Help me improve bedtime? Bright ideas?

[poocatcherchampion]

I've got a 2 yo and 3yo. They share a room. 2yo naps after lunch for about 3h. 3yo has 2 full days at preschool until 1630 and often a nap one other afternoon.

They've always needed lots of sleep.
Thry wake up 7ish and play in their room until alarm goes off in our room at 8.

Thry normally go to bed between 6.30 and 7. They don't always fall asleep straight away but play and chat and then go to sleep. So far so good

The problem is the time from 1630 to bed time is grim. They are tired grumpy etc. There are always tantrums. Normally someone is too tired to eat tea. Luckily dh is home and helps with tea, bath/top and tail then bed but it is an exercise in wrestling horrors and trying to help them hold it together. So we are thibkjbg of other approaches

• Last year they were in bed by 1730 normally over the winter.
• having evening meal at lunchtime when we can and PJs on before tea

What else havent we thought of?

Thanks!

Gw'an! Someone!!

The teatime 'witching hour' of tiredness induced grumpiness and tantrums is fairly common. So it might just be a case of accepting this as the way things are.

My children have always liked their sleep too. And my older 3 have been between 3 or 4 years old before they dropped the daily afternoon nap. I wonder if your 3 year old would benefit from still having a nap, even at nursery. Would that be possible?

I would make tea early for the time being. Maybe as early as 4pm. That reduces the too-tired-to-eat factor. Then bath and PJs early, straight after tea. Then aim for a quiet, calm evening without too much stimulation and lots of sitting on the sofa cuddling.

Yes I think you are right - earlier tea and then PJs on after that. I might give it a go tomorrow.

But it will mean earlier lunch as well I guess to fit in the little one's sleep.

We thought we'd done a fab job today as we had hot lunch then we went to a harvest festival but PJs on there so only teeth and story at home at 1830. Little one had an unexpected wet sheet (didn't notice after nap) and while we were changing it the older one smashed her lip on her bed falling around. Screamerama again. aRG!