Sleep Issues - Encino,CA

My son was the same. He quit napping around age 2. I tried putting him down for quiet time; that lasted about 2 weeks. I just gave up trying to get him to nap, but did keep night time as consistent as possible. He just didn't need a lot of sleep, and now at age 28 he still doesn't sleep a lot :)

consistancy is the key. I put my daughter who is the same age down for her nap and down for bed at the sametime everyday. And yes there are days that she just does not take a nap but I leave her in her crib until the time she usually wakes up. She is not crying or screaming she is usually talking to her stuffed animals. So she is still getting a down time even if she is not sleeping. You never know he might suprize you and out hinself to sleep. We have the same bedtime routine everynight and that includes an hour before bed she is not allowed to run around or plat with any loud toys. This is the time to calm down and get ready to go to sleep. We also make it known to her that bedtime is coming so it is not a sudden change. She knows it is coming and prepares herself for it. This even works for my two month old who sleeps from 10pm until about 6:30am everynight. My daughter has always been a great night time sleeper and I think that consistantcy is the reason.

I'm not sure why it's happening, but beware the more overtired he gets - the less he will be able to sleep and it turns into a vicious cycle. Sleep begets sleep!

You didn't specifically say whats happening when he's not going to sleep but he needs to be put down just as you used to and he needs to be ignored (or quietly placed back in bed - no talking, eye contact, etc.) I'm guessing he's staying awake because he's gaining something from it? I would think that after a short time of realizing that he will be left to sleep, he will go back to his routine. Consider extra early bedtimes when he doesn't nap. Maybe extra early bedtimes anyway since he has got to be getting overtired by now.

He's two and going through some changes, but you should stay consistent with your nap and bedtime rules, whether he sleeps or not, he should be put to bed on time so he knows "that's just how it's gonna be no matter what I do"...
He might be going through a little growth spurt or maybe you've introduced something new to his diet? Really watch the sugars.... it interrupts sleep.

Kids at 2 years old, commonly get sleep tweaks.
It is a phase. It passes.
Both my kids were like that too, at that age.
It passes.
Just keep to your usual routines for bedtime etc.
And watch for his 'cues' of being tired etc.

Some kids, like my son, actually get more "hyper" the more tired they are... it is a kids' way of FORCING themselves, awake.

Have a 'quiet time' as well, in the afternoons.
Make everything QUIET and dark etc. Calm. Even turn off the lights.
No horseplay at night... otherwise it just keys up a kid, again, and ramps them up. And then they cannot calm down.

Try massaging his temples or feet.
That puts my daughter to sleep.

He is having trouble, keying down.
ALWAYS have a WIND-DOWN time, ahead of time, BEFORE naps or bedtime. Even 1 hour, prior.
Once my kids hit the toddler ages, it took time to wind-them down. I started the wind-down process.... 1 HOUR, prior to their naps or actual bedtime.

Make it a regular, routine. Every night.

Try also, NOT having a constant stream of activities. Kids do not need that. Have... just quiet time too. Just have, quiet. Kids, ALSO need, to just have 'NOTHING' to do sometimes. So that they can just relax or self-regulate their minds/physicality.
Kids do not have to be constantly entertained.

Kids, this age and on, have a harder time, keying down. You have to cue them.... prompt them... make the atmosphere... CALM and dark and quieter. They have to be assisted, in this. They are not self-reliant about it, yet.

My son stopped napping at about 2 1/2. Then I sent him to preschool 3 days a week. Unfortunately, when they stop naps you have to keep them busy. Preschool really helped. Also, you can try to get him used to "quiet time" and put on a Disney video for an hour in the afternoon so you can have some quiet time too. Or have him read his books or have him play by himself with trains or puzzles - something he can do alone where you don't have to be on top of him where he is not running around. If you need to be in the kitchen give him pots and pans to play with. Let him help you do laundry by sorting colors. It will take some adjustment on your part but the good news is that in about a year or so he will be a lot more independent and you won't have to run around as much. Hope this helps!

My son sounds like a younger version of your son. He too is a constant bundle of energy (he's 19 months). He runs and climbs from the moment he gets up to the moment he goes to bed. There are months when he's teething or going through a growth spurt (such as now), that he will not nap well (maybe for an hour), he'll crash hard at bedtime but get up at absurd hours of the morning. When we start seeing this trend happen (for 2 or more days) we give him a natural product before nap and bedtime by Eclectic Kids called Valerian and Passion Flower. It's a product that is known to calm the nervous system therefore bringing relaxation, etc. It does not make him tired, but really helps him to get quality sleep so he isn't cranky and irritable. Eclectic Kids products can be found at most health food stores.

My son is like that. the more tired he gets, the more amped up he becomes, like a ball bouncing around the room, the harder it is to get him to sleep. We often look at him in wonder and say if we could bottle only a fraction of the energy and sell it we would be rich. My husband blames it on sugar content, but it is because he is extremely tired. If he isn't napping, then an early bedtime is called for, (it used to be 7PM for us at that age), if he does take a nap, then you could go a bit later, like 8 or 830P. Keep a consistent routine, reading, then bed time. If he comes back, keep walking him back. Put him down at the same time each day for nap and bed time.