Think it’s time to drop the nap BUT my son still falls asleep in the car

[Summerdays2014]

Hi,

I have a 2.7 year old son and until 2 months ago he was sleeping really well-falling asleep on his own in the cot and sleeping from 7 - 6 with a 1.5 (on average) cot nap during the day.

Now bedtimes are a nightmare (he has finally fallen asleep next to me on my bed just now) he won’t go to sleep in his cot, wakes during the night and is up for the day around 5am. It’s been a very hard two months and myself and my husband (and son) are knackered.

We have tried lots of things and I’m now thinking it’s time to stop the nap in the hope it will get him to sleep earlier. At the moment the only way I can get him to nap is in the car. I will drive for 5 minutes and he’ll be asleep. I then put him on the sofa and he sleeps for 30mins to an 1.5 hours. He also still has a nap at nursery for the same amount of time.

My question is, if he falls asleep so easily in the car - always within 5 minutes- does this mean he’s not ready to drop it? Or is he just knackered from poor night time sleep? And if he is ready to drop it do I just never go out in the car after 10am?!?

Where is he sleeping at Nursery? Could you try changing the cot to a toddler bed and see if that makes a difference?

Hi happy, we have changed the cot into a cot bed - he was climbing out and I was worried about his safety. At nursery they all sleep on little mattresses on the floor with blankets - he’s always done it this way since starting.

It’s a tricky time. When ds2 was at that stage he would fall asleep in his dinner he was caught between the nap meaning he stayed up later and being tired too early.
Not sure about he car thing he is 8 now and still falls asleep almost every journey over 30 minutes long.

Definitely a tricky time LooksBetter!

This just randomly popped into my head actually is it always you that puts him to bed? Is there anyone else that can do it? He falls asleep at nursery so can but doesn’t for you.
Ds1 was a bit of a mare when he moved to toddler bed and ex was working away and it took ages to get him off to sleep. Exmil came round every night st bedtime for a week or two popped him in his bed read him a story and walked away he never got up just went off to sleep. After the two weeks he was so used to it he did the same for me.
He knew how to push my buttons and I’d end up lying with him and then he’d play about and sit up.