Change in Sleep Pattern

Yes, my children (all 3 of them) decided between 18 months and 27 months to stop a.m. naps and to shorten the afternoon naps. By 3 none of them took afternoon naps. They would lay down for about 1/2 to 45 minutes and watch TV or listen to music but they didn't sleep.

I also have a 2yo that is doing the same thing this past week - waking up earlier, resisting napping, and having trouble falling asleep at night. Overall he's been a good sleeper, but he has gone thru some funky phases - just usually not all three things at once (waking early, little napping, *and* falling asleep late)!
I really think it's just a phase, and hope things will get back to "normal" for you soon.
Good luck!

My then-2 year old (he's 3 now) also suddenly changed his napping pattern. Up until that point, he had been napping daily for 1-2 hours. Then he would go without naps for several days per week and maybe only nap for 1 hour one day a week (sometimes twice a week if I'm lucky). He still keeps this pattern, and according to one of my toddler books, this is normal and to be expected.
He hasn't been cranky at all and seems to thrive on this new sleeping pattern...he currently wakes up around 7 or 7:30 AM, and goes to be around 8:30 to 9 PM.

Once our daughters turned two, their nap schedules changed also. They still went to bed at the same time and still wake up at the same time. They are now 2.5 yrs old, and one daughter naps daily and could be from an hour to three hours, and the other may or may not nap daily, but we still put her in bed and tell her she has to rest her eyes, and most of the time she goes to sleep. I am not looking forward to when they don't nap at all, but am lucky that i get at least an hour of peacefulness.

A.,
This sounds very much like my 2 1/2 year old. He has been refusing to go to sleep during nap time at the sitters and then falls asleep on the ride home around 4:00. Bed time has not changed either.
I think it's normal for children to "adjust" their sleep patterns just like infants do. I remeber when my son was small it would seem like we'd just get on a routine with feeding and nap times and then he'd change things.
Hang in there, he'll get back on a new routine. As long as he's getting around 10-12 hours total per day he's probably okay. Check this site out: http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/sleep/sleep12yr.html

I have a 2 year old daughter who doesnt like to lay down and take naps. I babysit in my home so its hard to get her to lay down if none of the other kids are taking naps. If she does lay down its usually not until late in the day like around 4 or 5 pm. Then I have trouble getting her to sleep at night. Its an ongoing battle but I know I will get through it. She gets cranky as well when she gets really tired.

M. R

All four of my children started changing their napping time between 2 and 3 years old. I think that since he wants to go to bed at 7 you are right about him needing more sleep. I think he will adjust!

I feal your pain. My 2yo has decided she does NOT need a nap, does not go to bed at her usual 8pm bed time and gets up around 7-8a now instead of 9-10 (older kids are back in school). My 2yo wakes up tired and is tired and cranky ALL DAY LONG, every day :( I personally think it is the age, they don't want to miss a thing and the weather changes this time of year makes them more tired. My daughter doesn't want to go to bed, she acts like she is scared of her bed/room & wants to cuddle in bed with us. In all honesty, when I am tired/stressed and she won't nap, we go to Walmart and she walks around the store and falls asleep in the car on the way home :) I hope that helps...I feel your pain

Hey A.,

I also have a 2 year old and a few of my friends do too. All of them have noticed a problem with sleep. I think it might be weather and we are about to change time again. Fall back an hour. If you think of it like that he/she is just ahead of the clock.

M.
mother of 4(11,9,5,2)