[firsttimemummy18]

What time does your 3yo go to sleep? And do they still have a day nap?

DD is falling asleep close to 9pm every night, after huge tantrums, and we HAVE to lay down with her otherwise she will just keep sitting up. She wakes between 6-7 every morning.

I am trying to cut out the day sleep, but if we are in the car she will fall asleep anyway, and she does get very tired around noon. If I can keep her going, she does get a second wind, but this doesn't always mean she will fall asleep easily either. If she does sleep, I will always wake her up after an hour. (otherwise bed time can be 10pm!!)

DH and I are exhausted... DS is an early riser (5:30/6) and we feel like we are just not getting any time to be together by ourselves.

For those that suggest sitting next to the bed, and getting further away each week or something.. we have tried... she WILL NOT stop screaming unless we are laying down with her, and often we have to pretend to be asleep too. I can't tell if the problem stems because she is just not tired... or if she is tired but just refusing to sleep...

What do we do??/ We are going crazy! Any advice would be appreciated.

TIA

[bettymm]

Gosh, i could have written your post word for word! WE have a DD who is 3 and are going through the exact same thing. DH is in with her right now actually (its 9.15) til she falls asleep. ITs useless trying to escape before she is really out to it as she will jsut continue to get out of bed and call out for us.

Its the same thing for us whether she has had a day nap or not. We just start putting her to bed a little earlier if she hasnt napped.

I know a few mums with 3 yr olds who are doing the same thing and i think they will grow out of it soon enough. DH actually takes his ipod and a pillow in there and just chills out for a while . It just means that we are going to bed really late coz we like to watch a movie or hang out a bit after the kids have gone to bed

so sorry, we are in the same boat!

[gabbigirl]

Sounds similar to our situation, and we just went with it after me screaming out of frustration at her to go to bed, but she just wasn't tired. (our DD is 3.5)

But to answer your original question, if she has had a day sleep bed time can be as late as 9pm, if no day sleep she crashes by 7pm. it's about 4 days/week she has a day sleep.

On those days where she has had a day sleep we just ask that she let us have dinner, or tidy up and she can watch TV or play quietly. She still likes to hang off us but if we can get stuff done we're ok with that.

And she likes us to be in the room, touching us while she falls asleep. Another battle I am not prepared to have. I just go with it as it takes @ 10mins.

Together time is a rarity for us too. good luck.

[mummame]

I have had the same problem with my DS who is also 3. He has been a shocker for ages. If he has a sleep he will stay up till so late and will not even appear tired, talking like 9:30pm-10pm. Today I did not let him sleep and he was down for the night at 7pm, so far so good. I think its time to let the day sleep go for us, otherwise he is just too rested at bed time. I know how you feel about no time for yourself, its very frustrating. My DS is very strong willed too, so even if I am firm about bedtime he will just keep coming out of his room and tantruming!

[KristyMum-]

no true day sleep since about 18mths or less.

Q might fall asleep if we're going/coming home from somewhere which is hard bc then he is up later (but never used to be a prob for him from about 19mths-2yrs).

But on a normal day, about 7pm

so yep, sounds like it's time to get rid of the day sleep

[Ianthe]

My 3 year old goes to bed around 7:45 but he shares with his sister so they usually chat for a while so sometimes it is 9pm before he sleeps. He is up around 7am. He still has a sleep most days for a couple of hours. He is a nightmare if he doesn't nap. That transition from the day sleep to not having one can be a tough one.

[imamumto3]

we have had to drop dds nap or she would be up till all hours. it has worked for us. she now goes down between 7 -7:30 and wakes about 7am

[mombasa]

No day sleep here, DD goes to bed at 7pm and wakes up anywhere between 7 and 8am.

[AryaStar]

My two year old is like this and has not had day naps since he was 19 months. The odd day (like today) when he woke up super early and had a nap at midday means that he is up until 9:30 - 10 pm.

Sounds like your little one needs to drop the nap as well.

[-Emissary-]

DS just turned 4, he has been going to bed around 9 pm for the last year. He wakes up at 8.30/9 am though.