to let my nearly 3 year old have a nap late this afternoon even though it means he won't go to sleep tonight?

[ceebeegeebies]

He had been whingy all afternoon and about 4.30, disappeared upstairs. We could hear him pottering around and then it went quiet. I went upstairs and he had taken his shoes off, climbed into my bed, tucked himself under the duvet and was fast asleep....how could I not let him sleep??

Only he is not going to go to sleep tonight until well after 8!!

[Pancakeflipper]

My just-turned 3yr old will often take the opportunity for a snooze. He fell asleep in his buggy on our walk yesterday and it was 8.30pm last night before he settled down in bed.... grrrr,

But if they need it... what do you do?

[pigletmania]

He obviously needs it, leave him be. Wake him up after about a hour.

[ragged]

After 8 is nothing, my 3yo wouldn't sleep until after 10 or maybe even 11 if we let him nap that late. yanbu.

[Moomoomie]

Time to book a babysitter and leave it up to them

[ceebeegeebies]

We are very fortunate that he does stay in his bedroom so I can still put him to bed at his normal time (i.e. now) and he will not disturb us again.

The problem comes when we try to put DS1 to bed at 8pm - they share a bedroom so DS2 starts bouncing around and talking when DS1 wants to go to sleep!!

[mandoo]

Totally your call I say, your the one who is up with him still. yanbu

[Knackeredmother]

Good lord, my 3 year old would be up till midnight!
We have to wake her if she falls asleep at 7 as it always turns out to be just a late afternoon nap and then she's going till 3am.
Yanbu to let him sleep especially if he will sleep before 9 as well!

[InWithTheITCrowd]

I've discovered with my little enigma, that it doesn't make a difference what time he sleeps in the day. He (unusually) fell asleep this afternoon, until about 5.30, and then woke up, had his tea, a play and a bath, and he's gone to bed at normal time.
With my ds, if he's tired in the day and doesn't sleep, then he'll be overtired at night, so it could be counter-productive to have woken him up!
Hope you get a decent night :)

[DoMeDon]

Well you could have woken him up, many would have but it's up to you - not really a case of AIBU, just whatever works for your family.

It is a British obsession to have DC in bed by 6-8pm. It is quite normal to have a siesta and be up late in lots of places.

Do you have quiet time in the afternoon? I find when DC are around 2-3 yo theyoften don't want a day time ap but find it hard to get through till bedtime. Having an hour quiet time around 1/ 2pm (when they may even drop off for a while) can really help.

[ceebeegeebies]

I suppose 8pm isn't that late - it is just that time is the deadline that me and DH use to open the wine get through the day once DS1 is in bed aswell!

Moomoomie lol at the babysitter we used one of those last night - both DC went to stay with my parents for the night with 3 of their cousins so a big sleepover - no wonder he was tired today whereas me and DH are just hungover!!

[MrsBloomingTroll]

Our DD is 3 yo and exactly the same. If she naps (can't stop her if in the car) she's awake until 10pm. Most days are non-nap days but she gets exhausted by around 4pm and will sometimes curl up on the sofa and nod off. On Pre-School days she either doesn't eat or has a little cry at the tea table around that time .

She is worse on days when she has a bit of a cold, so maybe your DS is a bit poorly?

We sometimes get DD into her pyjamas and let her sit on the sofa with us whilst DH watches something boring like Top Gear or football and I MN. Often results in her falling asleep!

YANBU. We all have days like that!

[dribbleface]

oh bless him.........i have been known to trade some afternoon peace and quiet for a later bedtime especially when its DH's turn!

[ceebeegeebies]

dribbleface I may have also been known to do this and also (shamefully) may have been known to persuade DS2 to have a nap because I am tired and want a nap too and we can snuggle in bed together

Well in the end, DS2 went to bed just after 7.30, was still awake when DS1 went to bed just after 8pm...DS1 went to sleep straight away whilst I could hear DS2 opening drawers etc!! I went up to tell him off and as soon as I opened the door, he shut the drawer and shot in to bed SO quickly

[startail]

Since my DD1 would never, in her entire life have been in bed before 8, I don't see that's a great problem.
Going to sleep when your tired is surely a sensible skill to learn. Very useful as they get older if they are ill or have had a few late nights. DD1 has always been really good at just disappearing for a nap if she needs one, DD2 will get whinny and grumpy instead.

[Laquitar]

Good job nobody said (yet) that your ds will end up in prison when he grows up

YANBU

[mawbroon]

I quite enjoyed days like that when ds1 was that age.

If he had a late nap, after tea I would say "right, he's not going to bed til yon time, so lets go out". It made a really nice change from sitting in every night.

Swimming was a favourite thing to do. Nice and relaxing and there was never anyone else in the baby pool at that time of night!! And it allowed dh to see a bit more of ds1 on a working day.

[ceebeegeebies]

Mawbroon yes, in an ideal world, that would be lovely but unfortunately having DS1 makes that impossible. He goes to bed at 8 and he was also tired from the sleepover plus a swimming lesson so it wouldn't have been fair on him to go somewhere.

Besides, Sat nights are for me and DH - nice meal, bottle of wine and Dr Who and X Factor on telly

[BabeRuthless]

It varies from one child to the next I guess. Ds hasn't napped in a good couple of years (he's 4 1/2) but every few months he will crash out & sleep for something daft like 16 hours. Let him sleep, especially if he's whingy