Help needed! Toddler nap question

[Dgibbs]

Hello mummy's. I'm having an absolutely dreadful time with my boys at the min and I desperately need some help ?? I am a single mum to a 2.5 year old and a 9 month old who are both boys. The toddlers sleep has never been great but we're at an all time low at the min. He used to have a sleep at 12 and usually have 1-2 hours. About 8 weeks he just started completely fighting his nap! Climbing out of the cot he slept in, getting out of a bed and if I stayed at was up smashing objects out of that room and just playing up for hours! So I thought he was now ready to drop his daytime nap. By day three he was an absolute mess!!! Being exhausted, screaming, generally he just couldn't cope with the day not having a sleep. So I started to let him have a sleep when he really needed it, say about 2 o'clock if we was out in the pushchair I'd let him sleep or if it is in the car and he fell asleep I would leave him. But whenever this happened I couldn't get him to go to sleep at night time!!! It would be a struggle to get him to sleep for 8:30 PM even 9-9.30! I feel like I'm in a no-win situation! If he sleeps in the day he still miserable because he's not sleeping properly and they're not going to bed till too late but if he doesn't sleep he is in a horrendous mood all day and trying to fall asleep at every opportunity he can! His moods and temperament are dreadful at the minute and it's impacting on my baby as well as myself. I've tried a sleep every other day but that doesn't work and he can't have an early morning sleep as he goes to preschool. Any help or advice would be massively appreciated xx

[Monstersinthegarden]

I have a 2.5 year old boy and for him I would be trying to move the afternoon nap a bit later (to tire him out more and make him easier to put down) but only letting him sleep 30-45 mins.

[LargeGlassofWhite]

When he is napping how long is he having?
I would suggest either only let him have a short nap, say 30 mins to just recharge his batteries. Or try just letting him nap alternate days but on the day he does nap put him down at 12 ish

[Superworm]

DS did the same thing at 2.5. I pushed the nap back a bit later to 12.30-1pm and shortened it to an hour. I could never get him to nap in his bed after this though, I always took him for a quick walk in the buggy so he could drop off. He dropped the nap at 3 and can make it through the day no problem.

[Dulra]

My dd3 will be 3 in July and starting to drop her nap as well. She is in crèche during the week and rarely sleeps there now but she lies down and rests and sucks her thumb for a about 30min and then gets up so she still needs the quiet time. Could you maybe put a dvd on at nap time and just leave him lying on the couch watching it so he is having a rest even if he doesn't fall asleep that may be all he needs

[Dgibbs]

Thank you all for your responses. I've tried short naps and naps on alternate days but neither seem to work. If he only has a short nap then he wakes up and is in a foul mood all day! Previously his natural always at 12 PM but they were the ones that he's just won't seem to have now and if he has a late nap then that's even worse try and get into bed early in the evening. I feel like everything I try is failing and his temper and behaviour is getting worse because he's always tired :-( I have also try the quiet time that this can be quite difficult having an eight month out at the same time xx