Should I drop his naps?

[tunatuesdays]

DS is 2 in a week. Usually wakes at 7am. Naps anywhere from 1-2 hours from 12pm onwards. If he sleeps after 2 we are fucked with evening bedtime. Usually goes to bed around 7/7:30, asleep by 8.

The last week he’s not been going to sleep until 9/10pm. Last night was 10:30. He’s become very clingy & cries as soon as I attempt to leave (still in cot). I used to be able to put him in his bed with his milk, say night & he may have chilled & called for me once or twice but usually within 20/30 mins gone to sleep. (Don’t get me wrong he didn’t sleep through the night once until he was about 8 months old so it’s not like he’s always been a great sleeper)

He slept for an hour & 20 mins today, woke up at 1:30 & I got him to sleep eventually just after 9pm. Appreciate the weather is disgusting & that isn’t helping. He’s had to come in with us as his room is currently 30 degrees.

Question is are these signs to drop his nap. DD (7 now) dropped hers when she was 2 & a half but just turning 2 feels too early in some ways. I’m anxious I’ll take his naps away then he will be overtired & still not settle. What were the signs for you that you knew naps were no longer required?

Don’t drop it but cap it at one sleep cycle (45 mins or so)

If he wakes up at 7am, he won’t be tired at 7.30pm. Try a nap with an 8-8.30 bedtime, asleep by 9. I’ve seen so many parents dropping a nap because they want an earlier bedtime but the child is absolutely knackered and melting down from 4pm onwards. I don’t like it at all, imagine being so tired every afternoon and not allowed to sleep because mum and dad want you in bed an hour earlier.

Also, sleeping through the night at 8 months IS a great sleeper. Babies are biologically wired to wake at night, it is protective against SIDS and it’s very normal.

Sounds like he’s doing amazing, please keep the nap!! (I studied education but specialised in early years development and have been a kindergarten teacher in multiple countries, the UK is the only place I’ve worked where 3 year olds are not napping)

Agree with PP, if he can nap for 2 hours he probably still needs a nap, just shorter

I also wouldn’t make any big changes at the minute, this heat is making it hard for even adults to sleep

Thanks everyone. Really helpful responses. I wasn’t home today but DP had him, so he put him down for a nap & let him sleep for 1 hour 20. I did say don’t let him sleep past an hour but something cropped up. Anyway he woke at 1:45pm. He only went to sleep at 9:30pm. This was after I put him down around 8:20pm. He cried so much he made himself sick from coughing, then I end up having to put him in bed with me (in his room, theres a bed & a cot) & get him to calm down & fall asleep. I miss my evenings, selfish as it may sound. I go to bed at 10pm. Not sure what the answer is here. Just have to ride it out.