After Nap Temper Tantrums

I suggest that he has a difficult time waking up. I suggest that his Daddy hold him in a relaxed way until he's fully awake. Don't insist that he be independently involved.

Is he hungry? A snack can do wonders for a cranky kid.

Blood sugar crash? My 2 year old does this, if I don't give him a snack *immediately* when he wakes up from his nap. A handful of raisins and peanuts (or other nuts) in a little cup work wonders. The raisins are an instant sugar hit, to get the blood sugar back back up and the nuts have the protein that make it last, rather than crash again, before dinner. I notice things are especially rough when he's in a growth spurt. (and then we brush teeth, because of how sticky raisins are...)

My kids sometimes did that when younger.
It would occur when:
1) their nap was not a full nap. ie: they were awakened for some reason like a bad dream, or noise in the house etc.
2) If they were hungry. They needed a snack or milk after waking. Blood sugar crash
3) If they were not feeling well

Mine does this a few times a week. Today I tried a book, milk.... in the end I put her in her toddler swing outside and that calmed her right down.

Both my boys woke up that way. I would have to distract with me and the TV. I would sit them on my lap and turn on the TV. You are listed as cruncymama so you may not use the TV but it worked for us.

ETA - noticed you are from Marquette - I was born there and have tons of family including my dad there. :)

What is it about someone else arriving home that stops the crying? Perhaps Dad needs to provide some kind of distraction to stop the tantrum.

My son turned out to be hypoglycemic. He'd wake in a blood sugar crash. Starving but too discombobulated to eat/drink... He'd sove food away. It's part of why I used bottles for so long (3). He'd wake in full flail, and I'd literally squirt chocolate milk in his mouth. 2 minutes (&20 oz of warm milk later), he was Mr. HappyLovey toddler. 3 minutes prior? Dante's inferno.

My daughter can be like this too. Its hard to take when you assume that a nap is what they need to keep them in a good mood. She will be 2 1/2 at the end of the month and I would say at leat 25% of the time she wakes up in a terrible mood. So now I leave her be all the time so that she can wake up on her own and get herself out of bed. She goes down for her naps very well and willingly (knock on wood) so she still needs a nap but it seems that when I hear her stir after her nap that if I go in there and talk to her or address her at all that that is when she is grumpy. So now I let her come to me when she is actually ready to get up
Good Luck

My child has done this.
I think it's due to one of several reasons:
-overtired
-wakes up during a dream
-wakes up hungry but does not want to eat quite yet
-is disoriented at first
-just sometimes afternoon nap and you wake up a little grumpy for a bit
-tell dad to just relax him by soothing (holding, sitting with, hugging etc), not to expect much, not to be able to get up & go, to be patient, to give him comfort
Tell him if he does these things, he will find his day to be that much calmer & happier. Tell him sometimes it's like being awoken w/a start BEFORE the alarm goes off. It just sets the mood. It gets better!

My son used to cry and cry when he woke up from his afternoon nap. We started a little tradition where I would bring in his favorite snack when he started waking. Then we would sit in bed, I would rub his back and then we would share the snack together while all snuggled up. This really helped his transition.

Put him down later so he sleeps till the excitement arrives. Lol!

I wanted to ask some questions other posters had covered:

How long is his nap? and
When does he wake up in relation to when he had his lunch?
(How long/blood sugar... etc.)

I had one child I nannied for who would have the hardest time waking from naps. Literally falling-apart screaming mad. We decided to shorten them, which seemed to make an improvement. When I woke her, I began a routine of reading to her in bed for about 20 minutes. This seemed to be very helpful. She then had a snack. This gentle transition was just right for her.

Another thing your husband could consider doing is shortening the nap to one hour (if you think he slept too long), or get your son out into the stroller with a snack as soon as he can. Sometimes, a change of scenery and dealing with the blood sugar is what they need. He may have to give himself a week to try the new ideas and see which work best for them.

I have had a couple little ones in my care that did this, one was especially bad. If I left him alone after he woke up and waited until he got up on his own he was fine. If I had the time to sit with him I would ask him if he'd like to cuddle, then I would let him sit with me until he was ready for play. No way no how would I go get that kid out of bed if he wasn't ready!!!!!!

M