Nap getting later if any

[Chloevalentine]

My 2.5 year old is fighting his naps and if and when he does nap a few times a week it’s late like 2/2:30 then he’ll wake around 330/4 and he’s cranky all night. He’ll usually go to bed ok around 830/45 but he’s been waking early before 7 which is early for him. Even days he doesn’t nap he’s in bed around 730/8 and up before 7. If he doesn’t nap he gets so wired it’s awful. What’s worse nap and cranky or no nap and a wired hot mess ?

[deb]

Sounds like the nap-dropping is happening, like it or not, but it's a longer phase for some than for others.

What we did was to institute "quiet time" after lunch: I'd put on an hour-long-ish CD and DD could play in her room while I got my ME time. If she napped, I'd cap it at an hour or so, and if she didn't she got an early bedtime (and yeah, afternoons sucked, but she'd at least had some downtime even if she hadn't napped, which helped).

Given the choice, I'd go for the option which gives me an evening w/my partner and a tall glass (or three!) of wine. LOL

[cath~]

Even days he doesn’t nap he’s in bed around 730/8 and up before 7. If he doesn’t nap he gets so wired it’s awful.

can you go for an earlier BT on no nap days?  that's a long day with no nap if he starts it before 7.  I'd try for a 12 hr day maximum (when he doesn't nap) and see if that helps.

Also, it sounds like he's not quite getting enough night sleep to last a full following day with no nap.

If you can break the cycle, and lengthen his nights (e.g. with EBT) then you might find he can manage with no nap less crankily.

[Chloevalentine]

The quiet time thing just doesn’t work we’ve tried it. He just gets so wired it’s awful. It’s hard to get him to bed much earlier most nights because his bedtime routine is with his big brother so he doesn’t want to go up without him but I’ll give it a try. I’d rather the chance of him napping than an early night though to be honest.

[cath~]

could you get them both ready for bed earlier, but then let your older one stay up a bit later once the younger one is asleep?  or do they share a room?

[Chloevalentine]

We did all go up earlier last night and my older one and I just spent some more time reading. He didn’t fall asleep until about 815 but little one was asleep before 8. And he’s up already before 7. I’m hoping I’ll get him to nap today though since it’s been days since he has napped usually I can get him to take one every few days. What’s the latest time he should nap though ? Sometimes he doesn’t fall asleep until around 2?

[Chloevalentine]

He did nap yesterday from about 120-250 so 1.5 hours he went to bed around 830/45 but this morning he got out of his crib and went downstairs I found him sitting on the couch at 630 am! I don’t think he’s been up that early in a year! I carried him back up to his crib. Should I assume the early wake is because he napped yesterday ?

[Haribo2012]

I’d say you probably need to cap day sleep!?

[Chloevalentine]

He’s been doing 1.5 nap the past two days. When he climbs out of his crib early in morning he’s not really awake even. I put him back in and he’ll lay back down.