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3 year old with nap problem
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 |
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3 year old with nap problem
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#3
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3 year old with nap problem
In article , toto says...
On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 18:17:49 +0000 (UTC), (Hillary Israeli) wrote: 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?? Try moving his bedtime later little by little. Perhaps if he goes to bed at 9 PM instead of 8:20, he will nap in the afternoon at 2 instead of waiting until 6 PM? Don't know if that will work, but I think I would try it. Or bedtime earlier little by little, and do away with the nap. Sounds like this problem is one of transitioning in his sleep needs away from a nap. Banty |
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3 year old with nap problem
In article , Ericka Kammerer says...
Hillary Israeli wrote: 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 snip 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. snip 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?? In my experience, this is about what happens when they start the long process of giving up their nap, and it's not a pretty sight! A couple of thoughts: 1) Try napping every other day, or something like that. 2) Try napping later, but cut the nap off shorter. Maybe you can get him to sleep around 3pm, but then you need to wake him up by 4pm and hope that it's been enough sleep that he won't be a bear in the evenings. 3) Work more proactively to get him down for a nap--snuggle him in bed and read him some stories and hope that he gets sleepy enough to fall asleep. 4) On days he doesn't nap, plan an early dinner and early bedtime, or if you can't do that, keep him really busy until bedtime so he has fewer opportunities to wig out. 5) Wait for it to pass, and he's completely given up his nap ;-) Banty |
#5
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3 year old with nap problem
Hillary Israeli wrote:
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 snip 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. snip 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?? In my experience, this is about what happens when they start the long process of giving up their nap, and it's not a pretty sight! A couple of thoughts: 1) Try napping every other day, or something like that. 2) Try napping later, but cut the nap off shorter. Maybe you can get him to sleep around 3pm, but then you need to wake him up by 4pm and hope that it's been enough sleep that he won't be a bear in the evenings. 3) Work more proactively to get him down for a nap--snuggle him in bed and read him some stories and hope that he gets sleepy enough to fall asleep. 4) On days he doesn't nap, plan an early dinner and early bedtime, or if you can't do that, keep him really busy until bedtime so he has fewer opportunities to wig out. Good luck, Ericka |
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3 year old with nap problem
Hillary Israeli wrote:
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 I'd say grin and bear it through his grumpy overtired time and make his bedtime more like 7 or 7:30pm. We did this with my now 3.5 year old when she was about 3, she just starkly refused to nap in any way shape or form, but still insisted on being grumpy by about 4 or 5pm. Its frustrating and wearing. About once every 2 weeks, maybe once a week I can get her to nap, but its rare, she won't even fall asleep in the car anymore. I try to enforce some sort of quiet time where she can sit quietly on her bed or in her room and read books, but it usually doesn't do much to offset evening grumpies at times, though she manages much better now. I've even used the 'dreaded nap' as a way to calm her from any major fits she throws in the afternoon by saying, 'if you can't calm down and find something to play, then I'll put you in your room for a nap since you are obviously too tired to manage'. She now sleeps from about 8pm until about 6:30am and that seems to be enough for her. I do find getting through the afternoons to be a trial, though, your'e not alone there! cara |
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3 year old with nap problem
I'd say grin and bear it through his grumpy overtired time and make his
bedtime more like 7 or 7:30pm. Hi Cara You know, we tried this with Samantha, and it didn't work;( She would go to bed at 7pm, sleep for 6hrs, and wake up at 3am.. WIDE awake. We also tried to get her nap no later than 2pm. If she got up before 4pm, she would *sometimes* fall asleep at 10pm. She seems "wired" every night at about 8pm. I was just fighting with my husband about this. I need some time to relax my mind before I go to bed. Because she has such bad sleeping habits, I end up being up till 3am just to get some "me" time. It is really affecting my personality. I am hoping she outgrows this... its hard on the rest of us. Jolinda |
#8
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3 year old with nap problem
MCranEY05 wrote: I'd say grin and bear it through his grumpy overtired time and make his bedtime more like 7 or 7:30pm. Hi Cara You know, we tried this with Samantha, and it didn't work;( She would go to bed at 7pm, sleep for 6hrs, and wake up at 3am.. WIDE awake. We also tried to get her nap no later than 2pm. If she got up before 4pm, she would *sometimes* fall asleep at 10pm. She seems "wired" every night at about 8pm. I was just fighting with my husband about this. I need some time to relax my mind before I go to bed. Because she has such bad sleeping habits, I end up being up till 3am just to get some "me" time. It is really affecting my personality. I am hoping she outgrows this... its hard on the rest of us. Jolinda That's rough - sleep habits of kids under 5 have me baffled! Even though mine won't nap, at least she'll go down relatively early and stay down until morning. She gets up in the night but we have a small mat next to our bed that she lays in at some point during the night, but rarely wakes us. Its amazing how little sleep these busy bodies can handle! I'm like you, though, I really do need some 'down' time in the evening. cara |
#9
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3 year old with nap problem
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 |
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3 year old with nap problem
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