Dealing with the Afternoon Moodiness

Is he hungry? My boys were always hungry when the woke up from their naps. I would try offering him a snack.

I call that time of day witching hour. Hes almost 2, hes napping 6 hours a day sometimes. I let my son sleep when he wanted to during the day. He wasn't on a strict schedule. I'm not saying you are. I would change the 2 naps to 1 around 11 am or cut the afternoon nap to an hour. He maybe over sleeping and could be tired when he wakes up. While you are cooking dinner, let him drum on Tupperware outside of the kitchen.

I started my son early helping in the kitchen. Hes young but include him, see if he will put napkins on the table. My son was cracking eggs at 2 and mixing ingredients. Chop ingredients, put the knife away, and let him put it in a bowl. Count the pieces together. It takes longer but my son loves to be in the kitchen. He learned early on that he's not allowed in there without a grown-up.

his afternoon nap may be too long. or he may need a piece of fruit before dinner to keep his blood sugar up.

little ones this age go through stages so rapidly it can be hard to figure 'em out before they're gone.

i think even more important than solving the crankiness mystery is for the rest of the family to figure out how to maintain the mood of the household without it depending on such a very small person. it will be much easier for him to learn to go along with a cheerful family than for him to be in charge of how everyone else feels.

even a one year old can be grumpy if he needs to. you can make him feel loved and supported without being helplessly subject to his still-baby grumpies.

khairete
S.

My daughter and SIL hold the baby after she wakes up. The baby then decides when to get down. She's usually in a quiet and good mood. They give her a snack if she's in a bad mood. She's 18 months now and they have been doing for ever.

I suggest that when she gets enough closeness while being held that she doesn't need to cling. Waking up is a hard transition for some.

Couple of thoughts if this helps

- Three hour naps would have left mine cranky. I would cut back and then move bedtime ahead if necessary. Mine would get zombie like for rest of day if they 'overslept' (almost like they wouldn't come out of dreamy state).
- I moved up dinner for them. They'd eat our leftovers from night before. They couldn't wait to eat with us. We ate later - I'd have them bathed (that was fun activity when they were cranky), in jammies, and fed before we ate. Then they played where we could see them, or had a show, while we ate in peace. Then after dinner, we flopped in living room, they used us as jungle gym - building forts with couch cushions, and we read, off to bed. Nice having the bathing, changing, etc. done (the hard stuff). It meant we weren't dealing with moods and work in evenings. It was a short phase - and how we go through it.

One of mine was fussier/sadder than rest. He had ear fluid that caused some communication, sleep, eating troubles. Might be worth asking your son's pediatrician (just skipped through your previous questions) if you feel he's fussier than what you would typically expect. If it's ongoing or if he's unwell overall - just worth a check.

I'd take him outside for several hours in the afternoon.
A playground for toddlers or a walk out in the fresh air helps to tire them out.
Even running around the backyard can help.
He's coming up on prime time for the terrible twos.
It might get worse before it gets better - but it will get better eventually.

the afternoon nap is too long.

Get a healthy snack in after nap and get outside.

When he wakes up, head out for some fresh air. Go to park etc.