Re-establishing day sleeps for a 3yr old

[Enchanted]

DS turned 3 in July, he hasn't had a day sleep since he was roughly 2.5ish. We struggled to get him down for a sleep and didn't seem to need it, so we didn't push it. Currently with daylight savings etc we are struggling with him and his betime as we fell into the "you go to bed when it's dark trap" So now he is staying up later but needs more sleep. He is quite grumpy and irritable most of the day now and it's driving me bonkers! He thinks he doesn't need to sleep during the day as it is still light outside. However, if we get in the car to go somewhere he is usually out like a light.

So my question is..... HOW ON EARTH DO I TRY AND DO THIS?!?!!? ANY suggestions will be welcomed, I need all the help and info I can get!

[trishalishous]

Gee this is a hard one!
Would he fall asleep if you started with 'quiet time' ie reading or just laying down together?
How about block out blinds, so his room is dark?

Will he sleep in the pusher? maybe take a walk every arvo?

Otherwise, Id personally jump in the car every arvo and Find a nice quiet place to park, then have a coffee (travel mug( and read a book for and hour, then drive home

[Enchanted]

It sure is a hard one isn't it!

I LOVE the drive idea!! Will give that a go when we have some time. He has full blockout drapes in his room and we have just purchased venetians as well to block out more light. It helps but he still knows it's light outside. I have tried the quiet time etc but he ends up jumping up and off doing other things. Would be such a dream if I could get him and DD to snooze at the same time.... I am sure I am dreaming though!!

[Ozziehoffy]

Otherwise, Id personally jump in the car every arvo and Find a nice quiet place to park, then have a coffee (travel mug( and read a book for and hour, then drive home

If this is a pretty much guaranteed way for him to have a nap... that's what I'd do too!!! 3yr olds think they know everything lol. Oskar is the same, can have his eyes hanging out of his head but still tell me he doesn't need a nap! Yet, at kindy (he goes one day a week) for the past month he's had a nap 3 out of the 4 weeks! Go figure!

[Arimeh]

DS hasn't had a proper day nap since he was 2. But he is the same, if we go anywhere in the car, he'll be out like a light.

But I don't take car trips just for that reason - can't afford the petrol.. LOL

[HotI]

Would you prefer him to go to bed earlier (when it's still light) or to have an arvo sleep? Maybe one of those day/night alarm clocks might help. They are used mainly to tell kids when its ok to get out of bed, but you could also use it at night to tell him when bedtime was (even if it doesn't look like it outside). You could slowly adjust it each day until he is going to bed at the time you want

[*Efjay*]

I would probably just try & stick it out until he adjusts to DLS. This is why DLS SUCKS! But if you can just stick it out then you should find that int he next 2 weeks or so he will fix himself up & sleep better.

[minimatron]

It is hard with daylight savings. I just keep to the normal times. SO 8pm is bed time regardless of light/dark. We have block out blinds too but still a bit of light comes out the top. So for the past few weeks I have kept to this routine and it can take up to an hour to get them to sleep but the more they are getting used to it the more they are going to bed closer to 8. I have a 3.5 year old and a 23 month old. The older one hasnt had a sleep since abut 21 months and the younger one is in the middle of dropping hers. I would be inclined to just stick with your bedtime routine and you wll find that he will adjust (sorry this is all over the place) in a few weeks. You just have to try and be consistant with it.

[Enchanted]

The problem is though that he was going to be at 6.30-7pm. It was what he needed so he had enough sleep and we didn't have any trouble with getting him down then.
So now it it WAY too light for him. *sigh* As I said his room is fairly dark, I dunno... all too hard

[minimatron]

Oh bugger... so what time is he going to sleep now?

[*Efjay*]

DLS does make it really hard. I really don't understand how it keeps getting voted in. Is there really more people with out kids then there are with them? DLS has to be the worst thing when it comes to little kids.

[Enchanted]

I usually LOVE DLS but not when I have grumpy kiddies!

He is going to sleep at 8.30ish now, which wouldn't matter except that he is so grumpy. He doesn't sleep in any later either, I am sure if he got another hour in he would most likely be fine. Maybe we will start trying for 7.30, I think it's a fair compromise. Let's see if he does

[Liviam]

We've been having a lot of trouble with getting our kids to adjust to DLS. We were just going witht the flow but the last few nights we decided it just wasn't working (same as you, tired/grumpy kids, up late and not settling) so we have just gone straight back their 7.30pm bedtime. DD is allowed to sit in bed and read for a bit long but she must be in bed at 7.30. It seems to be working as she is settling better each night and and starting to wake up earlier too (she was waking 8 - 8.30am).
Best of luck darl.

[Ozziehoffy]

We have block out blinds too but still a bit of light comes out the top.

We had that problem also... Oskar's bedroom (and ours for that matter) are facing pretty much east, so the sun hits that end of the house and Oskar has 2 windows so he really cops it... we have combatted the light out of the top problem by tucking a towel folded in half length ways along the top of the curtain rod to block that gap. It really helps HEAPS!!! Not a pretty look but hell, I don't care lol.

[trishalishous]

Im so glad we dont have DLS here!!!
We are getting up earlier, stuff getting to bed later!

[Liviam]

Our bedroom windows get sun all day long. To get good block out we put tinfoild on our windows. It doesn't look very good but it works really well.