Nap advice - dropping from 2 to 1 but too early in the day

[tintinenamerique]

19 month old DS seems to be keen to drop down to one nap, but can't stay awake past 10am. This week he has been napping 10-12ish. I've been at work and we both have a fairly long commute home so he's dropped off for 30 mins 4.45-5.15 in the car. This seems to keep him going until bedtime but doesn't interfere with bedtime. It's fine if we're in the car but don't really fancy having to go for a drive every weekend afternoon. I wondered about starting 'quiet time' at home at this time. I don't want to put him down in his cot and wake him up after 30 minutes, though this could be an option. Any tips for easing the transition until he's napping a bit later in the day and can easily go until bedtime? Thanks

[offside]

I would just go with the flow. My DD sorted out her own routine in time and now it's like clockwork. She's 16 months and has only had one nap since about 12 months, maybe a bit earlier. It started off around the 30 minute mark and has now increased to two hours 1-3 and bed at 6.

I don't see an issue with popping him in his cot if it isn't interfering with his bedtime if I'm honest.

[tintinenamerique]

Thank you. I'm sure it will sort itself out. My reservation with putting him in his cot at 4.30 is that he'll sleep til 5.30/6, not like a cat nap in the car when he wakes when we stop. I dislike waking him up for numerous reasons (crankiness being the main one). Wondered instead whether to keep him occupied til 11 this pushing the nap later. Easier said than done though sometimes

[mrsmugoo]

How I made the transition was to cancel all plans and dedicate a week to going out on activities with him e.g soft play, zoo, toddler groups etc that would keep him fully occupied all morning. I took a packed lunch to feed him straight after and then pushed him round in his pushchair for 2 hours while he napped.

Eventually he could cope with staying awake at home until an early lunch at 11:30 then nap 12-2.

[wtftodo]

My daughter did this when she was moving to one nap. It was just a couple of weeks.or so of adjusting. Pushed her to 11, then fed her lunch after nap, before eventually keeping her awake long enough to do lunch then nap