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Original poster

My 3 year old is still awake

18 replies

Myfriendanxiety · 25/05/2020 21:23

Laid in bed playing some make believe game. He was taken to bed at 7pm after a bath, toast and milk and a story, and yet every night he is still chatting away to himself after 9pm. He gets up at 6:30am so I’m really worried he isn’t getting enough sleep and I don’t like him awake this late at night as I need to work in the evenings.

Does anyone have any ideas for helping little ones fall asleep?

OP posts:
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 25/05/2020 21:26

Does he still nap?

chunkyrun · 25/05/2020 21:30

Not many people go straight to sleep. Mine does this. He's 3. We put him to bed. He gets up opens his door, turns his light on. Potters around his room playing for a while. Then takes himself to bed chatting away about his day. If it's a late one he might have a cheeky snooze next day

Fluffybat · 25/05/2020 21:31

If he naps maybe consider dropping? We did this and now our three year old sleeps from 6pm- 6.30am

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inwood · 25/05/2020 21:33

If he's happily chatting I'd assume he's nit tired. Does he nap?

Original poster
Myfriendanxiety · 25/05/2020 21:37

No he doesn’t nap- hasn’t done for well over a year.

He gets out of bed and plays with his toys, so I tried taking them all out of his room and he just lies in bed playing instead. He isn’t upset or shouting for us, just playing rather than sleeping!

OP posts:
TooMinty · 25/05/2020 21:41

I post this on every thread, but would he lie still and listen to an audiobook or CBeebies radio and perhaps drift off sooner?

OnNaturesCourse · 25/05/2020 21:43

Does he get crabby in the evening or afternoon?

My DC done this when she was 18 months, and it turned out she was overtired and stimulated so we starting giving her a lunchtime nap of half a hour, within a few days she was back to being asleep within 10 minutes of being in bed.

Also, a bath can wake them up I find so we try to bath in early evening before dinner, or in the mornings.

Original poster
Myfriendanxiety · 25/05/2020 21:44

@TooMinty I tried an App that someone recommended to me a while ago that was audio stories but he didn’t like it, and they were playing through his iPad which he then started playing on!

I have a CD player and some of the Julia Donaldson audio books so could try again with those.

OP posts:
Original poster
Myfriendanxiety · 25/05/2020 21:44

@OnNaturesCourse no he isn’t crabby- 6pm onwards is when he is usually at his most pleasant and most willing to play nicely!

OP posts:
Reader1984 · 25/05/2020 21:45

Do you think he is tired enough? Does he need more physical exercise to knacker him out more?

mrwalkensir · 25/05/2020 21:49

all three of ours at this age were awake and would play quietly in the room whilst we were watching tv. If it's not really any problem for you, I'd go with it.

mrwalkensir · 25/05/2020 21:50

just to add we didn't have any later sleep issues

Original poster
Myfriendanxiety · 25/05/2020 21:51

@reader1984

Yesterday we went for a 5 mile walk and didn’t arrive home until 5pm, he was still awake at 9:45pm!

Today we have been playing outside in the woods climbing and chasing for 4 hours and he has just this minute dropped off.

Lots of exercise doesn’t seem to help.

OP posts:
OnNaturesCourse · 25/05/2020 21:52

In that case I'd be inclined to just leave him, or try to tire him out a little - maybe a walk after dinner?

Some days DC will be too awake at bedtime and will just chatter away to herself. She only has books in her room so she just pretends to read - it's quite cute to watch on the monitor.

TooMinty · 25/05/2020 22:09

There's a thing you can do on the iPad called guided access which means you can lock it to one app. I use that to prevent my 6 year old from watching YouTube when he is supposed to be listening to audiobooks/going to sleep. But if he's staying in his room and not causing a fuss then I'd be inclined just to leave him. It doesn't sound like he is overtired.

ThatBitch · 25/05/2020 22:22

My dd (8) has never been one to fall asleep before about 10, from the age of about 2. She is quite happy pottering in her room and now she is older reads stories, draws or does homework. One audio book which really relaxes her is called 'the rabbit who wants to fall asleep' - it's very good for making dc sleepy! She has an Alexa in her room and we have audible so she can choose a new story once a month. It works well for her. If he's not struggling and grumpy in the day then I wouldn't worry about it, some people naturally need less sleep.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 25/05/2020 22:24

Is his room dark enough?

EyeDrops · 25/05/2020 22:43

My DD is the same, and has been since age 3. I thought when she started school (July baby, so she was only just 4) that she'd be more tired and would sleep earlier, but she'd still just potter around and play often until 9/10pm. It just doesn't bother her. She never napped much as a baby either - dropped completely by 18 months pretty much.

She's nearly 5 now and I often wonder if we should do something about it, but there doesn't seem much point while it's not causing any problems. Certainly not while we're in lockdown still anyway!

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