Fighting Sleep

Give up the afternoon nap, but provide "rest time" where quiet play is recommended. Try bed-time at 8pm and have 15 to 30 minutes of consistent bed-time routine. ---- and don't forget, he's just had a big transition with a new baby in the house. He's probably needing mommy connection and feels left out. Best of luck!!

I have read the way to know if he is ready to let go of his naptime is to let him go all day without one. If he doesn't have a meltdown all afternoon, then he is ready to let go of his naps.

Also he doesn't need to be distracted at night. He needs to learn to fall asleep without the help of reading his books with his flashlight. Although that sounds cute, it is one thing that could be keeping him up at night. Buy him a white noise machine and a soft night light. That may help soothe him to sleep. If he doesn't have asthma, try spraying his room lightly with lavender. It naturally helps calm you. A nice glass of milk before bedtime is not a bad idea. Just not a huge one, seeing as how he may wet his bed.

I suggest making bedtime as positive as you can. He doesn't need to be punished at that time. He gets out of bed, tell him firmly to get back in it. Lead him there, give him a reasurring kiss and and I love you. Then leave.

Good luck to you!

Maybe he's trying to tell you that he no longer needs a nap. My son is almost three also, and he was doing that right before he dropped his naps. He sleeps much better at night now. I know it stinks when they stop napping, but that's about the age.

My guess is that your son might not need his naptime sleep any longer. Maybe you could just try having some quiet time in the afternoon for a while and then an earlier bedtime (7-7:30) - maybe even earlier at first. My son was finished with naps by the time he was 3 and would only fall asleep during the day if he hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before, or during the occassional car trip. All kids are different and some need naps later than others do. My son now (at 4) needs 11 hours of sleep at night in order to be really rested, but has no need for the daytime naps. Good luck!

He's probably ready to give up the afternoon nap. Or at least move his bedtime back. You're expecting him to have more sleep than he probably needs at this age. Remember, you can make kids go to bed, but you can't make them go to sleep. Maybe instead of nap time, he can have bedroom time. He'll fall asleep anyway if he's tired and then move his bedtime back a half hour or so, so that he's actually tired when you put him to bed.

I understand not wanting him to give up nap time, but not all kids need as much sleep. You may have to make it a later bedtime, 7:30 seems early to me if he is taking such a late nap. Maybe make nap time just a quite period if you are planning on keeping the 7:30 bedtime? Just some suggestions. Hope it works itself out. I have vivid memories of how difficult it was to settle down in the summer when I was little and it was still light out. Good luck to you
B.

Maybe it's time to stop the nap during the day? My son stopped taking a regular nap around that age and still slept perfectly at night.

I suggest that you put him to bed later, maybe 8:00 which is closer to the time he will fall asleep. He is also getting almost 9 hours sleep which you cannot expect him to sleep past 5:00a.m. You may have to let him run and play more during the day which will wear him out.

I have a four year old and with out a nap he sleeps from 8:30 to 8:30. If you want to keep the nap try a later bed time. He may not require as much sleep. Also try putting blankets over the window so the sun does not wake him up in the morning. Good luck.

Perhaps he's ready to give up a daily nap -- even though you may not be! (I had two that took naps 'til they were 4 and two that gave them up before they were 3.) Giving up naps may solve your bedtime problem, too.

Instead of an afternoon nap, maybe call it quiet time and let him read or play quietly in his room while you have a little time to yourself. Put a timer in his room so he doesn't keep asking, "Can I come out now?"

When our kids (three of them) stared acting like that at the same age (the third was actually at the age of 2) we stopped napping and they went to bed at 8 or 9 and woke up at 7. Probably not as much sleep as they need but it minimized the fights and the agonizing nights staying up for hours fighting.

K.,
Sounds like most advice is to give up his nap. However, my son (now 4 and still taking an hour nap a day) went through a phase like that around that age too. I found that he just needed a little more one on one time with me and he wasn't worn out enough by bedtime. Some kids just have endless energy. It may sound strange, but I went through a phase with him where I actually took him for a short walk every evening (he literally walked) to wear him out and give us time together. I don't know when or why the phase ended, but it did. Hope this helps. Good luck.

I would consider your self lucky! I have a lot more trouble than that! Sometimes, like last night I'm dosing off, before my daughter gets to sleep. I let my husband take care of the walking back to bed thing until he goes to sleep. He's a sucker and lets her crawl in bed with us and then he goes to sleep. So, then I take her back to bed and then it doesn't take long. Of course by then it's very late. I'm the meany when it comes to bed time, so she knows that it's a losing battle once dad is asleep.

Hi Kristen,

I have a 4 1/2 year old Granddaughter that hasn't really taken naps since she was around 2. Naps were a constant battle with her, lay here, have quiet time - didn't work. We finally put a digital clock in her room, when she lays down we tell her she can get up when the clock says something like 230 (or whatever the time might be). She will actually stay in the bed reading or what not until that time comes on the clock and sometimes if she's super tired, she will fall asleep watching the clock! If he doesn't recognize his numbers yet, buy an egg timer and set it all the way and tell him he can get up when it goes off - of course then you have to make sure it doesn't if he does fall a sleep.

For night time - if he doesn't have one, get him a special friend to sleep with. Having something special to cuddle may help out. I am not sure I agree with a later bed time, especially if he isn't taking naps - children can become over tired and it can be just as hard to get them into bed then, and then when they do fall a sleep they will sometimes sleep so hard that they wake up sooner thinking it has been longer - I am sure you have had this happen to you.

I am sure you know a bedtime routine will also help - children love knowing what to expect every night, brush teeth, bath, bedtime story, sleep - this would also assure that you have "special" time with him without little brother - plus is baby is awake, it would give dad special time with baby. Maybe even trade off the routine with Dad.

Hang in there and good luck!

N.
www.lovems1.etsy.com

K., 7:30 is very early for a bed time. Why don't you try not putting him in bed until 8:00. Perhaps if he goes to bed later he'll be more sleepy and less likely to try to escape. Bed time is pretty rigid at our house and our boys don't give us trouble, they never have. 8:30 is bed time, you get up once Mom and Dad won't be nice and you'd better have a good reason, you get up more than once and you will be in BIG TROUBLE, spanking or whatever is needed.

Good Luck, M.