medawyn Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 DS4 is in that tough place where he will fall asleep during rest time most of the time, but then he won't fall asleep easily at night. I can get him up after 30 minutes of rest time but then (a) I have no break and (b) he's a bear by 5:30. But then at least he goes to sleep at a decent hour. All my kids are early risers by nature, so he doesn't really sleep in. Of course having a baby going through a squealing phase (and an up at 4:00 am phase) doesn't help, nor does the fact that DD2.5 does quiet like a baby rhino. Even if he would sleep in, it's tough going right now. And then I'm watching the baby (15 mo) start to struggle with two naps, and I realize that I'm staring down the barrel of the lovely 2-1 nap transition. Just ugh. And I'm pregnant and crabby. Advice? Commiseration? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guinevere Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 My kids transition best if I give them lots of food, lots of early sunshine, and lots of exercise. But it is pretty terrible. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 That's a sucky transition. After age 2, my youngest couldn't nap at all or she'd be up till 3 am. We just limited car trips and tried hard to keep her awake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 My kids transition best if I give them lots of food, lots of early sunshine, and lots of exercise. But it is pretty terrible. We've been fortunate this August that the weather has been mild; we've been outside as much as possible. It does help. I'm just not feeling my best, which is leading to whininess. At least I know it's short lived; the transition is not so fun, but we'll be on the other side. Eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 I always hated that transition from 2 naps down to 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Ugh, I remember those days all too well. My choice was always to keep the midday napper awake and go for the early bedtime, but I never had two transitioning at once! Many many :grouphug: to you, mama. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 That transition is hard! At least you made it to age 4. My kids transitioned at 2 to no naps! I just found it best to maybe have a little quiet time together and push through to an earlier bedtime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 I honestly never paid that much attention to a "schedule" for naps other than making sure a nap didn't run late in the afternoon. DS was more regular than DD because of daycare. But then, I only ever had one nap aged child at a time to deal with, so I won't tell you you're overthinking it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 That transition is hard! At least you made it to age 4. My kids transitioned at 2 to no naps! I just found it best to maybe have a little quiet time together and push through to an earlier bedtime. Here too! I can still remember the day that DD2 didn't fall asleep in the car like she normally did during DD1's camp pickup. After a couple days of that, I realized what was happening and was so upset. She wasn't even two yet! And this was the same kid who COULD NOT be put to bed before 8 p.m. or she'd wake up again and be up all night. Even a few minutes before 8:00 and I was doomed. It was a tough couple of years there :001_unsure: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 When i brought ds#2 home from the hospital, Ds#1 at 18 months decided he was done with the two nap deal. It was almost to the day. I cried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 When i brought ds#2 home from the hospital, Ds#1 at 18 months decided he was done with the two nap deal. It was almost to the day. I cried. I was telling my mom this morning that this was a silver lining; we should be over the worst of it by the time new baby comes this winter. I'll miss two naps, but at least I won't be dealing with a crabby sleep challenged toddler and a newborn. Just a normal crabby toddler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainbowmama Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 We just dropped my almost four year old's nap. We moved up his bedtime by an hour. He now goes to bed at 7pm. He is kind of a mess by 5pm, but by then it's really just dinner, bath, get ready for bed, read with mama, and then sleep. He's cranky, but we keep the expectation low. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 We just dropped my almost four year old's nap. We moved up his bedtime by an hour. He now goes to bed at 7pm. He is kind of a mess by 5pm, but by then it's really just dinner, bath, get ready for bed, read with mama, and then sleep. He's cranky, but we keep the expectation low. That's basically what we've been doing. I miss my quiet time!! I'm looking forward to the day when the only person's sleep I worry about is my own. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Commiserating here. Ds1 went to no naps when he turned 2yo. Ds2 was a good napper ... until he turned 3yo and suddenly realized ds1 wasn't napping. So he quit napping because clearly he'd be missing out on some great stuff if he was asleep. Dd was toughest. She not only quit napping at 18mo, she was a terrible night-time sleeper as well and didn't sleep through the night until she was about 8yo. :svengo: :grouphug: It's hard, for sure. Hang in there! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinnia Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 (edited) If he is crabby by 5:30 and an early riser, I would move bedtime to 6pm for a while if you can swing it with the others. My oldest stopped napping at 4, always an early riser, and he just needs a lot of sleep. We had a 7pm bedtime that we moved to 6 twice a week or so until he was probably 8. He's 11 now, goes to bed at 8, and when he had a rough transition to summer this year, he went to bed at 7 for 2 weeks. New kid. I believe in my early bedtimes. If nothing else, keeps mama sane. ;) Edited August 15, 2017 by Zinnia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted August 15, 2017 Author Share Posted August 15, 2017 If he is crabby by 5:30 and an early riser, I would move bedtime to 6pm for a while if you can swing it with the others. My oldest stopped napping at 4, always an early riser, and he just needs a lot of sleep. We had a 7pm bedtime that we moved to 6 twice a week or so until he was probably 8. He's 11 now, goes to bed at 8, and when he had a rough transition to summer this year, he went to bed at 7 for 2 weeks. New kid. I believe in my early bedtimes. If nothing else, keeps mama sane. ;) We LOVE early bedtimes! The baby is in bed by 6:30 at the latest (and usually earlier), and the "big" two are in bed by 7, as long as DS hasn't napped. When he was tiny, he was in bed at 5:30 most nights! I'll pay attention to his crabby times and see about shifting bedtimes. On the plus side, he isn't super aware of time yet, so he won't be affronted to be put to bed half an hour earlier. Plus, if I'm going to have to get up before 5, I better at least get an hour to myself in the evening before MY early bedtime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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