Viscious cycle nap and bed

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I work part time so DD3 goes to daycare 10 days a month and once a month I send her on a day off so I can have a day at home to get stuff done! What type of preschool options are there? We have a playschool set up here where you do mornings at age 3 or afternoons at age 4 but I am going to ask if they might take DD3 in January for one morning a week if they have space just for something different as our small town options are limited in winter. 

[Chloevalentine]

He's not even 2.5 yet so I have to wait until he's 3 so not until next September. And he has to be potty trained.

[Chloevalentine]

Today was the first nap in 9 days! He was exhausted from being out with family yesterday and going to bed late. But every night he naps or even nnds he's fighting going to bed. He will come downstairs, put his light on, run around, bang his feet on his headboard! He's not falling asleep until after 9 and waking around 7 and then doesn't nap!!

[Chloevalentine]

Help! Lo went into bed at 730 it's now 8 and he's come out of his room 10 times! I've had to go up and put him back into bed each time! I don't know what else to do! He won't nap and he won't go to bed at night!!

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

What do you do when you take him back to bed? Is he getting a second wind maybe?

[Chloevalentine]

I have no idea! I just walk him back into his room tell him it's time for bed it's not time to play and he gets in I cover him and leave the room. Did it about 15 times last night. He went from a 13 hour day with an 1-1.5 hour nap to starting to refuse nap and doing a 13.5 hour day! Just doesn't make any sense. Yesterday we didn't even put him down for a nap because we are afraid he'll never go to sleep at night.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Is he close to his half birthday? It really sounds like a development thing and those types of spurts usually happen on birthdays and half birthdays. My oldest was in a BGB about that age but she was not able to turn knobs so she usually ended up playing on the floor and falling asleep on the rug.

[Chloevalentine]

He will be 2.5 end of December! It's just odd that all of s sudden he's not napping and he's taking forever to fall asleep at night. Today he crashed in the car at 245!! Tomorrow I'm going to try to get him up by 7/730 and to nap and see if we can get back on track and into bed by 8.

[Chloevalentine]

So we had a 14 hour day 730-930 with a 30 min cn in car! I just cNt figure it out!

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Sometimes trying to figure out a toddler (not just sleep but any behaviour) can be an exercise in futility really. Just from "knowing" your DS from past posts I really think it is just a phase to ride out for a bit while keeping firm - don't make the constant call backs or him coming from his room into anything he might perceive as fun and try to stck to set bedtimes (hmm guessing after the late bedtime a catnap did not really make a difference?). All you can do is set the stage for good sleep at this point, it is up to him to take (or leave) it.

[Chloevalentine]

Is it possible that he just have up his nap overnight?! Ugh well if he's not going to nap  I'm going to try for a 12 hr day and have him in bed before 730 which is what I normally do but he just lately keeps getting up and driving us crazy 😏

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I hope it works! I would say it is possible to nap drop quickly but more likely his readiness for no nap has been building for some time and just hit a tipping point where he can't fall asleep well at night with a nap.

[Chloevalentine]

Every day I try and put him in bed for nap and he just rolls around for about 15 mins and then comes out and calls for me. Guess he's just not tired enough. Then the afternoon is long because his behavior isn't so hot lol.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I know! Catch 22 right? He will adjust to no nap eventually, hopefully sooner rather than later.

[Chloevalentine]

He's been doing a 12-12.5 hour day with no nap but when I try to wake him in the morning he gets so mad and won't get out of bed! Lol he must be tired and is catching up with night sleep instead of his nap.