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Original poster

Dropping the Afternoon Nap. It's all gone horribly wrong ...

45 replies

NotQuiteCockney · 02/02/2007 06:49

DS2 is 28 months. Since September, we've had a stupid afternoon nap schedule, if I hurry, he can grab an hour's sleep before I yank him out of bed. He often cries a lot when he's woken, and it really sucks.

On Tuesday, he said "Me no like nap". And I was distracted, and didn't manage to put him down on time. He was ok.

Wednesday morning, he slept in a reasonable amount, and I thought 'hurrah! This can work!'

Wednesday night he didn't go to sleep well. Thursday morning he woke early. Thursday afternoon he was not a very pleasant child to be around, very tantrummy, difficult, etc etc.

Thursday night, he didn't go to sleep well. This morning he woke up extra early.

I don't want to deal with him tired. He is going to be horrid this afternoon.

My options:

  1. Try to go back to the old nap. Tricky, may take some time to work, if it ever does.
  1. Carry on and figure it will sort itself out. (NB: DH is away Sunday->Thursday next week, so I will have to carry on, on my own next week. So it really needs to sort itself out PDQ.)
  1. Try a different nap - I could try to get him to nap in the pram, although the times I've tried this, it's not taken at all. But at least he'd be taking a break that way.
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sorkycake · 02/02/2007 06:53

Why do you have to hurry for the nap? Does he take a long time to settle or can you change the time?

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 02/02/2007 06:58

He's in a morning childcare thing that ends at 1:15. I have to pick up his brother at 3:20. So there's just not a lot of time there. (I end up getting home at 1:30 at the earliest, and we have to leave at 3:00 at the latest, so you see ...)

I'd be happier if he could have normal naps instead, but it just isn't going to happen.

OP posts:
carol3 · 02/02/2007 07:01

could he not go to sleep the minute you get back at 1.30 for an hour. Gosh your lucky he's still having naps at 28months

sorkycake · 02/02/2007 07:03

God what a nightmare! Not much room for improvement is there? Do you walk to pick your son up, could he settle in the pushchair and stay asleep whilst you do the pick up?

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 02/02/2007 07:09

Well, it takes him a bit of time to go to sleep, and I'm generally home closer to 1:45, really.

Yeah, pram nap is option #3. I don't actually walk to get DS1 (I bicycle) but I could walk, and then tube or bus back with them both. I have done this a couple of times, and it's fine, but DS2 hasn't napped in the pram ever. He did fall asleep on the bike, briefly, on Tuesday and Wednesday, though. But he's used to the bike, and not used to walking.

(I guess I could bicycle aimlessly around for an hour so he naps? Doesn't tempt me much, somehow, though.)

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Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 02/02/2007 07:10

Out of desperation, I've decided to not get him up this morning until I'm happy to get him up. He's not hysterical or really upset, just slightly exasperated, thankfully.

I do wonder if he's waking out of hunger, but he had a decent amount of tea last night, and eats well, generally. (And he has a sippy cup in his bed, in case he's thirsty.)

OP posts:
ghosty · 02/02/2007 07:43

Does it have to be 'a nap every day' or 'nothing'?

I only ask because I have found it was unreasonable for me to expect my children to drop a nap 'cold turkey' ...
DD had a nap religiously every day for 2 hours until she was 2 and a half. Around that time she started being difficult to put down to bed at night. But if I dropped the nap altogether she wouldn't have coped at all. So I became flexible. Sometimes, if she hadn't had a nap for a day or two, I would put her down at 12.30. Sometimes she could cope without one. Sometimes I took her out in the buggy or the car at 1.30 for an hour's kip. Also, occasionally, if she only went to sleep at 1.30 but was shattered I would phone a friend to pick up DS from school.
She will be 3 tomorrow. She doesn't 'nap' as a rule, but will doze off in the car now and again - or, like yesterday, I will find her curled up in my bed asleep at some point in the afternoon (I thought she was playing in her room and went to check on her - lol) ...
Just be flexible ... don't just drop it completely or you will have a very grumpy boy on your hands

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 02/02/2007 07:53

Hmm, good point, ghosty. I tend to be quite structured with sleep and my kids, but a bit of flexibility would probably be wise, on this one.

I'll probably try for a pram nap today, and see if we can have that as an option.

(His brother kept having naps until he was three and a half. Every single day.)

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brandy7 · 02/02/2007 07:57

can totally empathise with you NQC. my ds can have 1/2 days when he will drop the nap and bed by 6.30pm. then it all goes pear shaped and he wont go to sleep at lunchtime for half hour but will scream all afternoon and nod off at 5pm. even if its for only 10mins i then have him up till midnight

hes 2.3years

beansprout · 02/02/2007 08:03

Am watching this thread with interest! Ds is 2.3 and is waking up earlier and earlier (4.30am today) so am wondering if dropping the nap might be an option.

Thanks for reminding me it doesn't have to be all or nothing ghosty, I genuinely couldn't work that out! Doh!!

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 02/02/2007 08:03

He's like a drunken weirdo this morning. Oh today is going to kill me. (It doesn't help that I was out boozing with DH last night until after eleven, I guess? )

OP posts:
puffling · 02/02/2007 08:08

Is it too early for him to nap before you collect him? If you got him up earlier, would he sleep at childcare?

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 02/02/2007 08:14

There's no napping at the childcare place - it's for kids from 20 months up, and the assumption is they will nap at home in the afternoon. They all eat together at 12:45, just before I collect.

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Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 02/02/2007 13:08

Ok, I had a good chat with DS2 about this. He is unwilling to sleep in his cot. And unwilling to sleep in the pram. He will however, happily sleep in a "fast plane".

He's also willing to sleep on the bike. So I will collect him on the bike, do loops around the park until he falls asleep or I get bored. And then he can sleep in the front garden on the bike until I'm ready to go collect DS1.

OP posts:
brandy7 · 02/02/2007 16:17

PMSL! how did it go NQC,is he in the garden still

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 02/02/2007 17:28

It didn't go at all. We left the co-op, and DS2 got enmeshed in playing with two of his friends. Which turned out to involve stomping in poo, not sure whether that was on purpose. Then I realised he'd pood himself as well. So I went back into the co-op to clean him up, and got involved in a conversation with another parent and the manager about upcoming changes and so on.

By the time we left, we had just time to go home, give DS2 another banana, and go on the bike to DS1's school. DS2 fell asleep on the bike again, even more solidly. I ended up leaving him on the (locked up) bike outside the school while I rushed in to get DS1. Then DS2 woke up and we all went for cake.

The combination of overtiredness, rich chocolate tart, and being two, makes for a marvellous personality.

He says he wants to go on the tube, and to do that, he has to sleep in the pram. I'm telling him this over and over, and maybe we'll try for a pram nap this weekend.

I'm very very very tired and worn out with all this. I'm somewhat tempted to just skip the whole nap thing and hope it will sort itself out eventually.

OP posts:
brandy7 · 02/02/2007 19:24

oh dear. mine had a v.early morning sleep and has just nodded off on the sofa. thank god, the midnight ending last night nearly killed me. im going to have a very large brandy once ive moved him up to bed.

this period of ds dropping sleep and being difficult will only be short time, is there anyone that could temporarily collect ds1 for you

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 02/02/2007 19:49

There are a couple of nannies I can use if I have to - I do use them from time to time. Once in a very long while DH picks DS1 up, and we have a family friend who does pick ups too.

I just want him to be back in a usable schedule. I may try to push the pram nap some more.

It doesn't help that DH will be away Sunday morning to Thursday night, and I am doing a childcare shift on Monday morning and Wednesday morning.

OP posts:
brandy7 · 02/02/2007 19:52

a stressful week coming up then NQC

im going to play it by ear as to wether ds (2.3yrs) has a sleep tomorow.its so nice when he falls asleep early like now but ive got a feeling that tomorow he will be screaming from 2pm onwards wheres hes tired and then the battle to keep him awake till at least 6pm.

hope it wont be too bad for you

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 03/02/2007 08:16

DS2 went down well last night, and then slept in until after 7am. So I think we may carry on with no naps, or minimal naps.

Today is a zoo, anyway, as I have to go talk to a room full of pregnant people this morning, and then DS1 has a birthday party at a strange location, and we have no car this weekend. I think I will bike to the party. I looked at public transit, and it said it would take an hour to get there, vs 24 minutes on the bike.

OP posts:
brandy7 · 03/02/2007 09:17

excellent, glad you had a good night! mine slept till 7.30,so he had 13hours asleep!def shouldnt need a sleep today but when i go to park/ducks im going to time it that when we come home it will be 2ish incase he nods off then i shouldnt have him up till midnight.

youre very fit and unlazy going out on your bike! i dont mind walking with the pram but love my little car and couldnt imagine being "bothered" to cycle everywhere or get a train. good on you NQT. at the party an hour away!

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 03/02/2007 12:13

Well, parties so far away is a natural consequence of DS1's school being so far away .

I just don't drive, and I don't like public transit, tbh. Well, I don't like being in vehicles, generally. Biking or walking suits me better. It's just how I've always been. Thank god the boys like the bikes.

OP posts:
brandy7 · 03/02/2007 12:54

hope he stays awake NQC, the nice day got me started on the cleaning so the park/ducks are out and off to tesco now so if he is gona dose he'll do it now.hope he doesnt then also hope for another full nights sleep

lovely day for biking

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 04/02/2007 06:21

He chose to go on his dad's bike yesterday (novelty value) and so slept all the way to the party, and for a little while afterwards. (He goes on the back of his dad's bike, so is out of the sun and wind. Probably easier to sleep there. Also, when he sleeps on the front of my bike, I have to keep moving his head from resting on my arms.)

Went to sleep okish last night (sung to himself a bit before going off). We'll have to see what happens today - DH is off this morning, so if I want him to have a bike nap, I have to take both boys out for it.

OP posts:
brandy7 · 04/02/2007 13:15

hi NQC,

glad you had a good night, i did too! ds slept 12hours again but i know it wont last so ive made the most of it. he did have a sleep yesterday on the way back from tescos but only for 20mins and went to be about 7.30.

his big brother is grounded today and playing with him so hopefully he wont have a sleep today and do 12hours again tonight. when i go to work tomorow and i have to wake him up early it will all go wrong and he'll sleep too late prob then be up till really late

never mind, only another 6months-year of it then hopefully our boys will be happy without the daytime sleep. then the sun will wake them at 6am and we'll be off moaning again