Transition to no naps

[BetsyS]

My 3 year, 5 month old is starting to not take naps. Yes, I realize that he's taken naps a long time... But, we're struggling with the transition, and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips.

About 6 weeks ago, he went through 2 weeks of not napping, but then settled back into napping about 4-5 out of 7 days, which seemed right. In the last 2 weeks, though, he has napped very few days (maybe once a week).

He gets up at 7 (this is the latest he's slept ever; when he was a baby, he was a 5:30 guy; he's just a morning person). He used to nap from 1-3. I've tried earlier, and I've tried later. He just lays in his bed, unable to sleep.

His bedtime is 7:30 to 8 when he naps. When he doesn't nap, he wants to go to bed at 6. And, herein lies the problem. My dh doesn't get home from work until 6 or later (leaves at 6am).

If he doesn't get to go to bed at 6, the remaining time that he's awake is full of tantrums and crying, general grumpiness, nad an unhappiness with life. Not so much fun. But, if I allow him to set his schedule, he doesn't see Daddy during the week.

Any suggestions? Or any idea how long this will last until he can make it to a 7 or 7:30 bedtime?

[HappyMommy2]

Transitioning is THE WORST!!!! I actually think you are so lucky, you still get him to go to bed at 6 and have peace. Missing his father during the week (to me) is a small price to pay to get him adjusted to his new schedule. It won't take *that* long.

My son sometimes passes out at 6pm. (like twice) But most times, he gets this horrible second wind and acts crazy & ornery until 9:30 or 10. It is awful!!!

I had beautiful plans of doing "quiet time" or "quiet hour" during the former nap time... but that is not working too well. Some days he will relax wiht a DVD, but it is not the beautiful solution I had planned in my head!!!

Good luck mama. Sorry I don't have any help for you, just commiseration!

[Alyantavid]

We're in the middle of that transition now. With no naps, my ds is a terror by 5 pm. I do move bedtime and dinner up a bit and we do baths because they make him extremely happy and it spares me a half an hour of screaming tantrums.

Can you do a 6:30 bedtime? He and daddy can see each other for a few minutes and he can still get the sleep he needs.

[One_Girl]

Can you keep his getting up time a little later at the same time? It may take a couple weeks for him to adjust to the new times, but once he does things should start going very smoothly. You should expect some crabbiness until he does adjust though. My dd usually takes about two weeks to adjust when our schedules change. I usually stick to only essential errands in the morning when she is freshest during transitions and the rest of the time we stay home until she has adjusted.

[sarahr]

My dd does the same thing with the early bedtimes.

Can your DH come home a few minutes early a few days a week and put him to bed? Otherwise, I agree with the others -- it's not worth keeping him up to see his daddy, when he'll be too grumpy to enjoy it anyway.

My dd stopped napping consistently about 6 months ago. In that time, her no-nap bedtime has moved from 6 to closer to 7 (with a consistent wake-up time around 6).

[snoopy5386]

the easiest thing to do would be for DH to change his work hours, IMO.
The next best thing you can do is try to get him to nap a few days a week - well placed car rides perhaps? Otherwise give it time. When my DD first gave up her naps she slept from 7:30-7:30. Now 9 months later we are back to 8:30/9-7:30.

[sunnmama]

What about offering a nap later in the day? Maybe from 4-5? Wake him--don't let him sleep 2 hours. He might be cranky for 20 minutes or so from being woken, but then might be refreshed for some time with daddy at the end of the day. I do this a lot when transitioning away from naps. A strategic car nap at 4-4:30 can be perfect.

[BetsyS]

Thanks for the ideas!

Dh already feels like he doesn't work enough--he definitely thinks he is "daddy tracked" because he only works 10 hour days (with an hour commute on each side), so I don't think I can talk him into changing his hours right now. Maybe he'd go in early a couple of days a week, though. Hmmm...maybe I'll ask.

Good idea about a 4pm nap! I'll try that this afternoon! I'll think of somewhere to go in the car, and we'll see what happens.

Thanks, ya'll!

And, I'm glad to know that eventually it will straighten out. Before I had kids, I always thought that if you kept them up later, they would just sleep later. Ah, funny times.