Am I creating a bad habit? Or have I already??

[Janie]

Don't tell me that FJ, you're freaking me out! All of the kids in our families have had day sleeps until about 3, I was kinda hoping for that too I'd go loony if DS didn't sleep at all during the day!

[*Efjay*]

Mine seem to think its a great time to drop them because I could really use a day sleep around that age because I pregnant with the next! Evan was always hard to get to sleep so when it became really hard we just stopped pushing it because come 4pm he was either still asleep or not at all. Once the sleep got as late as that, bed time became an issue. So I made a rule that 2pm was the cut off to go down & up by 3pm.
just to freak you all out even more, we don't get day sleeps AND my kids don't go to bed till 8.30, even Isla! She sleeps in well though.

[Arimeh]

Thanks guys.

FJ - I so couldn't even think of the monster not having a day sleep - he is such a cranky little thing when he gets the sleeps!! I think I would have to leave home if he dropped it.. lol That being said, on day care days he has a midday sleep and then goes to bed a little earlier than usual at night. It just seems that since he has been getting up so early lately (5am) by 9.30 he is ready for a nap and sometimes only sleeps one hour. So I do try and put him down again in the arvo for a quick nap as he doesn't go to sleep until 8.30 at night.

I did try dropping down to one sleep a little while ago, with no success. Maybe its time to try that again? Ahhh who knows.. sometimes I just feel like I'm because I have no idea what he wants or needs!!!!! I think it would make the decision easier if he was a happy go lucky kid that wasn't a bother when he wasn't sleeping!!!! Because he is my monster, I love it when he goes to sleep because I get to have a breather from the constant whinging!!!!!

Vicky - thanks mate

[*Efjay*]

I think I would work towards getting him to 1 day sleep & sleeping in later then 5am! I would try & darken his room as much as possible so in the mornings there isn't anything that may wake him so early. Drag out that early morning nap as long as you can, work towards 10 am for a few days then 10.30 & so on. I think at this age a nap around 11 am or just after he has had lunch for at least 2 hours would be much better then a 5 am start with two sleeps in the day. Having just the one sleep would also help work towards an earlier bed time (if thats what you want). Hopefully with just the one day sleep he will slot into a nice bed time & wake up at a more suitable hour of the morning, say 8am! LOL I get up at 7.30 during the week & often have to wake Isla just before 9am so I can get Evan to school.

I have no suggestion on how to *get* him to sleep when he is playing as I have always fed to sleep. I really struggle with sleep times if for some reason they are refusing the breast, Its something i hope to change a little this time round. I am more then happy to feed to sleep, but I would like to be able to out them down for a sleep & just walk away & know they will go to sleep with out me if its needed. At the moment, I can't leave Isla (it was the same with the boys) to go out at night because DH wont be able to get her to sleep. The only thing I do that runs into bed time is the P&C meetings & I still leave before they finish so I can get back by 9 at the latest.

Anyway, I am with the others to just keep doing what works & what your comfortable with as far as lettin ghim cry, but usually I think at this age they just get too worked up if you leave them for to long, the other thing that maybe you could try if you wanted too is lay with him in your bed for day sleeps, that way you get a nice rest up too.

[Arimeh]

FJ - unfortunately our bed is like a big jumping castle for him to go "bouncy bouncy" on... doesn't matter how tired or sick he is, its a game for him, so thats out.

Its only been the last few mornings he is up at 5am, usually he is up at 6 or 6.30 which slots into our routine perfectly because when I work (3 days a week) we leave the house at 7am. So 6.30 would be the latest I would want him to sleep in anyway.

But yeah, I'll try giving the one sleep a day another go, he might have gotten old enough for it now...god these toddlers are confusing.. always changing things around when we have just gotten used to it..

[tiggerandpooh]

i just remembered Mel, when Aston dropped down to one sleep a day, things went all over the place, took a week or so until I could get him to have a sleep in the middle of the day - like Aricyn, he would wake early, be back in bed by 9, and then come the afternoon was a nightmare! now he has a sleep between 11 - 12, usually give him an early lunch and then he sleeps for a couple of hours.