Dropping that last nap torture

[Mrschips07]

My DS is 2.5 exactly, he's always been a good sleeper, sleeping through from about 4 months 7-7 usually.

Up until now he's had a 2h nap in the middle of the day usually 12.30-2.30 or something like that. Recently he's started playing up a lot at bedtime and won't actually fall asleep until about 9, even though he's put to bed 7/7.30ish. He's also had days where he's woken up before 6 randomly. I'm guessing its time to drop that big old chunky after lunch nap isn't it? ( )

Can anyone advise? I'm not sure we can go cold turkey, as he is a mess if he doesn't nap. I've tried putting him down for just an hour but I always have to wake him and then he's reallllly moody.

I’d carry on waking him after an hour and just deal with the moods. Should hopefully only last a week or two until he is use to it. My little girl is 2.1 and if she naps longer than an hour she won’t go to sleep before 9pm!

Could you gradually decrease it down from 2 to 1 hr? Wake him gently after 1hr 45mins the next few days, then next week after 1hr30mins. Then see how he is and reduce by another 10 mins at a time over a few weeks if needed.

Or maybe just move bedtime back a fraction also, some only need 10/11hrs so 12hrs every night plus nap might be too much. Try bedtime more like 7.30/8pm instead of 7/7.30pm