My 2yo dd has a nap in the afternoon around 1/2pm.
The problem is she would sleep all afternoon if I let her and then doesn't want to go to bed until 9pm and still awake at 10.
If I wake her after an hour ish she will then be asleep by 7.30/8pm and has a good nights sleep and wakes up happy.
However when I wake her she is so upset; she cries and and screams and tries to go back to sleep on me and wants to be carried around until tea time. I'm trying to cook the dinner with her wailing up up up and crying on the floor if I don't hold her.
What's the solution? Leave her longer? Wake her earlier? Leave her be and let her wake up naturally and then face bedtime hell?!
If she doesn't get a nap she is awful to deal with, cries all afternoon with tiredness and after a few days she is thoroughly miserable so she clearly needs the nap.
I've tried cuddling her for a while (she goes back to sleep) a biscuit and drink, toys, games, going out into the garden but she is having none of it. Only up up up and crying.
What to do?