Managing naps at 2.7yrs?

[moojie]

My ds is 2.7yrs and is still enjoying and afternoon nap (as am I!) The problem is that his bedtime has got later and later. He used to sleep 7-7 but recently it had been more like 8-6.30. His nap could be anything between 1.5-2.5hrs long.

Last week it was getting ridiculous and he was being put down at 7.30ish but not falling asleep until 8.45 ish. Not really messing around or anything but I have a video monitor so could see that he wasn't asleep.

This week I decided to shorten his nap to 1 hr and get much stricter at bedtime. Things have slowly got better and last night he was asleep by 7.45pm. I'm finding it so hard to wake him from the post lunch nap. He literally pleads to go back to sleep!

So what do I do?

I think you've answered yourself! Limit it to 1 hr, he'll gradually get used to it. Lots of light and noise to wake him up, bribes of exciting things to do, chocolate, whatever. It's even more fun when they need to drop the nap entirely....

I used to let mine lie on the sofa with CBeebies to replace the nap (or make up for the shortened sleep time)

Yes I supposed I did answer myself! I'm glad he is still napping as I'm 33 weeks pregnant so need the nap myself. Today I brought him through into my bed and we watched cbeebies together while he woke up slowly. Much better so thanks for that suggestion!

Oh yes, a napping toddler and a newborn is a biiiiiig help! Long may his nap last....

Sorry, mine stopped napping at about 2.2. He gets ratty at the end of the day but we just let him veg on the sofa with the TV for the last hour before dinner/bath/bed

My son is 2.3 years and I had to shorten his naps so he will sleep on a night. Some days in stead of a nap he will have a chill out time where he watches a disney movie he loves with some milk or a hot chocolate. He feels alot better afterwards and is also tired and asleep by no later the 8:00pm.

Hope thats helps

But is it a problem that he doesn't drop off till later? I hung onto the nap for as long as I could although I knew DS wasn't falling asleep till 9, I would put him to bed at 7.45 and he would quietly play and chat till he fell asleep. It only became a problem when I wanted to put DD in the room too and quiet chatting turned into screaming! So I cut then dropped the nap

If I hadn't needed to I would probably have carried on with the status quo. I still miss the 2 hours of afternoon peace and while pregnant, I agrees it's a lifesaver!