Want to Change 18-month-old Sleep Schedule

[geoffreyandme]

Hello,
I am wondering who has had success with changing a toddler sleep schedule in which they already sleep through the night and then have continued to do so after the change...
Currently, our DS goes to bed at 9PM and wakes at 730 or 8AM. He has been on this routine since he was 6 months old. Now that he's cutting out one of his daily naps I feel he should go to bed earlier. I also think it would be good to get him to bed earlier so that I have more time to prep for the next day's events instead of being thoroughly exhausted by the time he's asleep and just wanted to go to bed as well 
The problem is that I fear he will start waking up too early as I hear from almost every parent whose child goes to bed early!
Any tips...thoughts would be greatly appreciated 
Many thanks Jennifer

[Layla]

Hi Jennifer.

Most 18mo's are on 1 (2hr) nap and tend to do 11hrs at night so you probably aim for something like this:

7.30 - wake
12.30ish - nap
2.30ish - wakes from nap
7.30ish - bed

hth
Layla

[scarlettsmom]

Hi Geoffreyandme,

Just to add - if you don't move his bedtime forward he will almost definitely start waking earlier and earlier from overtiredness.  It's usually not true that going to be earlier means waking earlier - just the opposite - your babe will be well rested and sleep better.  My DD went to bed at 6:30pm until she was about 6/7months old, and now goes to bed between 6:45/7:30 (depending on her nap (s)...we are just starting the 2-1 transition).  She never wakes early.

Good luck

Tari