Fantastic sleeper has just stopped his 3 hour nap...

[Gem13]

...but he still needs one.

DS is 2y 8m and has always had a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon (and 12 hours at night). A couple of weeks ago he started climbing out of his cot in the afternoon and despite putting him back several times it seemed pointless (and dangerous) so we bought him a toddler bed. Now he won't have a nap anymore.

I wouldn't mind but he is only naughty if hungry or tired (we always say he forgets to be good!) and he has been awful today. Lots of pushing/biting/poking DD (usually he's lovely with her), whingeing, floods of tears when he's told off as if it's not his fault.

Any advice? My one tactic has been to get him to sit in front of a calm video (Little Red Tractor, Bob, Fireman Sam) so he can just sit quietly and 'rest' but I don't like rewarding tired bad behaviour (I don't put it on straght away but when I can see it is going to pot) with a treat.

Any advice?

snap!

My solution is to keep going with the nap using bribery ("we're going to do xyz this afternoon, but only if you have a good sleep"), but to make it a little later and a little shorter than before. There was a week-long phase of real problems- having to put her back several times etc, but now she goes down for her nap as before.

she's 2.10 btw.

My ds stopped his nap after going into a bed, this lasted about 2 weeks & then he suddenly started saying he was tired & he has started having them again, so hopefully it may be only a short term problem. He is 2yrs 6 months btw.

Thanks for your replies, so glad to hear the naps returned. He was so lovely this morning and then foul this afternoon and I was in danger of becoming a stuck record. As soon as DD stopped crying after one incident another one occurred. I would have despaired but I felt sorry (and frustrated) for him.

I shall be strict tomorrow!

I bribed my three year old into having an afternoon nap by letting him eat chocolate cake in bed!! In my defence I also have a four week old baby and was v tired myself...

Aloha - that made me feel tired! Fortunately DS was still having 4 hours when DD arrived. I don't know how mothers cope with 2 when the older one doesn't have a nap.

I am posting this and DS has been asleep since 2.30!

Thanks for the encouragement!

My dd (20m) recently went into a bed and also stopped napping for a while. However, this week at about 11.30am ish I say, 'right, mummy needs a wee. you come upstairs and have a read' - we have a gate on her bedroom door. I go for my wee (sorry to be graphic!) and dd bumbles around her room reading and generally chatting to her toys. I then come straight into spare room and come on MN (!) Within 5 minutes she is on her bed asleep. Don't know why she has suddenly gone back to it but i have found if i don't make a fuss and just leave her to it, she is making the decision for herself. And they are two hour naps! Hope i'm not tempting fate by posting this!!

Re-read this and apologise for my English being so rubbish - hope it makes sense!

That sounds very mature - or maybe it's a girl thing (now I have one of both, I'm convinced DD is more on the ball!) DS had to be bribed. 'Stay in your room or no tv!'

It worked though