Just barely 3 year old son has always had a hard time going down for naps and bedtime. At about 2.5 he started seriously resisting his afternoon nap. I could force it with a car ride, and did sometimes, but I did not want to get into that cycle of needing to go for a ride, and wasting gas, to get a nap.
I hung in there knowing he would transition out of the nap all together and things would normalize -- eventually. Here we are six months later, basically on the same program. Some days he will nap, but not until 2ish, then be up until 10. BUT we have happy nights, everyone feels good, we can get out and do stuff, no meltdowns, we're all functional, only I get no personal or unwinding time for myself on these nights.
Next day he'll wake up at 8 and start deteriorating by late morning, and then trying to get a nap in becomes TORTURE. You know what I mean, trying to get a delirious, overtired toddler to nap when the neighbors kids are running around outside playing, dogs are barking, etc., etc.
So on the days he doesn't nap afternoons are a mess, he is totally half-awake and non-functioning, and all we can is try to make it through to diner and some semblance of bedtime routines. Sometimes it's relatively easy but usually on these no-nap days the bedtime routine is so much more exhausting and drawn out, leaving everyone miserable.
We're going on six months of this and I NEED A SHIFT ALREADY!
We do herbs regularly and have done melatonin (which has been a lifesaver at times) but I do not want to use it daily. I don't believe in physically forcing him against his will (though I admit I have done it and it has wrecked me). We've tried "quiet time" and sometimes that can help, but other days he will simply protest, run around, get wired, etc.
I'd love to hear your experiences or successes in the transition. I'm expecting my second in a few months and I really don't know how I can manage this much longer.
I hung in there knowing he would transition out of the nap all together and things would normalize -- eventually. Here we are six months later, basically on the same program. Some days he will nap, but not until 2ish, then be up until 10. BUT we have happy nights, everyone feels good, we can get out and do stuff, no meltdowns, we're all functional, only I get no personal or unwinding time for myself on these nights.
Next day he'll wake up at 8 and start deteriorating by late morning, and then trying to get a nap in becomes TORTURE. You know what I mean, trying to get a delirious, overtired toddler to nap when the neighbors kids are running around outside playing, dogs are barking, etc., etc.
So on the days he doesn't nap afternoons are a mess, he is totally half-awake and non-functioning, and all we can is try to make it through to diner and some semblance of bedtime routines. Sometimes it's relatively easy but usually on these no-nap days the bedtime routine is so much more exhausting and drawn out, leaving everyone miserable.
We're going on six months of this and I NEED A SHIFT ALREADY!
We do herbs regularly and have done melatonin (which has been a lifesaver at times) but I do not want to use it daily. I don't believe in physically forcing him against his will (though I admit I have done it and it has wrecked me). We've tried "quiet time" and sometimes that can help, but other days he will simply protest, run around, get wired, etc.
I'd love to hear your experiences or successes in the transition. I'm expecting my second in a few months and I really don't know how I can manage this much longer.
)
