ending afternoon naps for nursery school

[MrsLukaKovac]

ds is 3.3, and starting afternoon nursery sessions in September. He currently sleep from 1.40 - 3ish, but is getting off to sleep later and later. Bath at 7.30 and bed by 8, but can be heard talking/singing to himself, sometimes getting up out of bed, until 9 or 9.30. For 3 weeks we've been trialling no naps in the afternoon - the benefits are - he goes to sleep immediately at 8, but on the downside he is a wreck from about 4pm onwards.

He doesn't seem to have adjusted much in 3 weeks, and it's hard for dh who only gets him when he's over tired at the end of the day.

I know I need to wean him off naps in order to prepare for nursery, but on the other hand, it's awful to see him tired.

There's no way he would have an earlier nap n the morning either. At the moment we are doing quiet time in place of naps, reading on the sofa etc, but it doesn't seem to help.
Any ideas about how to deal with naps and nursery sessions greatly appreciated!

hi,

It sounds like he's working on dropping his nap on his own..., esp if he's singing to himself at bed time on days he's had a nap. You might find he drops his nap by September without any input from you. My DS1 (just 3) dropped his nap suddenly and went from having 2 hours a day to none in under a month. He was grumpy for a while late afternoon, but is pretty much over that now, esp if he has a 'rest' at lunchtime.

Will he be going to nursery every day? I found it helpful for DS1 to get him to have a nap every other day, or every 3rd day, and he will still drop off if we go out in the car/buggy around 3 o'clock. But I don't let him sleep much more than 1/2 an hour now unless he's really shattered or ill, or he's still a live wire at bed time!

Or you could shorten his nap now, and let him have 45 mins or so.

Or bring forward bed time so he's in bed by 7 rather than 8 on days when he hasn't had a nap.