To let my toddler (3yo next month) skip his nap

[marykitty]

My toddler will be 3yo next month.
Since circa 1 month he is fighting his nap. I tried everything because i really want him to nap but he just does not want to sleep.

He becomes overtired right before sleep time though. But if he naps, he is then awake until 10PM! He goes to daycare 1x week and he naps there, 1 hour more or less.

My DH and MIL think he is too young to drop his last nap and i have to find a solution. Basically they told me i need to try harder. But honestly i cannot wait next to him for 2 hours in the dark every day while he is complaining he does not want to sleep.
Only way to make him fall asleep is driving around in the car.

At what age did your toddler drop the last nap? Do you think i should try harder?

It must be a cultural thing, but I think the majority of parents in the UK prioritise an early bedtime (7pm) over clinging on to the midday nap. I don't know any 3 year old who still naps

This it's climatic. When it's dark by 6 for 6 months of the year, no one wants to spend 3 hours inside at lunchtime then have a 2 yo awake until 10.

Both mine dropped just before 2. Occasionally my 2year 3mo old has a power nap if in car after swimming/trampoline park etc but as a general rule even half an hour scuppers bedtime for us hugely.

If your child needed the nap then it wouldnt mess with their bedtime. Surely the 10pm- 11pm bedtime is proof enough that they don't need an extra daytime sleep?
Mind both dropped a nap at 2 years 3 months. Yes the day seems long at first but that doesn't mean that its not developmentally normal

Dc1 dropped his around 9 months (fought the nap from birth).
Dc2 napped till 2.5.
Dc3 napped till 2 but still like a car nap if she can.
Dc4 dropped his around 13 months.

If Dc4 naps he doesn’t go to bed until 10-12pm and it’s awful.

I would drop the nap altogether and reclaim your evening unless they want to sit there instead.

At 3 mine probably napped once in a while but not every day
Every chIld is different though and everyones day is different

Mine dropped his nap just before Christmas and he was 3 in February.

Ignore your MIL.

I'd have loved if my kids had napped consistently at 3yo! Both of them gave up regular naps right as they turned two. We'd occasionally get a car nap out of them but never any sort of structured nap. He's not too young to drop a nap!

My 3 were great nappers & I loved the peace & quiet & often have a nap myself but we were done by 3! Dc2 done by 2 1/2 unless we happen to be in the car & she might do 30mins. Think your in laws are hoping for a break in the day themselves. Stop the naps at home & childcare & get them to bed early!

I think the key thing is to find out what works for your toddler. They're all different. My DD1 napped at nursery until the term before she started school, and had quiet time when at home. My DD2 dropped all naps before turning 2 and thrived on it.

My daughter was 18 months when she dropped her nap, my son was 2 and a half. My youngest son turned 2 in January and is on the cusp of dropping it. Some days he Naps and some days he doesn't. Sounds like your LO us well ready to drop it