A: I think you will agree with me that meeting the demands of a two-year-old can be exhausting. It has been my experience that mothers look forward to those nap times to not only recharge, but to do some adult things. So don't worry if some days you are promoting a nap only because you need a break. There is nothing wrong with taking care of your own needs.

If your son can't seem to fall asleep, then have a regular rest time (and there will be times he will just go to sleep). To summarize, I think naps are a good idea and that you should push them, even at those times when you feel you need him to take a nap for your own well being. Look at it this way: a rested, happy mommy is going to be a lot more fun to be around than a tired and worn out mommy. Incidentally, I have found that naps generally fade away somewhere between 3 and 4 years of age. It depends on the nature of each child.