sleep problems

[icanmom]

HELP. My three year old is not taking her nap (she was sleeping for two hours) and then she is grumpy and cranky and today was screaming that she wanted to hit me. So, we put her to bed early. Some nights, however, she lays there and talks or sings and doesn't fall asleep until 8:30, 9:00 (she was put to bed at 6:30, 6:45). On the mornings she gets up at 6:30, she is totally cranky. What can I do to help her sleep better and get more sleep. I'm losing my mind.

[Joanne28]

when my son was 3 it began to be a battle trying to get him to take a nap, i gave in. he hasn't napped since.(occasionally in the car after an exhausting activity or long day). when i would skip a nap for him, i just adjust dinnertime, cooldown and bedtime accordingly. because when they get overtired, it's just twice as hard! i think b4 we entirely gave up naps, i wore him out in the morning, then took him for a car ride after lunch and he'd usually pass out, but only for the ride, wich made bedtime easier. when he used to nap, it took me at least an hour to but him to bed everynight(i stay w/ him to fall asleep), eversince we quit napping, he's out in 1-5 minutes!

[NiteNicole]

I think there's a long and rather miserable transition peirod when kids drop that last nap. For our daughter, there were a few months where it seemed like a nap every their day or so was just about right. It didn't mess up bedtime.

It seems to take a week or more for new sleep stuff to really kick in so you may have to move bedtime up for several days or more before things really settle in. I don't think many sleep changes are successful in just a day (so frustrating, because you don't know if you're making things better or worse).

You could also try letting her have one hour of quiet time instead of a two hour nap. My daughter will sometimes go for it if I present it as an alternative...ok, you don't have to nap, you can just stay in your room and play quietly in the bed, look at books, etc. Sometimes she does need to rest and settle down, you know?

[velochic]

By 3 my dd had given up naps completely, but there was still a transition period. It's a rough spot to get through, but she'll soon develop a new, restful sleep cycle.

[tinybutterfly]

Bump