I finally got my toddler to sleep through the night. However, he continues to wake up 5:30 - 6 every morning. He takes a 2 hour nap usually everyday and I put him to sleep 8 - 8:30 every night. He is starting preschool in the fall and I worry because he is exhausted by 11:00. What can I do to get him to sleep later in the morning?
My son went through the same thing. I know you're going to think I'm crazy but the only thing that worked was putting him to bed earlier. He now goes to bed at 7pm and wakes up around 6:30 - 7:00am. The later he goes to bed, the earlier he wakes up. I put him to be 15 minutes earlier each night until I found the right combination (after trying to put him to bed later, change his nap schedules, etc.)
Hope this helps!
C.,
I wouldn't be too concerned because most preschools do have a nap or rest time. This will phase out by kindergarten. They know that this is early in your childs educationa nd the very idea is to get them acquainted into the school atmoshphere
Best of Luck
S.
I was a little worried too when my son started daycare...but he was the oppiste, he would sleep until 9:30 and he has to be at daycare by 8,so with taking that extra hour and a half sleep from him he was really tired by nap time. Within a few days he changed his own schedule and it was no problem at all...I was worried for nothing. It may be a little bit of a transition the first day or two but it will all work itself out pretty fast...hope this helped.
You might want to try room darkening shades. They make the room really dark and he won't wake up with the sun, or before because of the daylight. Just a thought.
Hi C.,
If you look at his sleep schedule, he's sleeping between 11 and 12 hours in a 24 hour period. I think that's pretty average for a toddler. If you want him to sleep later, you may have to keep him up a little later at night. My kids have never slept much. If I put them to bed at 8, they're up at 4:30 - 5:00. It's a little less convenient for me, but by putting them to bed at 9 or so, they sleep until around 6 or so. When my cousin was having the same problem, I suggested to her that she had figured out that her kids would sleep a day. It was her job to figure out which 12 hours they were going to be.
Good luck!
When my daughter was his age i put her to be about 9pm that way she slept till about 7am. Try putting hin to bed later. also starting day care will make a diffrence he will be more tired out and they do 2 naps a day for only about an hour. i bet with in a week he will be sleeping better.
I had a similar experience with both my duughters. I noticed they were like Alicia's, the later they get in bed the earlier they wake up. I put my toddler to bed at about 7:30 or 8. She will sleep until about 7 or 7:30. The closer to 8 or later Iput her down, the earlier she wants to get up. With my girls I also have had to leave them in their beds until a particular time. Figure out a time you want him to stay in the bed until and try to not go in his room until that time. If you do need to go in there go in and lay him dwn (no talking or other wise stirring) walk out of the room. Do this until it gets the time you want him to get up. It might take a week or so but he will get the point and begin to stay in his bed later.
what I have done with both of my boys, is about the time they were 18 months old they didn't get longer than an hour nap, and they were in bed no earlier than 9pm because they would wake up to early
I have to agree with Alicia. Pick up a copy of "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth (sp?). It worked wonders for my 3 children. People thought I was crazy when I started putting them down at 6:30 (how nice to have evenings to ourselves). But they actually slept longer and were so much more pleasant during the day. In his book he says, "It's not logical, it's biological" and I couldn't agree more.
Good Luck!
all i can say is every child is different my son is 21months old he is religious to his 9 o'clock bed time and alot of days i have to wake him up like yesterday he slpt till 11:30 but no nap all day so he slep longer and today no nap so hes off and on with his sleep habits he use to get up at 5 and be ready for a nap by 10 - 10:30 so im actually thankful hesleeping now longer good luck
I have worked in day care centers before, and I guarantee you they will have at least 45 min allotted for nap/rest time...prob around 11:30 or 12, depending on the class (since they are arranged by age)...it'll be right after lunch. Most day cares will have a 2 hr nap time. I put my 20 month old down at 9:00, give or take a few min depending on what's going on at the time. She usually wakes up at 7 or 7:30 and she takes a nap from 12-2 or 2:30. As long as he gets his 12 hours in each day he should be fine
