My 3-year-old won't go to sleep until 10

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. She does nap at preschool (can't prevent it) but often refuses to nap on weekends. She just started going to aftercare, and as a result she's even more tired than she used to be when she comes home. But as a PP suggested I think she does get a second wind after that. I will definitely try a quick dinner and earlier bedtime.

What time and how long is her nap? What time does she fall asleep on the weekends when no nap?

[Anonymous]

Drop the nap. It's your only option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy Lord. Benadryl?? Just parent MORE and be consistent - honest to God. I say that as nicely as I can - no snark. I have a 3 yr old and a one year old. 1 yr old just dropped her second nap - I seriously cried. Then shook it off. Now 3 year old is dropping hers too....tragic, really. Has to happen though. Now both are overtired and pulling nighttime BS. Little one will be standing in crib when I go up with her hands over her eyes because she is so naughty and sweet at the same time she cant bear to even look me in the eye. She is easy. 3 year old is a pistol. We have been dealing with her waking the little one up now with her shenanigans for a few nights with warnings. Finally last night, she was pulling her stuff and I warned her twice and then third time I went up and as promised hauled her ass downstairs with her blanky and pillow and set her up in the basement cot. It isnt horrible in our basement - it is actually cooler and furnished so it isnt a kid's nightmare but she was hysterical. I told her she made her choice and she can stay down there so that she doesnt wake up her sister and choose differently tonight. She cried for a while and about 15 minutes in, we went down and she was very verbal and said she really wanted to be quiet in her bed. So we took her up ans she went to sleep. Tonight's bedtime came around and I reminded her what happened and she looked very serious. I asked her where she would rather sleep reminding her she would have to be quiet and she chose her room with her sister. Not a peep since then. I didnt enjoy what happened last night either - not one bit. I hate hearing her cry hysterically and it was a shit show. But now look. Peace and quiet and the baby AND toddler get a full night sleep. Tomorrow is looking up. Set limits and keep them. At 3, they can get it.

YES, This. Totally agree, PP. Hard to be this consistent and tough but consistency WORKS. Set limits and make/watch things change.

I have a 3yo dropping his nap and a 1 yo who just went down to 1 nap as well. I'm totally with this poster - set limits, follow through, show them you mean business. But, 3yo really might not be tired until 10pm if they're napping over an hour or past 3pm especially. If he/she drops the nap and starts getting really restorative night sleep, might be what they need...like 7:30pm-7am night sleep.

[Anonymous]

This is a zombie thread, guys. The 3 year old is 7 now.

[Anonymous]

Do people resurrect these old threads just for kicks?

[Anonymous]

This is exactly what my three yr old did. I dropped the nap and she went back to 7pm bedtime. Do not let her fall asleep in the car.

[Anonymous]

Drop the nap. We had the same issue at 3 and it worked. I asked preschool teacher to give her a quiet activity during nap time. 1 year later and this still works. She flips through books or plays quiets on her cot during school nap time and easily falls asleep at 8. We start bath at 730. She gets up at 7.

[Anonymous]

2.5 year old fell asleep tonight at midnight.

[Anonymous]

Old thread resurrected or not, this helps a lot! I am dealing with the same issue. Boy, the toddler resists at night!! Thanks everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm in the same boat. Our DD is napping at school for 2 hours (mandatory rest time) and is up until 10/10:30 at night, or even later. We have been carrying her screaming to bed at 10:30, when we are tired! It's definitely the nap. On the weekends and during vacations, our DD doesn't nap, and bedtime is normally around 8:30pm. On days she naps, she's a total night owl!

One of mine was like this. People are just wired differently, and we have different sleep requirements and rhythms. It's a challenge when a child is in daycare/preschool, and naps or quiet-time is required part of the routine.

[Anonymous]

She needs to stop napping. Sad, but true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have tried an earlier bedtime and she usually is as wired as ever. On the other hand, on rare really exhausted weekends she will sometimes fall asleep in front of the tv even earlier. Maybe if I can find a way to get her to sleep at 7 (car ride + benadryl?) I can get her into a new pattern. Thanks, PP.

Did you try a new schedule for two weeks?

[Anonymous]

I haven't read all the replies, so my apologies if this is repeat of an earlier post. Anyway, I read once that it's the parents' job to put their kids to bed and the kids' job to go to sleep. I'd take everything that could be a hazard out of the room, do the bedtime routine, tell the child it's bed time and you're not coming back, put a gate up at the door, and then leave.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the exact same boat as you. No words of advice - just a virtual hug. This sucks. My 3 year old has been doing the exact same thing while his big sister is deep in sleep by 8:15. I'm hoping it's a phase that will pass.