2 Yr Old sleep...OR NOT! Help Please!

My children gave up naps at that age so we implemented quiet time. They would get a pillow after lunch go on the couch and that was their tv time. I would put a disney movie on and they had to stay on the couch. If they got off then they had to nap in their room. Sometimes they would doze off, most times they would just lay there and watch the movie. It was much less stressful for all of us and at least they rested. Children's sleep needs change as they grow, so there isn't much you can do about that. Good luck!!

He's not sleeping and he's biting. Is he getting his molars? Check his mouth maybe he is having discomfort that wakes him up.

Hi JA. I feel your pain! From the research I have done on toddler sleep (Elizabeth Pantley), it may be that your loved one needs a bit less sleep now. Our two year old is going through something similar. He needs 1/2 less sleep than he did a month or two ago. So I would not be worried.

You can try one of 2 things -- Keep an 1 1/2 hour nap, and know that he will get up earlier and/or go to sleep later. Or, you can try to decrease the nap to one hour or less (and you rest too :). Try to play slightly with his sleep schedule until he is awaking at a time that enables you a good rest.

I hope this helps, jilly

Hi. You are very lucky if your kids have always slept until 7 am!!! I'm a little jealous! My 2 1/2 year old is constantly changing her schedule and it drives me crazy too. I just worry that she is not getting the rest she needs, but so far she is acting fine. Lately she goes to bed at 8:30 but doesn't fall asleep until after 10p! She has done this b4 but at least would sleep until 8, but now she could be up as early as 6am! CRAZY! You can't make them sleep. You may have to deal with an earlier wake time for now, maybe it will change to a little later eventually. 7am is ideal for me too. I know when mine did this b4 i would try getting more exercise amongst other things and nothing i did mattered, she still didn't sleep any better. Then it would change again and get better, then it would change again.....yada yada. If you had the same schedule for over a year thats pretty impressive. Mine wakes up in the middle of the night too and plays, sings, whines.....i guess it's just another phase. She is really starting to talk and use her imagination so i'm guessing that has somehthing to do with it. Just accept it and your mood will be much better for it. Do what you can to get it back to where you want it to be but say the serenity prayer! Good luck : )

Boy I wish my kids slept till 7. They never have, never will.

In any case, you can't force them to sleep or to not to sleep. Depending on how old your son it, there is a major developmental leap (let's call it "active imagination") Things will get screwed up during this period. My daughter, who dropped her nap at 18 months, started sleeping again!

Just keep to the routine and have "quiet time," not nap time. He may be starting to give up his nap. Don't put him to bed wacky early, just a little bit early --we do 30 minutes early if there was no nap. Keep him really occupied, and if he starts with the whines and things, tell him he has to use his normal voice or he has to play by himself in his room.

Just hang tight, I'm sure it will pass soon enough.

Hello~ First of all, kids are all different, some need more sleep than others and some don't. The fact that you stayed on one schedule for a year is amazing. He's growing and changing now and may only need one nap. Then, I would make a later bedtime for him. If he is staying up for an hour and a half, then he's not ready to sleep. All you could do is change up the routine because you're trying to keep what you had. What do you have to lose? Good luck....

J.A.,
My now 16 yr old son, gave up naps at 2 while we were driving across country. We would drive 16 hour days and he was awake all day long. He never did take a nap again.

I don't know the inner workings of the toddler mind. However, I know my limitations. So we implemented quiet time in our house. My son didn't have to sleep but he had to stay in bed for at least 30 minutes. He could read a book but he had to stay quiet and calm. Just rest. Eventually his schedule reset and he went to bed by 8pm and rose by 6am.

Unfortunately, you might just have to adjust to an earlier day. But I would also try to teaching your son to occupy himself when he wakes up. Again by "reading" books or whatever he has access to in his room.

Good luck.
~K.