Doesn't want a day sleep anymore!

[SMBT]

ARGH! My DS has decided that sleeping during the day is boring and he wants to play play play. It is a struggle and a screaming match before he finally falls asleep, although some days he doesn't. Now I wouldn't push him if I didn't know that he was tired, but he is up the tree by sleeptime and naughty and cranky because he desperately needs a break! If he doesn't sleep by 4pm in the afternoon the world is ending and everything falls apart.

How old were your kids when the day sleep abolished??? My DS is 2.5 years old. Does it usually end around now or should I still expect some time out during the day??? (I know that sounds selfish, but sleep time is my sanity break time). OR even better, how do you convince your children to sleep???????? Thanks!

[Chickadee]

Congratulations on getting to 2.5 years. My DD just turned 2 and has decided she doesn't want to nap either, though it may be partly due to moving to a big bed since bedtime isn't much better. Today we started at 2 and she finally fell asleep at 3:15. Crying towards the end used up all her energy and let her pass out.

Some days I just let her have quiet time instead of a sleep. If she's been in her room and playing quietly with her stuffed toys or looking at her books for 1.5 hours I figure she's not gonna sleep, and it has given me the break I need anyways. If there are any quieter activities that he likes, like reading or colouring or playdough or other crafts, you might try getting these out in midafternoon for a quiet time instead of a nap and see how he fares in teh evening.

[veve]

Some days I just let her have quiet time instead of a sleep. If she's been in her room and playing quietly with her stuffed toys or looking at her books for 1.5 hours I figure she's not gonna sleep, and it has given me the break I need anyways. If there are any quieter activities that he likes, like reading or colouring or playdough or other crafts, you might try getting these out in midafternoon for a quiet time instead of a nap and see how he fares in teh evening.

I cant really help (bubs is too young... I'm facing these issues later!!!) - but my mum was saying just today that when we were little and didn't want to nap she didn't make us... but we had to choose two items - take them with us to the bed and NOT move off the bed for at least 45 minutes... I know that sounds hard to enforce... but both my brother and I used to do it ... (mum was a tough woman!!!! :D) - it just gave her that little quiet time she needed...

((hugs)) - good luck.

[Shazbutt]

Mac is 2 1/2 as well, and hasn't wanted a sleep every day for the last couple of months. She's the same as your son though, in that she gets soooo cranky and naughty by the evening, cos she's so tired. Some days she won't have a sleep (like yesterday), and by 6pm, she's gone. She woke up at about 8.30pm last night and was awake til 10pm, as i couldn't get her back to sleep. But when DH is home or we're out somewhere, she'll quite happily play or whatever and not get naughty at all....cos she's busy i guess.

I just let her go now, if she has a sleep then so be it, but if not, i just make sure she eats early enough, in case she crashes....and most times she'll sleep through the night. Most days she'll sit and watch playschool of an afternoon and go out to it, and if not, then she's at least having a rest laying there watching...better than nothing....

Sorry i don't have any solutions for you, just wanted to let you know there are other mums like you going through the exact same thing unfortunately.....

[Missytia]

My DD is nearly 6 and she must have been 2-2.5 when SHE decided she was old enough not to have a day sleep anymore.
She used to get very cranky and very naughty which I knew she was tired and NEEDED as sleep, but the more I tried to force her to have a sleep, the harder she faught with me.
Reverse pyschology works wonders! I used to lay her down on her fold out couch in the loungeroom and would put a movie on for her. I would tell her that she didn't have to have a sleep but it was "quiet time". 9 times out of 10 she would be asleep before the movie was half way through.