How to stop the nap at 3 years old

[girlmummy25]

My DD was 3 at the end of May and ideally shouldn't be napping.

When she has a nap it is so hard to get her to sleep at an appropriate time. Its getting to 10pm and later before she seems even remotely tired - she will be in her bed awake for hours.

I just dont know how to stop her napping? She naps late around 3pm or later because its as if I just cant keep her awake sometimes. If I try to wake her after 20/30mins she is just miserable and cries and keeps falling back to sleep. Its also hard as her grandparents pick her up from nursery 3 days a week and she falls asleep in their cars or in my car when I pick her up at 4pm.

Any advice?

Sounds like she really still needs a nap to get through the day but then that could be because she's up until 10 🤔 could she nap earlier? Perhaps from around 12/1? How long is the nap?

@Arthursmom I know its going in a vicious circle! If im just at home all day she sometimes wont nap and will be asleep by 8pm and sleep through until the morning fine - which is the ideal.

She wont nap any earlier as shes not tired enough for a nap - like you said its just as if she cant make it those extra few hours until bedtime.
I try to wake her after 30mins but if she is left to it she will do an hour - sometimes a bit more.

I have no advice, but my son was 3 at the end of May too and he definitely still needs a nap. He turns into devil at around 12.30pm and becomes very tearful and grumpy so he's not outgrown the nap yet.

It would be tough though if he was doing that at 3pm then awake so late, so I feel for you there, OP.

My son is 3 (4 in September) and still naps in the afternoon sometimes. He really needs the sleep. He's highly energetic (possible adhd being assessed) so I think he exhausts himself. Plus he had glandular fever in January and I think the long term effects of tiredness from that lingered for a while.

Every child is different, my son naps 2pm-4pm and sleeps 8pm-6am on school days. Guess I'm lucky. I definitely would love to keeps the naps as late as possible because I use this time to nap too !

Can you entice her to stay awake with especially fun stuff around the time she usually falls asleep ?

Also what happens on the days when she doesn't want to sleep before 10pm ? My son is in bed at 8pm whether or not he is tired and I leave him to it, I don't mind if he reads or plays for a bit quietly in bed so long as he makes no noise but he usually falls asleep fairly quickly.
But if you let her stay up with the adults that may be part of the issue as it may feel to her like she's doing exciting grown up stuff by being awake so late ?

What time does she wake up in the mornings? She might need to be woken earlier to get her to nap earlier?

Mine naps 3 hours a day and is 4 tomorrow. Not ideal I guess as school starts soon but he will just not have a choice then so I'm not worrying myself about it. Is it that inconvenient? I would prefer my kid to get the sleep they need rather than be free to go and do whatever?

3 in 2 weeks definitely needs a nap still - I enjoy the time too

Sounds like nursery is absolutely exhausting for her. Not uncommon. Is there a park or something near nursery you can go to? How long is the journey home? Could you keep her awake with snacks/tv/a toy/singing? (I play a shoe called sunny bunnies on YouTube to keep my son awake. Far too exciting for sleep! The music to it alone would make you nuts but it does the job). Basically keep her awake until home then get her ready for bed right away-quick dinner and straight to bed. Neighbours 3 year old is like that nursery days, 5:30 bed. Sleeps right through until 6:30 the next day

Wake her as soon as you can, I’d say.

My son is 3 and a half and although I don't put him down for a nap, if we are out in the car for longer than 15 mins between 11.30am and 3pm he falls asleep 🤣

I think you just need to try and do it a little earlier? Maybe some chill out time around 1pm?

Can you try bring the nap forward to lunch time?

What time does she wake on a morning?
If she is sleeping past 7.30ish in a morning, try waking her up earlier in a morning and bringing the nap forward, which should then mean an earlier bed time.
and soon enough, she won’t need the nap at all once to bed time sleeping is sorted.

my 3yo old DS has just dropped his nap, due to moving to preschool at nursery and it’s resulted in bed at 7.30pm - 6.30am and he doesnt need the nap due to the good sleep the night before.