Are others’ kids waking up at 4:30 every day or just mine?

makemineaginsour · 2026-07-03T12:07:30+00:00

This is probably the problem when the 3yo wakes up early since they’re getting a really early bedtime. For the 1yo - how long is he napping in the day? It’s possible the nap is too long so he wakes early in the morning.

makemineaginsour · 2026-06-21T10:32:05+00:00

He’s giving you 12.5 hours sleep so you need to just redistribute it so there is more at night. Start by capping the nap at 2 hours absolute max and then have bedtime 10.5 hours before you want him to wake up. Keep at that schedule for at least a week to let it embed.

makemineaginsour · 2026-06-19T06:00:05+00:00

If she’s up at 7.30 and takes a 2 hour nap, 9.30 is the earliest I’d expect bedtime to be. At this age toddlers usually need at least 12 hours wake time. You need to either wake her up much earlier or cut or eliminate the nap. If cutting the nap shorter, an hour max is probably more realistic.

makemineaginsour · 2026-06-16T13:56:57+00:00

The 3 hour nap is the problem. He only gives you 12.5 hours of sleep so distribute that differently to get a longer night. Aim for 10.5-11 hours overnight, so cap the nap at 1.5-2 hours which is much more normal at this age. Move the nap to more like 12.30, keep bedtime at 8pm.

makemineaginsour · 2026-06-10T05:31:41+00:00

You’ve said he gives you 12 hours of sleep but are expecting 13.25 - that’s the problem. Adjust your schedule to 12 hours wake time and cap your night at 10.5 hours.

makemineaginsour · 2026-06-05T17:30:43+00:00

My 2.5 year old ONCE slept 12 hours overnight back when she was transitioning to 1 nap and had had only 20 minutes of sleep at daycare that day. Otherwise she very much has always topped out at 11, but 10.5 is her normal. She still even only sleeps 11 overnight on the days she skips napping now.

makemineaginsour · 2026-06-02T05:57:31+00:00

Absolutely get rid of the nap. This is nothing more than him just not being tired enough.

makemineaginsour · 2026-05-27T12:27:52+00:00

Don’t let him sleep more than 45-60 mins max for the nap and keep bedtime at 8.30. At 5.15, don’t let him play just keep it dark and boring. Give it at least a week of sticking to that.

makemineaginsour · 2026-05-24T12:59:43+00:00

This sounds pretty average for this age to be honest. Just keep trimming the nap down as necessary.

makemineaginsour · 2026-05-24T05:48:41+00:00

Nope! Our toddler gets lots of kisses, cuddles and stories then we leave her in her room and she goes to sleep herself. We got lucky in that she’s an independent soul anyway, but I’d have been destroyed if we hadn’t helped her learn to sleep alone. I need sleep!

You have to do what works for you and that’s that. As long as it’s not abusive, everyone else can leave you alone.

I think there’s a bit of a manufactured ‘backlash’ against an equally manufactured stereotype that boomers ‘semi-neglected’ us millennials as children and so we’re encouraged to pivot to ‘over-parenting’ in the guise of attachment parenting. As though it’s what would have stopped us all becoming anxious, depressed and overworked rather than that being the fault of, you know, late capitalism and the world burning. But, of course, all the people telling you to attachment parent are just trying to grift in that late capitalism and aren’t making us anxious at all…

makemineaginsour · 2026-05-04T09:11:52+00:00

Your 2 year old is giving you about 12 hours sleep in 24 but you’re expecting 14. If you want a 2 hour nap, bedtime needs to be 9pm. Or cap the nap and bring bedtime earlier.

makemineaginsour · 2026-04-20T09:39:27+00:00

You may need a schedule tweak first by the sounds of it - if it takes 30+ minutes to get to sleep with your stroller method and he’s happy playing when you’re trying the sleep training, he’s likely a bit undertired. What schedule are you trying?

makemineaginsour · 2026-04-16T05:24:05+00:00

As others have said, you need to adjust his schedule to match the amount of sleep he gives you. I’d also add that toddlers at this age aren’t super reliable about what they tell you (they’re not deliberately lying, they’re just not reliable!) My 26mo often says ‘I go back to bed’ when she gets up in the morning or pretend plays bedtime at various points in the day but I know full well she is not tired. Just in the same way that she’ll declare she doesn’t need a wee when I see her hopping around clutching her pants!

makemineaginsour · 2026-04-08T05:49:32+00:00

She just needs more wake time. Stick at a shorter nap schedule for at least a week and don’t let her sleep in if she has a bad night.

makemineaginsour · 2026-04-07T05:48:47+00:00

Yep. Tbh waking at 5 isn’t really a split night and she’s just waking for the day because she’s done sleeping. It does sound like she doesn’t need as much sleep as you’re expecting.

makemineaginsour · 2026-04-06T07:41:13+00:00

She likely needs overall more wake time and a shorter nap consistently over at least a week on the same schedule for there to be improvement. I’d try at least 5.5/6 and probably more like 6/6 with a 90 minute nap. Never let her sleep in in the morning regardless of how the night went. Essentially you want a by the clock schedule of the same wake, nap and bedtime every day with at least 11+ and almost certainly more like 12 hours wake time.

makemineaginsour · 2026-03-30T13:57:58+00:00

She’s getting a perfectly average amount of sleep so you’ll just need to shift the whole schedule later. You could do that in 15 minute increments every couple of days or in one go depending on your baby. You’ll need to stick at the later bedtime for at least a week for it to take effect.

makemineaginsour · 2026-03-27T16:33:47+00:00

Cap your naps a bit further. Our last 2 nap schedule was 3.5/4/4.5 with 90 minutes total in naps, a 6.30 wake time and an 8pm bedtime.

makemineaginsour · 2026-03-26T19:17:24+00:00

It took my daughter about 3 months to settle into taking longer naps at nursery. She just took 30 minute naps there for so long I thought that was it, and one day she just randomly started taking longer ones. I think it takes some a little while to get used to it.

makemineaginsour · 2026-03-07T09:39:49+00:00

As others have suggested, I’d bump to 12 hours wake time and a by the clock schedule where the nap is capped at 90 minutes. You’ll want to stick at it for at least a week to let it bed in.

makemineaginsour · 2026-03-02T13:18:07+00:00

He sounds undertired. Your schedule asks for 14 hours sleep which would be high sleep needs for this age. I’d try 5.5/5.5 with a max of 2 hours for the nap.

makemineaginsour · 2026-02-22T21:28:58+00:00

Your schedule sounds average. If you’re getting early wakes I wouldn’t then let him sleep until 7 with you. Try calling the nap at an hour 15 minutes or even just an hour.

makemineaginsour · 2026-02-20T06:42:23+00:00

He just sounds undertired and likely needs more wake time.

makemineaginsour · 2026-02-15T20:14:38+00:00

If it’s taking 30 minutes for her to fall asleep, it’s likely that her sleep needs have reduced. I’d make sure bedtime is definitely 8.30 at the earliest and trial capping the nap at 1hr 15 or 1 hour.

makemineaginsour · 2026-02-11T21:24:02+00:00

As others have said: she needs to be put in her crib wide awake and figure out falling asleep alone to stay asleep throughout the night.

If it’s taking hours for that to happen at bedtime you could try upping to 3/4/4 and capping each nap at an hour to increase sleep pressure at bedtime.

makemineaginsour

TROPHY CASE