the cat will give her a scratch so she learns that tugging a cat's whiskers isn't a very good idea... Kitten I had when my daughter was 8mo used to hide out on top of the wardrobe... then she ran away... (I hope she found a less stressful home).

Having said all that tho, since your daughter is still quite young, you might try having her in one of those plastic, seat-belted with a carry handle type chairs (they used to be called 'fraser-chairs')... The trick being to cart her to wherever you are so she can watch you... Some kids will be happy enuff to hold still like that for an hour or 2 if they can see Mum. Failing that, just use the doors in the house to keep her in whatever room you're in (so as to avoid household accidents) & toddler-proof everywhere. Its good to keep a packet of balloons on hand so you can blow one up & toss it in the air for an instant distraction. Just don't leave her unsupervised w/ them & remember to pick up all the pieces of rubber after they've exploded.

She wants to be involved in whatever you're doing. Its a learning thing & you can use it to your advantage (like leaving the door open so she can come in when you use the loo). If you bake, get a recipe for play dough so she can do that while you're baking... If you sweep, get (or make from an old one) a toy broom so she can do that... Crayons & paper if you spend time sitting to write..etc etc. It can be a fun time if you can keep up w/ the developmental changes. Starting at this age, kids can learn to do the most amazing things b/c they're soaking it all up like sponges. I lived in the tropics & went swimming a lot so mine learnt to swim... We got a new kitten so she learnt to climb... I liked poetry & singing so she took to standing on chairs & babbling in rhyming couplets (& was making up songs by 3yo).

So while it is what it is... if you flip your head-space on it, its also a magicly fun time... Switch off the TV; she's far more entertaining!