Author Topic: 2yr 8mo doesn't nap but is starting to fight bedtime & wake early  (Read 931 times)

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Offline KatyBee

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When my son dropped his nap a few months ago, bedtime battles & overnight sleep really improved - he was doing 6:45pm-6am most nights, which was a dramatic improvement as he's always been pretty LSN and even a short nap messed things up.

The last few days though he's been really resistant at bedtime again. Up until recently he was ready for bed & would happily go with me to his room at 6:45pm and be asleep within minutes, but now he is categorical that he isn't tired & genuinely didn't seem it either, so I've tried following his lead but he was obviously slightly OT as that resulted in earlier wake ups/less ONS/crying when he wakes in the morning (which is VERY unusual)...

I've also tried getting him to bed slightly earlier - but he is adamant he's not tired & if I insist we go relax in his room he is up & down like a yo-yo and fights me for ages.

Last night I did manage to get him to sleep at 7pm, but he was up at 5:30am this morning. I drove around this lunchtime for an hour to see if he'd nap, just in the hope it might ward off some accumulated OT but he didn't fall asleep.

If he won't nap & I can't do EBT - what am I supposed to do for OT? Or is this just a phase like any other and it's better to just do our best to be consistent until it passes?

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Re: 2yr 8mo doesn't nap but is starting to fight bedtime & wake early
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2016, 18:52:00 pm »
Likely a phase.

Sleep always went off track for us when my DS learned a new skill so if he learned to count to 20 or backwards from 10 or was trying to write his name things like that would throw his sleep off.  Maybe you see your DS trying hard to master a new skill or it could be you don't see it until he actually 'gets it' and his sleep returns to a more normal routine again.

It could however be a change in seasons, not sure where you are but perhaps it is lighter outside now (like here in the UK) and he feels it can't be BT because it is so light?  If it is something like that you could try shutting all the curtains 30 min before you go up to bed so that he gets the idea of it becoming night time.

Another big one here is the need for physical activity. Mine has almost always needed a big physical activity just before his bath time to get rid of any last bit of energy. So running, start jumps, press ups, jumping, playing chase.  We used to do a Toddler Band every night after dinner, marching with instruments around the house back and forth, he'd end up jogging.  If you can't get outside then perhaps consider setting up something indoors like this, or an indoor assault course.

Maybe one of these things will help.


Offline KatyBee

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Re: 2yr 8mo doesn't nap but is starting to fight bedtime & wake early
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2016, 09:34:31 am »
Thank you - yes I think it's probably a phase too.

He went to bed ok last night as he'd had such an early start, but we had a nightwaking at 2am. Unusually he actually got out of bed saying he was scared of his white noise & needed a cuddle, then was up for day at 5:45am, but overall had a slightly longer night, so hoping we are heading the right way.

Thanks for your advice!

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Re: 2yr 8mo doesn't nap but is starting to fight bedtime & wake early
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2016, 17:29:45 pm »
Hmmm...I wonder if he might be out growing his white noise?  If he still likes it to go to sleep with perhaps try turning it off before you go to bed?  Mine wanted a night light and was able to go to sleep with it on but I have to turn it off at my bed time otherwise it disturbs his sleep later in the night.