AIBU to stop naps at 2.5 when bedtime gets much later?

[Godsplan21]

To stop naps at 2.5? If she doesnt nap she is miserable as sin by 5 but asleep by 7/7.30. If she does nap even for 30 mins she is the duracell bunny till 9.30/10

Yes you are being unreasonable - if your toddler was still napping at this age

No you are not being unreasonable - if your toddler had stopped naps at this age

Cut out the nap, earlier bedtime. They're all different I suppose but yours sounds like she's ready to drop it. Mine were about this age when they stopped. A nice early bed!

Mine still napped until age 3, bedtime was around 9pm then. Worked for us as it meant I could spend more time with them after work instead of coming home to an overtired horror show and counting down the minutes to bedtime.

It’s an art not a science, do whatever works for you. Her energy/sleep patterns may change again in future, e.g. if she starts pre-school or even hits a growth spurt.

Absolutely, a normal age to stop napping. Mine has started having no nap days, shes not even 2.

I remember this age - so tricky. I think we dropped naps but then there’d be the dreaded falling asleep in the car - with me desperately singing loudly to try and keep them awake; or if I didn’t keep an eye out falling asleep in front CBeebies while I made tea. As you say a short nap of 20 mins or so could mean bouncing around until 10pm.
I think try and go through to an earlier bedtime but accept that it might sometimes get too much and a nap might still be inevitable.

Am in the same predicament. Still needs the nap or passes out at 5pm but then is up until 10/11. Always had an earlish bed time before. So draining 😫

If you can control it that easily then go for it. I cant control whether my child naps or doesnt. If they skip the nap they will usually fall asleep much earlier and wake a bit earlier too. I dont love a 4 or 5am start.

We cut the nap short rather than cut completely, and not napping every day, and moved bedtime to like 6/6.30

My son is the same. We let him nap if we don’t have anything on the next day because I’m a SAHM don’t particularly mind staying up with him a bit later. If he has to be up early the next day we will skip the nap otherwise he’s up to late and doesn’t get enough sleep. I think it’s fine to just stop her naps if later bedtimes don’t work for your family for whatever reason, but I also don’t agree with the societal pressure that every young child should be in bed by 7 no matter what. Do what works for you.

This. What’s the problem with her going to bed later? Or is she tired in the morning?

Mine stopped napping a week after she was two. That was a sad day - I really loved an afternoon nap with her on my days off!

Mine all dropped naps by 18 months. 😭 Energetic little bastards.

I'd just move bedtime much earlier. At that age, bedtime was 6.00 - 6.30.

My son does quite well out of an early car nap, so we have a relaxed start in the morning, get going about 4h after he wakes, let him sleep 30-40m in the car on the way out somewhere, then he stays awake on the journey home after a few hours out.

He went through a feint of dropping the nap at 2y6m but went back to needing it, he now seems a lot more secure and happy if he skips the nap.

We stopped at 2.
DC doesn't need as much sleep as other children seem to (unfortunately!).

Depends on what works for you really. No particular reason not to have a 9.30 bed time if it works for you. If you definitely want her in bed by 7 then cut the nap. Beware of that meaning slightly fractious evenings and early starts in the beginning though.

One of mine dropped naps at one year old and didn’t need them still asleep at 7.30 for 12 hours straight, the next had two naps a day one late morning and one late afternoon and slept like a dream at night too. They are all different to just try and see what works for you.

Thanks everyone for your input. Its really helpful to know. The main reason I cant deal with the late bedtimes is because I am 6 months pregnant and am ready to drop myself by about 9. I’m still working so cant nap during the day either. Come bedtime I am a grouchy mess. The other day she missed a nap, was down by 7.30 and woke up at 7. It was bliss! I managed to tidy, shower AND be asleep by 9.30. Thats where the idea came from but likewise she was not a happy bunny by 5ish which was not nice to see

One of mine dropped his nap at around this age, the other two were older. There's always a transition period when they sort of need a nap and sort of don't. I think it's fine to drop it now if that works better for you OP - with perhaps a nap on the odd day if she really seems to need one.

Mine is nearly 3.5 and still has an afternoon nap. Bedtime is 7:30/8

If she's grumpy and miserable by 5, she still needs a nap, sorry. Daytime sleep is important for cognitive development and memory. While I sympathize with the pregnancy exhaustion, I would allow her a 30-45 minute nap and accept an 8.30-9pm bedtime. Presumably there is a father in the picture who can pick up the slack in the evenings.

Mini blondes was the same. Loved her sleep. I had to stop naps at 3.5 when started pre school

bed time was then 6/630 till got older

she’s now 9 and still prefers 12hrs tho doesn’t always get it with gym/school etc

she’s currently asleep now at 8.15 and went to bed at 830

if you don’t went a late bedtime /9 as tired yourself then yes stop the nap and try to get in bed for 630/7 and see what time wakes in am

We were stuck in this cycle for ages! Could not control DS napping unless we avoided the car after noonish which was quite impractical. I think we value flexibility over them going to bed at a particular time (although love a 7pm bedtime) so depends how rigid you want to be.