ds (3) is ready to drop his lunchtime nap - any tips on how to avoid overtiredness?

[skippysmum]

Ds is just coming up to 3 and definitely needs to drop his lunchtime nap - he has generally needed more sleep than average but now we're spending 30 mins trying to get him to go to sleep at 2pm and then an extra 30 mins trying to get him to go to bed in the evening as he's just not tired enough at either time.

We clearly need to just drop it (unless he is ill or especially tired) but any tips on how to get him through the last bit of the day - he behaves much much better when he isn't tired!

Is it worth encouraging 'quiet time' in his room alone at lunchtime?

my ds is 3, we used to have a routine for his afternoon nap. You know after lunch everyday its naptime.as soon as he started to resist his nap i stopped. He is sometimes grumpy around 4 ut i try and take him out or have a friend round. He is ready for bed at 7 then. But somedays he does have a nap, not at a specific time and sometimes just 10 minutes but it is enough for him. Id suggest just going with the flow, let him lead

Our DD is just past 3 and also did this just before her third birthday, although with us she had a tendency to also wake very early rather than just be harder to put to sleep. How long does your DS normally sleep at lunchtime? Our DD could sleep over 2 hours at lunchtime, but very suddenly her need for "total hours' sleep in 24" dropped. We started by limiting her daytime nap to 1hr max - this was a good interim measure for a couple of weeks, but then we let her drop the nap if she wanted to. We did insist though on a quiet activity - sitting with me reading, or playing quietly on her own with her dolls, etc.

In fact, it turns out that she does still need a nap - just every third day or so, rather than every day. And if we have a very active day, she will often sleep then, too.

Another thing to watch out for is growth spurts - DD has visibly grown over the last week or so and it has coincided with a period of needing a nap most days, so it isn't necessarily a clear cut-off.

Hope this helps.

Thats a point Jennywren. My friends 3yo doesnt have a nap mon-thurs as she is at nursery and on a friday sleeps most of the day. Its a catch up thing. I think at this age its very flexible

My 3 year old dd1 dropped her afternoon nap when she started at nursery 3 mornings a week. In the afternoons we'd have a quiet time doing puzzles, reading our way through a big pile of books, or watching a bit of TV.

I started giving both dds their main meal at lunch time so tea time was less stressful (eggs, beans, sandwiches etc...). I then brought bathtime forward to 5.30, in bed for half 6 (instead of half 7). Seemed to work quite well and still does. My younger dd2 (2 and 4 months) has just dropped her nap too...its so much less restricting now. Good luck!

Good idea to be open to having a nap time the odd day if he seems really tired or every third day.

He's a fairly quiet little chap anyway so I guess he does quiet time already.

Yes Lulurose the less restrictive thing will be good!

my 4 year old has dropped her afternoon naps during the week- sometimes will still fall asleep in car. However - can't get out of habit of weekend nap at around 2pm - her or me!!! Will really have to learn how to get through the weekend without it!

I deeply regret the stopping of the lunchtime nap! Instead of a session with OK magazine or a nice snooze on the sofa you now have to be with it all day! Dd gave up on this completely at about 3.5. At kindergarten she still gets to sleep on Wed lunchtime as there is no school here in the PM and I think the staff need the rest...and every other day she crashes out in the car on the way home - so I actually thibk she does need the extra sleep - I certainly do {grin]

Yes agree he may still need to have a nap every 2 or days to start with.

Some quiet time when he would normally be sleeping - reading, watching TV, chilling will be required.

Then feed him earlier than usual say 4.30 rather than 5 or whatever. That fills your afternoon in a bit more and gives them that wee bit of energy to get through to bed.

It's horrible giving up that time to yourself, tho!

DD1 is 4.5yrs and still has a sleep a couple of times a week (she does walk a 1/2 mile to preschool everyday).

Or if she realy insists that she is not tired then she goes to bed at 6.30pm instead of 7pm.

My little girl is only 2 but has now stopped having an afternoon nap. She did at first become overtired but I now just either take her out to see her friends or we get the playdough/crayons out and have playtime. This has worked and now it is very rare that she gets so tired until bedtime xx