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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

DD 3.7 is always tired.

13 replies

hillbilly · 16/02/2009 15:00

She goes to pre school 3 mornings (9-12) and 2 full days (9-3) which she loves but she is so tired the rest of the time. I have almost given up on her saturday morning swimming lesson as she just can't manage it.

She dropped naps shortly after reaching 3 but occasionally has one on saturday or sunday, but that results in her not going to bed until nearly 9pm (she usually goes to bed at 7.15pm.

Today (half term) she climbed into her brother's buggy after lunch (he is 16m) and promptly fell asleep for 1.5 hrs.

She has always been a light eater but actually that has improved recently and I also give her vitamins.

Should I be worried?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

nannyL · 16/02/2009 16:40

my charge is 3.5

does 9-3 2 days (and no nursary the other days) and is EXHAUSTED too

he does his 2 days in a row and the day after we just chill at home and i let him watch some ceebeebies after lunch and we read stories etc. We either do this at our house and some nanny friends come too or we go to there house and the children just play

he NEEDS this chill out time badly.]

When tired he gets VERY cross / stroppy / badly behaved etc (and also if he as a nap he doesnt go to sleep properly at night so is then in an even worse mood the next day (so you cant win)

could you cancel one of his sessions and let him chill out at home 1 day?

nannyL · 16/02/2009 16:42

also could u give tea earlier?

my 3 year old HAS to be eating by 4.30 (or else he is too tired) and when extra tired goes to bed at 6.30 rather than 7

Original poster

hillbilly · 16/02/2009 18:49

Well I try to have tea ready for about 4.45, a bit of a throwback from when I was trying to get her into bed at 6.45. I think maybe I might have to revert back to that bedtime or 7 at least.

It's just that ds cannot go to bed before 7.15 (as he already gets up before 6am)so her bedtime needs to be a similar time or else a. he's quite shouty and keeps her awake, and b. bedtime then just seems to go on forever!!!

Yes I could also reduce a session.

OP posts:

bodiddly · 16/02/2009 19:33

my ds is the same and seems constantly tired. I didnt realise how much more sleep he needed than he was getting until recently when he was off school for a while and slept every afternoon and still went to bed at the same time! He gave up naps a while ago at nursery and at the weekends recently but still needs them to be honest. He is at nursery from 7.30am until 5pm Monday to Friday (but has done since he was 6 months old so is pretty used to it). He goes to bed between 6 and 6.30pm but rarely goes straight to sleep. He has to be up at 6.15am so we can leave by 7am to get me to the train and then him on to nursery. There isnt really anything I can do to get him any more sleep so will have to ride the storm and wait until he gets older and adapts. Some days are worse than others but it does mean that by the time we pick him up every day he is more whingey, liable to cry, stroppy etc. You have my sympathy but if I were you I would aim for an earlier bed time even if they aren't likely to get to sleep any earlier .. they are still chilling out!

bamboostalks · 16/02/2009 19:38

This will sound critical Bodiddly but that sounds a relentless and gruelling routine for a small child. Out of the house at 7, in for 5.30 and bed at 6? It sounds dreadful to me.

Original poster

hillbilly · 16/02/2009 19:44

bodiddly - how old is your ds?

OP posts:

bodiddly · 16/02/2009 20:17

I know but needs must I am afraid .. he is out from 7am until 5pm which is a long day. He is 4 this week and copes well most of the time. He goes through phases when he finds it a bit hard to cope but then adjusts. He has recently cut out weekend naps which has led to the current tired snap. Overall I am not too worried as he is a very happy little boy! In an ideal world I wouldnt have to work and I would be at home with him!

bamboostalks · 16/02/2009 20:35

I work too and have a 2 year old so know it's tough. That is a long day.

bodiddly · 16/02/2009 20:55

sure is .. it isnt helped by my commute either. I work a slightly better day than I used to 8am until 4pm but it certainly isnt ideal. I am cutting down to 4 days shortly as work can't really afford to pay me for 5 days for now. That should help him but maybe a little late as he starts school in september!

Original poster

hillbilly · 16/02/2009 21:07

Tonight is a typical example of what a nap does to her. It is now 9.05pm and she has been up and down out of bed since 7pm. Normally (without a nap) she is asleep as her head hits the pillow!

OP posts:

bodiddly · 16/02/2009 21:32

have you tried chill out time for an hour or two rather than a nap? I quite often (at weekends) send ds up to bed for a while with a pile of books and he stays up there under the pretence that he is having a nap. It gives me a chance to tidy up etc and him a chance to wind down for a while.

Original poster

hillbilly · 17/02/2009 06:47

Yes bodiddly that is what we usually do and it definitely helps.

We were going to go to the Natural History Museum today but since she did not sleep until 10pm last night and woke at 6.30 this morning (her brother woke her up!) I have decided she should stay home and rest and then have an early night tonight.

OP posts:

bodiddly · 17/02/2009 08:32

its so difficult isnt it ... we were planning on taking ds out somewhere for the day but decided that it was probably too much at the moment. He usually comes out of his "tired" phases within a week or two so will try again then.

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