Good luck Hillary. My kids stopped taking regular naps by the time they were
three. I did the quiet time every day and sometimes they would sleep and
sometimes they didn't. The 5 o'clock witching hour was horrible for a while,
but it did get a little better after they got used to the new routine. I
just simply started putting them to bed earlier and now even at 11, 8 and
almost 7, they go to bed at 8 o'clock during the week and then I let them
stay up later on holidays and weekends.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)
I'm Just a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World...

Hillary Israeli wrote in message
...
Well, I guess it's more ME with the nap problem and a 3 year old who
really doesn't care that much, but in any case, I am seeking some advice
or input here, PLEASE

A brief background:

My son turned 3 9.9.00

His normal nighttime routine: watches short bedtime video at about 8 pm,
goes to bed around 8:20, gets short bedtime story, sleeps about 8:30-8:45
til about 6 am. Wakes up (probably shortly before) 6 am, comes running
into our room shouting "I saw a six, I saw a six, it's morning time now!"
because he's been instructed NOT to come into our room until at least 6 am
unless he needs to use the bathroom or has some other major problem

He usually starts getting tired again some time between 1:30 and 2:30 pm.
He always insists he is not tired, and he does not want to go to sleep or
nap or anything like that. He really really resists taking a nap. We used
to be able to put him in the car and get him to go to sleep but that
doesn't work any more. He sometimes will agree to rest quietly, but sadly
simply having quiet time doesn't seem to help prevent the overtired blues
which generally set in by about 4:30 pm or maybe 5 - at which point is he
so tired he will cry at the drop of a hat, and generally freak out over
nothing, but still will not go to sleep. Offering to let him watch a video
at naptime, btw, doesn't help either. He just complains that it isn't
night-night time yet so I shouldn't be trying to get him to go to sleep!
So, anyway, if he skips his nap, he usually will fall asleep at about 6 pm
from total exhaustion, wake up at about 8:30 or 9 and want to eat and play
til about 10:30 and then go to bed and get up at normal time (6 am). I
hate when he does that! If he manages to fall asleep between 1:30 and 3:30
he will sleep for two hours, wake up, and be normal, and have dinner and a
regular evening. That's great as far as I am concerned - but rare.

Can anyone offer any suggestions for getting him to take a nap when he
doesn't want to, or alternatively for getting him to sleep more at night
so he doesn't need to nap??

--
hillary israeli vmd http://www.hillary.net
"uber vaccae in quattuor partes divisum est."
not-so-newly minted veterinarian-at-large