How to teach a 3 year old to go to sleep

[hennaLisa]

Our 3 (almost 3.5) year old son has never been a good sleeper. He takes forever (ie. hours) to calm down and go to sleep, which keeps us awake in the family bed. He wiggles and makes noises. During the day, he won't lay still like all the other kids in daycare during naptime, so his caretaker ends up carrying him to sleep like he was a baby. Even when he skips his daytime nap, and is in a terrible wired/overtired mood all evening, he still doesn't go to sleep before 9pm, and often as late as 10pm. He always wakes up between 6:30 and 7:30am regardless of when he fell asleep. Is there any way to lovingly sleep train a 3 year old?

[APToddlerMama]

So his night time average is 8.5 to 10.5 hours/night then?  My three year old is the same way and doesn't nap.  I guess we've just realized it is how he is and try to deal with it.  I think some kids need less sleep than others.  My husband was apparently that way as a kid too.  What about having his nap cut short if he really needs it?  Like a half hour?  It took a couple months literally for DS to transition to not being a monster with no nap but it was totally worth it in terms of not fighting so long at bedtime and sleeping a bit longer overall.

Other ideas...does he have sensory issues?  Have you tried a weighted blanket?  Does he seem overly tired normally or just has a hard time settling down?  There is also a No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers book that might help.  Good luck!  I know how much it stinks not having a kid who sleeps! 

[friskykitty]

Do you think he is getting enough sleep?  I think 3 year olds average 12 hours of sleep per day.  Some do a 2 hour nap and 10 hours at night.  Others drop the nap and do 12 hours at night.  I wonder if he is overly tired.  Also, do you have a good bedtime routine?  Have you considered doing a visual schedule of the bedtime routine?  I always read to my little man in our bed before we turn of the light.  We read about 30-45 min every night and that really allows him a good bit of time to get the wiggles out.  It does still take 30-60 minutes to fall asleep once the lights are out though on most evenings.