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3 year old with nap problem



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 29th 03, 07:17 PM
Hillary Israeli
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Default 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
  #4  
Old November 29th 03, 08:47 PM
Banty
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Default 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  
Old November 29th 03, 08:49 PM
Ericka Kammerer
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Posts: n/a
Default 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


  #6  
Old November 30th 03, 01:38 AM
cara
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Default 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

  #7  
Old November 30th 03, 06:05 AM
MCranEY05
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Default 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  
Old November 30th 03, 07:04 AM
cara
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Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old November 30th 03, 02:46 PM
Sue
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Posts: n/a
Default 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



  #10  
Old December 1st 03, 05:10 PM
Rosalie B.
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Posts: n/a
Default 3 year old with nap problem

x-no-archive:yes


(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

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


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??


Well one thing you MIGHT try is to tell him that now he's three he has
to learn another number i.e. seven. So not to come into your room
until he sees a seven. I did not let my kids get up until 7.

I was fortunate in that my oldest took a good afternoon nap until she
was forced to give it up in first grade. So for the second one, who
would happily have given up her nap at 3, I had a good reason to give
her for lying down to sleep i.e. that her sister should be allowed to
sleep.

So I'd tell her that she had to lie down in her bed for 15 minutes
(IIRC from 3 pm to 3:15 pm but it may have been earlier). I showed
her how to watch the minute hand on the analog clock, and if she was
still awake after 15 minutes, she could get up and play quietly.

Most days, lying still and watching the clock for 15 minutes would put
her to sleep. But if it didn't, she just played quietly until her
sister woke up.

But she did not really need a nap like your ds does. She'd be OK
without it. OTOH, I found when she was a baby that if I put her to
bed later, she'd be up earlier. When I put her to bed at 7, she'd
sleep to 7. But if I put her to bed at 8, she'd be up at 6.




grandma Rosalie
 




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