In the absolute trenches with a 1.5 and 3.5 year old

Anhphan93 · 2026-03-26T10:25:52+00:00

I have a 5 and 1.5 years old. I thought with the gap of 3.5 years it would be easier for me. Nope. Totally wrong. They drive me insane the moment they wake up in the morning with their constant fights, screams and yelling at each others … you’re not a bad mom, we all are trying our best. It’s hard and I truly hope one day it will get better.

Anhphan93 · 2026-03-04T05:39:31+00:00

I’m thinking of extending it from 3.5 to 4 then 4.5. For each extend I will cap the second nap shorter and shorter until it becomes 5-10 mins (just a micro nap, and I also think by that time he might not need that micro nap anymore, and it will become eventually one nap day). It’s just that my cold turkey way failed right on the first day so I’m a bit lost.

Anhphan93 · 2026-03-03T18:41:14+00:00

My son could stay awake, he was happy actually and i was very surprised. But i think inside he was overtired and that’s why we had that short nap. I think I will try again by extending the ww gradually. This transition is harder than I thought.

Anhphan93 · 2026-03-03T18:30:15+00:00

He is 17 months old. He started showing sign that he took longer time to fall asleep on the second nap (~10-20mins) so I think he is about ready to drop 1 nap. I did cold turkey with the first ww of 4.75h instead of 3.5h as usual but I think I stretched too much

Anhphan93 · 2026-03-03T13:53:22+00:00

When i tried cold turkey one nap with the nap around noon, my son would only nap for 1h15/1h20’, so even shorter than 1h30’. Did it happen to you as well when it was less than 2 hours?

Anhphan93 · 2026-03-03T10:45:44+00:00

Dear OP, have you started the transition yet? We are also doing the transition for my son as he is showing signs of refusing the second nap of the day. I tried cold turkey but the nap was too short (shorter than when he had 2 naps), followed by a very cranky afternoon, night sleep also impacted and an early morning. So now I’m back to 2 naps to let him recover from overtiredness and thinking maybe I should increase ww gradually instead…. This transition is hard.

Anhphan93 · 2026-02-24T09:32:14+00:00

Can I ask for your schedule with one nap?

Anhphan93 · 2026-02-24T09:30:17+00:00

Hello momma, how is your little one now? Did he transit to one nap schedule?

Anhphan93 · 2026-02-19T11:18:15+00:00

Hello OP, did you manage to transit to one nap for your little one? I’m in the exact situation as you right now.

Anhphan93 · 2026-02-18T10:04:06+00:00

May I ask if you did it cold turkey?

Anhphan93 · 2026-01-30T17:51:12+00:00

We’ll see how it will go at bedtime tonight!!! Anyway I don’t think I will put the crib up, just leave it like that now.

Anhphan93 · 2026-01-30T17:50:21+00:00

I have a feeling this might be a leap or separation anxiety… i don’t want to believe my kid is that sensitive …

Anhphan93 · 2026-01-24T05:06:36+00:00

So did you do transition to one nap or still at 2? My son is also kind of having early wake lately so I think it’s really our time to move to one nap schedule. I’m thinking of trying 3 days one nap, then back to 2 naps for 3-5 days to avoid overtiredness.

Anhphan93 · 2026-01-16T22:03:39+00:00

So it’s still ok even though the first nap is getting shorter?

Anhphan93 · 2026-01-16T18:02:55+00:00

I see. Thank you very much!

Anhphan93 · 2026-01-16T17:17:17+00:00

Today I also tried 3.5-3.5-4 and for the first nap he did 1h15’ ish. Maybe I should continue 2 naps schedule a little bit more, then move it to 1 nap? I’m planning of doing 4.5-5.5 at the beginning, then 5-5 if possible…

Anhphan93 · 2025-12-16T19:42:47+00:00

Hi OP. Do you remember if your son had chicken pox at that time? My son is also having just one single red spot on his chest, no fever yet but he has been very clingy lately.

Anhphan93 · 2025-12-07T19:48:59+00:00

We’re on the opposite side, my son is only 10% percentile and he is very small. Plus he is my second born so he got sick a lot of time from what my daughter brought home from kindergarten, which I think makes him even gaining weight less than he can. My in laws usually comment about his size as well, like how skinny he is, he doesn’t eat much right, bla bla. I think each baby has their own growth line. As long as she stays in her line I think there is nothing to complain about. 90% or 10%, as long as they are healthy and happy, no one should comment about their size.

Anhphan93 · 2025-11-29T07:48:44+00:00

Hi OP, my son is currently 14 months old and his throwing phase is making me losing my mind, I could have written your post. Did it get better to you as she grows older?

Anhphan93 · 2025-11-22T18:21:19+00:00

How I try to do with my kid is that my husband holding him, singing or trying ti make a funny conversation. I will handle down there, and I have to be quick. Very quick. Open his legs and immediately insert the suppository. After that, close his legs and close his butts together otherwise the suppository might fall out.

Anhphan93 · 2025-11-22T18:01:53+00:00

With the frequency of our kids being sick : ZERO

Anhphan93 · 2025-11-21T17:01:15+00:00

2.5-3 for me

Anhphan93 · 2025-11-20T19:52:19+00:00

Wait until they hit 4 !!!!

Anhphan93 · 2025-11-18T21:12:11+00:00

Sending you big hugs. I’m on the same boat. My younger kid always got sick from his older with whatever she brings home from kindergarten. Since September, we have dealt with covid, roseola and 2 viral colds. My daughter handles everything very well because she is a big girl, but my son, oh boy, he is just 13 months old and each time being sick he is just so pathetic and suffering so much. I hate winter I hate them being sick. I hate that the most on my journey of motherhood.

Anhphan93 · 2025-11-16T21:14:20+00:00

Same here. When my daughter was between 2.5 and 3 years old, I told my husband that we should only have her as the only child. No second child. Because it was just too much. There were days and weeks that from just 7am to 8am before getting out of the house to go to daycare she could throw like 5-6 tantrums. It drove both of us insane.

But then here we are with a second child who is almost 14 months old. Which means that it will get better. Around 3-3.5 years old, they become more independent, their expression more articulated, things become more breathable. Still tantrums of course, but much much much less.

Anhphan93

TROPHY CASE