What time does your 2 year old go to bed?

[Mydreamcametrue]

My son is 21 mos. and used to go to bed at 8:00 (the lastest).  Now he does not go to bed until 9:00/9:30.

Here is what our typical day looks like.  Just wondering if this is normal.  If I try to put him down earlier than 9:00, he screams!

Wake 7:00/7:30
Lunch: 11:00/11:30
Nap #1: 12:00/12:30 (until about 3:00) 2.5 hours, sometimes 2 hours
Snack
Dinner: 5:00
8:00: Bath
8:30: Snack before bed
9:00: Bed

It is now 9:30, I layed him down about 15 minutes ago and he is fussing off and on.  In the past if I go and get him and let him stay up a bit longer than he will go right to sleep.

Thanks, Wendy

[Mom to M&M]

He may be quite overtired come bedtime. What happens if you cut his nap at 2 hours and then lay him down for bedtime 5.5 hour later? So if he naps from 12:30-2:30, aim to have him in bed no later than 8?

[Two mummies]

It does sound like he's overtired as that's a pretty late bedtime. Mind you some kids don't need as much sleep as others.

Our routine looks like this for our 22 month old:

6.00am wake up
7.00am breakfast
9.30-10am snack
11.30-12pm lunch
12-2.30pm nap
2.30pm snack
5.30 dinner
6.00pm bath
6.30pm bed

The time it takes her to fall asleep varies from 5 minutes to 45 minutes but she mostly just lays there quietly drifting off to sleep!

Soph

[binxyboo]

Riley's bedtime has gone a bit nutty lately since he learned how to string sentences together. It seems like bedtime is the ideal time to practise saying everything.

The other night we heard this: "UH OH, whereismama? Gone! Dada gone!...(cue crying) mama, open door....peeeese....mama!!!!!dada!!!!!" And then he got out of bed and came running into us, "Oh, there he is" pointing at us!

[Lucysmom]

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I was going to post something similar actually so I thought I'd join in here if it's ok with you!  

I have read about the 5.5 hour interval before bed and I was wondering where the concept came from.  Is this what I should be striving for in terms of Lucy's naps?  I would have to wake her from her naps to do that but I am ok with that as her bedtime keeps on getting later and later.  She is typically awake by 6:30 and often I don't have her home in bed for her nap until 1 or 1:30.   She was sleeping sometimes until 4:15 and then not going to bed until 8:30/8:45.  I know this is not good!  I cannot get her to sleep any later in the morning and I know her nap was turning into an extension of her night time sleep.  What kind of routine would you advise?  Lucy will be 2 next week.  THANKS!!!  

[daybyday]

At 21 months my DS was at 1.5 hours of nap at day with a 7:30pm bedtime, 7am wake

Lately (cause his sister is waking him NICE AND EARLY) he's down for 1 hour 45 mins nap and in bed at 7, asleep at 7:30pm up at 6am (if I'm lucky)

 

[Layla]

Wendy - I also think he is a little overtired by bedtime. I agree that you should try and limit the afternoon nap to 2hrs and shoot for bedtime around 7.30ish (to be asleep by 8pm).

Michelle - from all you have written about Riley, he just sounds like such a snuggly little boy. My heart would melt if Isabella would call out where is mama/daddy/gone??? I think I would jump into the cot with her lol....

Lucysmom - If she is awake at 6.30am, you would probably want to have her take a nap around 12.30 (the latest). Wake her up at 2.30pm (don't let her sleep any more than 2hrs) and then aim for bedtime around 7ish (to be asleep about 7.30pm). This is actually what Isabella is doing now but her nap is about 1.5hrs (rarely 2hrs anymore).

Layla

[Mydreamcametrue]

As I thought, I layed him down at 9:00 and he was fussing for me.  I went and got him, brought him downstairs, he drank 2 sips of milk.  5 minutes later, I put him to bed and he was out.

I need to start limiting his nap, because I think he plays catch up.  It is such so nice to have that break during the day since I am pregnant, but then again, I like some a lone time at night also.

[binxyboo]

Thanks Layla, he really is such a snug bundle!

Wendy, I would chose a short nap over a late bedtime any day. For a few weeks there, Riley was sleeping up to 3 hours in the day, and about 10 at night. So, even though he was getting a good total amount of sleep, I just felt like I never got a break for some reason, as I was ready for bed when he finally went to sleep. I love a 7pm bedtime,8pm at the very latest, so I have a few hours to myself in the night. I much prefer that to a long midday break.

And please don't take this the wrong way, but it feels like you've been pregnant forever  How are you doing??

[Mydreamcametrue]

Ha...  Tell me about it (being pregnant forever).  I still have 4 more months.  Doing good, We are having a BOY!!  We just need a name now.

- I agree about the earlier bedtime.  When Zach is ready for bed, I am so worn out, I am ready for bed, but I find myself staying up until 11:30 or so just to have some time to myself. 

I am going to try for a shorter nap tom. and see what happens.  I know it will take a few days because he has taken only 2 hour naps and still not ready for bed until 9:30 or so.  I just have to re-train him.

So I guess shoot for a 2.5 (max) long nap and then bedtime 5.5 hours from that???

Thanks!!!

[Layla]

Actually I think 2.5hrs is still long. I would do 2hrs. You can try 2.5 and then 5.5hrs bedtime for about a week and if its not getting better then do 2hrs and 5.5hrs bedtime.

Good luck 

[*Natasha*]

Wendy Catherine does:

7am - Wake
12.30pm - Nap generally 2hrs no longer than 2.5hrs
7.45pm - Bedtime asleep by 8pm.

I agree you need to limit his nap to 2hrs.

[Colesmom]

May I highjack this thread Wendy?  If Cole has been going to sleep typically at 9pm...isn't it recommended to bring bedtime back in 15 minute increments every few days?  I tried to get him to bed early on Friday (given early wakeup at 5:15am).  he had his usual nap from 12:30-2:30.  I had him in bed by 8 (and yes, still very late given early wakeup), but he didn't finally fall asleep until 9?  he just doesn't seem capable of going to sleep before 8:30 at the earliest! 
Could their bodies just be "set" to go to sleep at a certain time, and we gradually have to reset that clock?

advice welcome and sorry to highjack again

fyi-Saturday we were out at my moms.  He was blinking like crazy, looking exhausted at 7pm.  We drove home, it took near an hour, and he was wide awake the whole time!  Then went to sleep at 9.

[Mydreamcametrue]

Good point Traci.  Zach is the same way, he just does not seem ready for bed any sooner. 

I think I will try the 15 minute increments first.

Totally off the subject, but I LOVE your sons name.  I want to name our 2nd child (due in October) Cole, but my hubby does not like it   I really need to convience him somehow though.

[Mom to M&M]

We never needed to do the 15-minute increments but some do so it's certainly worth a try. For us, DD is usually up around 7:30 (today it was 7:15). Nap is between 5-5.5 hours later and I wake her after 2 hours (unless she's sick or had a really rough night). Then bedtime is about 5.5 hours later - she's just not ready to sleep before that. So today she fell asleep for her nap at 12:35 and I'll wake her at 2:35. I'll get her in bed around 8 and hopefully she'll be asleep by 8:15.