Friday, August 10, 2012

THE IN-BETWEEN STAGE.


To stop or not to stop, that is the question.

This is the quandry I am in when it comes to afternoon naps.

Me? I would have one every day if I was able. But as for the three year old in the house, I'm not so sure. If he doesn't have a nap, then this is what happens at around 5pm every day. And the attitude. Oh, the attitude.

If he does have a nap (no matter how short), then it's party time until around 9:30pm every night. EVERY NIGHT, I tell you.

What to do?

Do you have night owls or grumpy children on your hand because of the in between stage?

16 comments:

  1. Yes, I have an inbetweener; a 3.5 year old. Some days she'll nap and others not. But we're lucky that she will still sleep at night, although usually not until 8.30pm- which does my head in!
    I can definately relate to the attitude; some days you'd swear she was a teenager already!
    Oh the joys!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Kymmie, I *get* this. Sam's just turned 3 and is in-between as well. The two days he has at daycare, he sleeps for 1.5 hours. He used to at home every day as well. Now he won't nap at home. So we have the witching hour grumps as well. Lovely when his brother and sister join in as well! He's normally asleep by 7.30 pm, though. J x

    ReplyDelete
  3. That In-between time sure is hard. I remember the grumpiness. Lucky they're cute!

    ReplyDelete
  4. so good to see you posting again. I would trade the late night for the five o'clock grumpies everyday.

    each day is a learning day with kids. No exceptions. This too will pass.

    ray

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am so glad you wrote this post Kymmie. This is us! Except I'm having the issue with my just turned two year old. He still NEEDS a day nap, but it's so difficult to get the right timing of it. He often doesn't go down easily around 1pm... but if it is much later and he doesn't wake until after 3pm, he has too much energy and goes to bed after 9pm! I have tried to skip the day nap altogether... which only works if we have a 4.30 dinner and in bed by 6ish... quite hard to achieve most days. So as it stands, I just try to get a nap in anytime before 3pm.
    But it is really hard in these 'in between' years.
    Gorgeous pic of your beautiful sleeping beauty xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have one in between and OH man somedays he is so CRANKY and I try to put him to bed by 8 or sometimes he even falls asleep in the car. SO for me I am taking it one day at a time.

    Sharee'
    www.momFITtingitallin.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Our little man has given it the boot at 2. But now we have him in bed by 6.30 - 7 and boy are our nights peaceful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. He looks so at peace.... can't believe he's any trouble :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Have you tried the one day on, one day off afternoon sleep? I find that works well for Miss almost 3, seems to balance her out over a 48 hour cycle until she can cut it completely. xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. All 4 of my children had 2-4p.m. afternoon naps religiously, i loved it, i did Yoga in that time at home, brilliant. Then my eldest started preschool, knocked the routine with her pick up. Then my twins started preschool too & my son was home alone, sleeping away until he turned 2, it was Easter school holidays & he skipped a nap - realised EVERYONE was home & it was a party. So that was it, unlike his sisters who all had afternoon naps until they were 3, he cut them out at 2, boo too. He did replace his nap with a 2 o'clock poo, that could take a while & he was very quiet. My guys had always let me get on with my day, so sleeping or not, i realised, it was a peaceful time regardless. Love Posie

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wake him up after 20 mins tops. That worked for me and the Badoo. They are VERY cranky when you wake them, though. But not for long. x

    ReplyDelete
  12. Here's a little known fact - the in-betweener stage comes back around when your little ones become big ones and they can't balance school work, social lives and X-box rallies with people in other continents. Our son (18 so an adult and hard to control) goes to bed on the weekends at 3 or 4 am, and doesn't get up til 1pm the next day -drives me BoNkErS!!!
    PS love the 1st snooozy pic, so cute

    ReplyDelete
  13. I cut out the sleep and just make sure they are well entertained at the danger stages of them falling asleep. I bet you are frantically preparing dinner when he falls asleep!! Maybe make between 5pm and 6pm a bit of game time while making dinner, then he can eat dinner, bath and find himself in bed by 7 and you get your nights back again! Ashton hasn't had a daytime sleep for a while, but I can't go for a drive with him after 4pm!! LOL! He can go all day without a sleep and still be good to keep going at 9pm even without one! If he gets a nap, 11pm can come around and he is still rearing to go!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh yes, oh yes, I hear you! We've been in this stage for months. MONTHS!

    Many a night we have spent up with her until 11 or Midnight because she had herself a good ol' nap!

    Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your thoughtful and positive words and taking the time to comment. Love Kymmie. xx