3 year old is SO overtired and grumpy after morning preschool!

[househuntingforever]

Hi,

I need some advice!

My DD goes to morning preschool from 9.15-12.30, 3 days a week. But she wakes up at 6am and by the time I get her and bring her home she is so tired and grumpy. By the time she has lunch, she eats so slowly as well, it is nearly 1.30 and has a fit when I try to put her down for a nap. Her bedtimes are not easy anyway and last week she refused the nap and cried all afternoon and it was awful!

Any advice what to do? Normally she has lunch at around 11.15am and is asleep by 12.30pm. Should I give her a small snack in the car and then put her down for a nap as soon as we get home, but then she misses her proper lunch... I am really stuck on what to do.

Also as she naps are so late on preschool days she ends up sleeping for ages and then a late bedtime and hence less sleep and even more grumpy for the preschool the next day!

And advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!

Shift her nap on non preschool days. Also can you add lunch to preschool days instead? So she's there longer?

I'd try cutting the nap. DS is just 3 too and we've just dropped the nap (sometimes he still has one at weekends) and he is exhausted by 7pm but then sleeps through til 7-8am.

Aww, poor thing!

I have had this with both my DCs and try to greet them at pick-up with either some finger sandwiches, popcorn, banana or brioche, in other words something filling that will either do as a substitute for lunch if they do fall asleep on the way home, or will give them enough energy to stay awake long enough to eat lunch at home.

If she is completely exhausted and this doesn't change, then it might be worth seeing your GP to find out if there is an iron deficiency or some physical cause for it.

Snack or sarnie on the way back from preschool to keep her going til after a sleep. I've been know to wander to the park next to school, have a picnic then get DS to sleep in the car
It won't matter if she has a snacky lunch 3 days a week for a while til she gets used to it.

Thanks so much for the suggestions.

Lack of sleep has such an effect on her, it's unbelievable!!

Yes snack like banana or oaty biscuit asap, nap then lunch