Sleep Patterns Changing

What helped me get my 2.5 yo to sleep longer was to have a routine. She eats lunch between 11 and 12, then I put her down for her nap after lunch. She has a full belly and tends to sleep for 2 hrs sometimes more. At night we get her into her PJ's and put her down after reading a couple stories between 7:30 and 8pm. She will sleep until 5:30-6am. Sometimes she sleeps later but its rarely. I think if you started doing things the same way everyday you will find that he will get the sleep he needs.

Hello A.,

My husband and I beleive in natural sleep patterns. My 15 month old like to be in bed by 8:30 and sleep until 7am but my 6year old has never been in bed before 9pm and sleep until 8am. They are both well slept happy children. I think if you let them find their own sleep schedual instead of trying to put them on one everyone will be happier.
Good luck!

Hi,
When my son turned 3 naps became a real fight and he started getting up at the crack of dawn, after getting up about ten times he would finally fall asleep at night.
So after a horrible naptime one day, I gave up the nap time fight.
And to my surprise the bedtime routine got easier and he started sleep until 7:00-800am instead of 5:00 or 6:00am.
My pediatrician also told me that 3 years is about the norm for kids to give up naps. Even thou they still get tired during the day they are not needing as much sleep.
My son is almost 4 and a half now and we still have quiet time in the afternoon, he watches a movie or plays quietly.
I can still get something done and he rests.
Good Luck!

Hi A.,

From experience I can tell you that I dropped nap time with my daughter (3 next month) because of this same problem. Now she wakes around 7 every morning and it sounds early but for the most part is ASLEEP by 7:15 every night. There is such a thing as missing their window at night so I would just try maybe a half hour earlier at night for bedtime and see what heppens. This really is a tough age all around :) Good luck!

his bladderis bigger now so when he wets during the night he is peeing more and it is uncomfortable to sit in or sleep in. I wake my 3 year old once a night and he sleeps much longer..he is barley awake so he has no trouble getting back to sleep. I wake him a couple hours after he goes to bed... works like a charm.

Maybe only a nap every other day that is how my three year old does it

It has been a long time since I had a 3 year old, but one thing I did do with my children was a set bedtime and they could keep their light on and read or look at books until they got sleepy. Also, after supper, was quiet time at our house. No tv, just quiet play. It worked for us,and my daughter uses the same thing with her children too. In fact my kids and her children never had tv on week nights, only on week-end nights!

Hi A., if he is not wet in the am, be very firm that he dont get up that he stay there. This will be a bad habit if you are allowing this. If wet, change, and back to bed. If taking too long of naps, he wont be to tired at night time. Allow his good nap,2 hrs only. Make sure its around 12:30- 2:30. In this range. Make him stay in that bed till at least i would say 7;30 a.m then 12:30, nap. He needs a schedule. Good luck, a day care mom for 25 years. My mom did foster care, 17 years. I was around, many many children at the age of 8 years old. So i know children i would say.well good luck,oh if he keeps getting up until he relizes, that you are firm, and mean it, just march him right back, and a firm, stay there and dont get up. He will learn, that your the boss. Please let me know, how you make out. D. i hope this will work.

I think that your son is probably getting enough sleep, sorry to say. I think that he's either ready to drop his nap and sleep more at night, or you could probably keep fighting with him about it, get him back into a nap pattern, and have him sleep less at night. At 3, 12 hours of sleep per 24 hours is pretty normal. My 3.5 year old goes to bed around 8.15 and gets up around 6 (although we don't let her get out of bed until 6.30. We set an alarm clock and she can't get out of bed until the music comes on) and she generally still naps from about 1-3. On days she skips her nap, she goes to bed at 7.30, but still gets up the same time the next morning.

At this point, your son probably is overtired because he's fighting going to bed at both night and nap. If you either let him drop the nap or push his bedtime up hopefully it will break the pattern.

Good luck!

I would put him to bed around 7 - 7:15. My daughter needs ample time to unwind for the day. after he is relaxed after bath and story time with you. Tell him he can read
(look at) a book in bed until you come in tell him it is time to go to sleep. or let him choose a quiet activity.
Let him do it for about 10 - 15 minutes.. give him the 3 min warning.

some times children ake up earlier if they go to be later! My daughter does - and then she is cranky in the morning.

good luck.

PS - he has a lot to process if you are training him during the day and needs his rest.

You are doing the right thing putting your son in to bed earlier every night. It is okay if he lays there or plays awake for a few hours! As long as he stays in his bedroom and is quiet. This was my sons pediatricians advice and it eventually worked for us. Finally he started falling asleep at 7:30 even though at first we put him in at 7:30 & he would lay awake until 9! He eventually starting falling asleep earlier & earlier & then it was at 7:30 he was fast asleep. I also had to change his nap schedule & make sure he was up at 7:00 am every morning I did not let him sleep in or that would mess up bedtime! So now nap time is 9:30 am and 2:30 pm no later if he goes in too late for the pm nap his whole schedule is off. He is 20 months & still has 2 naps a day. Good luck!