My 3.5 year old is in an odd sleep phase. His current sleep schedule is:

8am wake

2pm nap

4pm wake

10:30pm!!!!!!! Sleep

We start bedtime routine at 8:30, potty, brush, read, sing and snuggles. My husband usually leaves the room around 9:30. Then either or both of us are in and out of the room until he finally conks out at 10:30pm

Now, if you looked at this you might assume he needs to drop that nap. But when I do, it is hell. He is cranky and a mess. But he will go to sleep around 9pm.

The nap is not always that long. I start it at 2pm and usually he is sleeping by 2:30pm. Sometimes he wakes earlier, sometimes later. So between 1-1.5 hours is his nap.

I’ve tried starting nap earlier but then he generally won’t settle at all and then after an hour of struggling to get him to be quiet and calm, it’s over. The resistance becomes greater than any sleep need and I’ve spent an hour fighting a tiny terrorist and I’m exhausted. I’m also pregnant so many days I really need him to nap so I can sleep too.

Any ideas? We will not/have not ever CIO so don’t even mention it.

Thanks.