Dropping day sleeps, Mum isnt ready!

[kiwidreamer]

So it appears at just over 2yrs DS has decided that day sleeps are not going to happen, he will fall asleep if we have been out and about and transfer to bed fine and sleep for a good hour or two. But if we've just had an 'at home' day then there is no way he's tired enough, even running around the garden / crafts / baking / helping me with chores etc doesnt tire him out enough now. TBH I'm rather devastated at the prospect, I'm trying to lose weight and it was so good being able to exercise when he napped, plus the idea of 10 hrs of toddler games all day ever day is terrifying .

How do you manage a todders day when they drop the sleep? How do you keep them entertained? DS doesnt play on his own for more than 10mins without hanging off me to come play too.

We will start Tumble Tots in the new term I think so we'll have 3 morning activities and then a morning for groceries and then an 'at home' day for chores but will fit in park visit when weather permits. Is that the key, just fill up the mornings with activities then lunch and at home play til dinner time??

My ds turned two in June. He sounds just like yours, occasionally he will nod off in the car and very occasionally in the buggy (if I can get him to go in it in the first place!). TBH I'm quite pleased, the timing fits in well with dd as I will have to pick her up from school at 12 from september.

I can sympathise with you though, I can remember when dd stopped having her nap, I was not pleased as had just had ds!

Up until the last six months or so our routine has been pretty similar for the last couple of years. We usually do some sort of activity in the mornings - toddler groups, swimming (dd went to pre-school two mornings and I worked), etc then go home for a quiet lunch. I can't stand being stuck in the house for the rest of the day, so we tended to do quieter things in the afternoons like visit friends or have them over to play at ours, when the weather is good we often walk up to the park for an hour or so. The last few months though both dc have had much more energy and are able to do more full day activities so we now spend a good few hours out of the house, going to places like a small zoo that's nearby or longer visits to friends places and then going to a park that's near them etc etc.

It seems like a struggle at first as they are still little so can get miserable if they're tired, and obviously rely on you more for entertainment. But this stage doesn't last for long and he will soon begin to entertain himself more, so you at least get to have a cup of tea in relative peace!

Hth. Sorry to ramble on!

Ds sometimes naps and sometimes doesnt, but usually will only grab 40mins max.if we are out in the car. I try to have a 'quiet' time after lunch, about 1/2pm so even if he doesnt sleep he can still relax and recharge his battery's. This might be watching tv for half hr, or sitting in his room reading books....sometimes we both get in my bed and watch a dvd if I'm feeling especially tired!!

My DS is 2 and still sleeps at lunch for 2 hours. I should cut it back as he wakes early but I have a 7 week old DS who sleeps at the same time and I LOVE my 2 hours of peace and am not yet willing to give it up.

However, when the time does come, I intend to follow the lead of lots of my friends and establish 'quiet time' whilst DS2 is sleeping in bed. He can read books, play quietly in his room or watch telly...well, that is the plan!

Thanks for your replies, a friend has suggested keeping the nap time routine but putting on a story CD and if he sleeps great but if not its fine but its an hours quiet time in his bedroom. I think we should be okay on the days we have activities as he nearly always falls asleep in the car (even in the 8min drive back from the supermarket!), trick will be to wake him after an hour as I suspect we'll start getting mucking around at bed time if he sleeps too long.