DD1 has always been a champion sleep resistor. Up until a week ago she would have a lunchtime nap, even if it took half an hour of faffing around for her to go off to sleep. She would still willingly go to sleep at 7.30pm for the night. In the last week, however, she has refused to go to sleep. She throws tantrums or sits in her bed and just chats and plays for an hour or so before shouting that she wants out.
At first, I thought that she was probably doing this because she didn't need a sleep any more. However, she is always so tired by the time we go out in the afternoon (3.30ish after DD2 has woken from her nap and had a feed) that she immediately falls asleep in the buggy.
The lack of sleep/fact of having too late a sleep has had an impact on her night time sleep. She will go to bed at the normal time without issue, but wakes up at 6.15/6.30am. Today, after days of early wakings, I have finally managed to get her to have a nap at lunchtime, after a 45min tantrum of epic proportions. She has spent all morning complaining of being tired - and has said she is tired often over the last few days too. She is also grumpy.
What have others in this situation done? Did you just give up the fight and ride out the early mornings and grumpiness until your DC got over the transitional period and was able to make it through the day napless? Or did you persist in getting them to sleep?
I should say that going out in the buggy at regular nap time (1ish) is not an option as DD2 (6mths) is sleeping in her bed - she does not sleep well in the buggy. I have also tried getting DD1 to lie on the sofa with CBeebies on to see if she will drop off, but she watches telly and refuses to sleep.
Any ideas? I'm getting really fed up of my grumpy and tired child.