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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

3 year old falls asleep after nursery in car

53 replies

whattood · 14/03/2023 12:54

On 15 minute drive home and is then an absolute beast when woken up again to go in the house..

It takes a good 10-15 minutes for her to calm down again.

Goes to nursery 8:30-3 pm. No naps

Goes to bed at around 7:30-8 pm and wakes up at around 6:30-7 am. If she goes to bed at 7 pm, she tends to take at 5-5:30.

If she has any kind of nap during the day, she won't go to bed until 9-10 pm.

Any advice ?

OP posts:
LapinR0se · 14/03/2023 12:55

Can you open windows and sing songs in the car, maybe give her a snack? Then early bedtime

Aftjbtibg · 14/03/2023 12:56

What have you tried to keep her awake? We use snacks, nursery rhymes on the car stereo and sing loudly, something to watch on a tablet, games (I spy but with colours).

florafoxtrot · 14/03/2023 12:56

I'd suggest a sizeable snack tbh, something to concentrate on so that she doesn't end up drifting off.

Marchsnowstorms · 14/03/2023 12:58

Very common issue.
Chocolate buttons. Windows open. Nursery songs on full blast.. anything to stop the nap 😂

Eatentoomanyroses · 14/03/2023 12:59

I would try to keep her awake with snacks, toys, iPad and put her to bed at 7.

Bemyclementine · 14/03/2023 13:00

I used to put music videos on my phone for my son to watch, he liked them. Cartoons?

Original poster
whattood · 14/03/2023 13:00

Marchsnowstorms · 14/03/2023 12:58

Very common issue.
Chocolate buttons. Windows open. Nursery songs on full blast.. anything to stop the nap 😂

I didn't know ! My mum keeps making me feel really bad about it !

' the poor girl is exhausted ' she needs to rest etc..

Some people are also suggesting a nap. But if she naps, her bed time is really hard !

OP posts:
SweetforOrchestra · 14/03/2023 13:06

Get her iron levels checked maybe? It’s common for little ones to be iron deficient and can make them extremely tired. My DS was really lethargic after a stomach bug hit him v hard and resumed napping again. I had full bloods done as was terrified was something very serious and turned out his haemoglobin was ok but ferritin (iron stores) very low.

He had iron supplements for 3 months and has been fine ever since. He has always eaten very well including lots of iron rich foods but GP said that they grow so fast at that age it’s common to be deficient.

ChildminderMum · 14/03/2023 13:08

Definitely keep her awake. Something like a box of raisins that she needs to concentrate on to get them out.

Beamur · 14/03/2023 13:09

I used to let mine sleep and just roll with the later bed time. She was more beastly if tired..

wibblewobbleball · 14/03/2023 13:21

Totally normal. Box of raisins or some mini cheddars, and a drink for the way home. Bed by 6/6/30 Grin

Whitewolf2 · 14/03/2023 13:27

Oh no - we used to call this the danger nap!
Agree with pps, I’d keep them awake anyhow you can too, definitely some tasty snacks to get energy levels back up.
DD2 was awful at bedtime if allowed to nap any time on from 2.5 years (DD1 tho was absolutely fine to nap until 4yrs with an early bedtime!) each child is different and some need more sleep than others!

FourBoysAndAFeline · 14/03/2023 13:28

Had this issue with all of my kids.

I did all the suggestions here, snacks and open windows being the main ones.

Your mum just doesn't remember!

Flangeosaurus · 14/03/2023 13:30

Ah yes, singing at the top of your voice and making loud annoying noises “oh no it’s the mummy siren to say staaaayyyy awaaaakke” while you hurl raisins into the back seat Grin

Iyjd · 14/03/2023 13:31

Is it too far to walk? Or even park a 10 minute walk from nursery to reduce the time she’s in the car so there isn’t enough time for her to drop off? Can she FaceTime her dad whilst you drive so she’s busy?

ShiverOfSharks · 14/03/2023 13:32

I used to shout "WAKE UP!" from the front of the car and loudly sing songs. The five-minute car nap was just an utter disaster for the sleep schedule. Mean, mean mummy.

SquigglePigs · 14/03/2023 13:34

We have a similar length journey and used to do most of what's suggested so far - singing, games etc. Didn't try snack but we do on other journeys even now when we need to keep her awake. We also used to call her Grandparents sometimes so she could tell them about her day.

FlounderingFruitcake · 14/03/2023 13:36

Definite danger nap territory! Ideally I’d walk or scoot to avoid the cosy car, but if that’s not poss then I’d do anything you can to keep her awake, probably starting with a cartoon on the ipad, chocolate buttons (you want something that can’t be eaten too quickly) and a drink.

MissMaple82 · 14/03/2023 13:37

ChildminderMum · 14/03/2023 13:08

Definitely keep her awake. Something like a box of raisins that she needs to concentrate on to get them out.

Raisins! In a car, choke risk!

TeenDivided · 14/03/2023 13:42

Could you ask nursery for her to have a power nap early afternoon just to perk her up a bit?

AliceTheeCamel · 14/03/2023 13:43

Both mine were prone to late afternoon danger naps in the last few months before they dropped daytime naps altogether. Its just a phase.

You've got two basic choices:

let her have a short nap and suck up the later bedtimes

or

ipad or something to keep her awake in the car, then early to bed. You'll have to suck up the 5.30 am starts.

That said, you could try letting her nap every other day? That way you get some decent evenings and she gets a bit of top up sleep.

HarryBlaster · 14/03/2023 13:44

I had this problem. Ours was a 25 minute drive. She was horrendous when we got home and I had to wake her up.
The solution was the local shop to her nursery sold those long ice lollies. They lasted just long enough and the fact they were cold too perked her right up after a long day at nursery. Absolute life saver 😂

Blondeshavemorefun · 14/03/2023 13:53

3pm is too late for a nap

If she still needs one / my dd3 did then ask nursery to sleep her after lunch so 1-2

Or keep her awake by any means - snack - iPad - singing

TartanAndTweed · 14/03/2023 14:08

Please be cautious of snacks in the car, they’re a huge choking hazard as you aren’t watching and by the time you notice the chicken you haven’t stop the car and get the child out etc.

it’s one thing professionals have mentioned a lot and warn against.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 14/03/2023 14:12

MissMaple82 · 14/03/2023 13:37

Raisins! In a car, choke risk!

Show quote history

She's 3, I would hope a 3 year old could cope with a book of raisins. Dear Lord, I look at my kid sometimes and it's a wonder I managed to keep him alive 🤣

I think a snack is the way forward OP and the window open!