Sleep - at my wits end

[DueyCheatemAndHow]

DS is 3.5. Up until recently he was happily napping in the day. But he has started waking earlier so we have tried to phase it out. But we are in a vicious cycle. Today he woke up at 4.30. He will need a nap. He will be absolutely hell otherwise. I feel totally stuck and I'm so tired. The baby was up from 2.30 til 4, I'd just got back to sleep.

I'm so tired I could cry.

Would huge amounts of exercise help him sleep well even after a nap? So park and run around this morning; nap; back to park / softplay this afternoon for more running around in the hope he then sleeps well tonight? Swimming? (Tricky with baby as well).

We swim twice a week, we never have a day in, he does nothing but jump around. Problem is by lunchtime he is knackered.

It might be a case of having to ride it out and have no nap for a number of days to try and re set him. The cycle will just continue otherwise. It will be hard but hopefully will pay off.

My DS was 2.5 when he dropped he dropped his nap, he started going to bed at 6pm and I would do almost anything to prevent a nap. Obviously sometimes it did happen, mainly in the car, and we've had our fair share of early starts such as 4.30am but it was a case of battle through.

Can you actually stay in to not knacker him by lunchtime thus he doesn't want/need a nap bit will still be exhausted by bedtime? When DS dropped his nap we never went out in the afternoon for a few months, I couldn't risk a car nap and he was tired, plus he went to bed early so the whole tea, bath routine was earlier too.

Yes I think you're right @INeedtobealone. We swim this morning so I'm going to give him an hours nap (I was so tired yesterday I went to wake him up and fell asleep myself so he had 2 hours...)

It would be great to align bedtimes - though I think I'll have to aim for 6.45 for him because I need to get baby down first.

3.5 is late to still be having a nap, my daughter is the same age, hasn’t napped for ages and I don’t know any children that age still napping - so you had a good run! You may need to gradually alter bed time to fit. I would not let him nap today

He's been up since half four. He's already yawning. I've no chance of keeping him going til bedtime without a total meltdown. He's always been later with naps? Didn't give up his morning nap til about 20 months.

Like pp have said, sounds like he needs to drop his naps. I would let him have an hour today then start fresh tomorrow.

It is hellish when stopping the naps but the rewards should be a better night sleep!

Good luck OP!!

Do you think 6.45 will be too late without a nap? Can't see how I could manage it earlier

Can he nap NOW for half an hour or so (pushchair or car journey?), then go for no naps for the rest of the day?