tired toddler

Ella, re the more time to have fun with him, I certainly did, it was 23.15 before he dropped off. Nothing like cuddling a sleepy almost 3 year old.

And when we grans are babysitting, those naps are important for us too!
I love watching her sleep while I have a nice cuppa

I had this problem when babysitting my eldest granddaughter three days a week when she was around two and a half. I would let her sleep for an hour and feel that I had to wake her up because of directions from SIL. Poor little thing was becoming exhausted and became run down so I did some googling and as I suspected it's important for toddlers to have naps and they will sleep much better when having them. I had always made sure she didn't have her nap too late in the day but told SIL that if I was to babysit, GD would be having her naps as they were important. He then agreed and said he hadn't realised how important they were.

Our GC always fall asleep in the car on the way home, it is quite a long journey and the end of a long day. I say to their mother " she just nodded off a mile down the road so it was just a nap ". I find that GC get up very early when staying with me almost as if they are frightened to miss a minute of playtime, means I am shattered at the end of the day though.

make the most of it. Mine are all over 16 and don't need looking after any more. (they are a lot of fun, though!)

Flower You'll just have more time to have fun with him

I'm looking after my dgd (18 mths) tomorrow, and I can't wait

Gopd on you othergranny. He is the important one and obviously needs his sleep.

Just realised I have my almost 3 yr old grandson to sleep over tonight. His mum has just texted me to apologise that he fell asleep about one o'clock and is not awake yet. That'll teach me

We went on a long trip to the seaside with a 4 year old and a 3 year old their daddy said to us 'Don't let them sleep' I asked how on earth did he expect me to keep them away in the car. 'keep poking them' was his reply. Hmmm!!! They slept like logs all the way home

Thanks everyone. I think my gut feeling is to let him have a little nap. I know the parents are exhausted too but I felt a bit scapegoated.Really it is their problem and I'm just dealing with the symptom. I think I'm just going to be straight about it.

I too think you need to let him sleep. It makes it all the more possible for you to continue with the care which is a great asset for the family.

I can understand that the wakeful nights are a big problem to a working Mum; but they are lucky to have you caring for the children and you need to let the wee lad sleep or you will be run into the ground by a grizzly child.

Flower has a good point you are doing them a favour and the child being overtired does not help at all. My DGS is a light sleeper and not good at napping. That hyper/grumpiness bit is what he does. Try a short power nap, have one yourself and lie about it to his mum!

I would let him sleep as and when he wants to, it seems that you are doing the parents a favour by looking after the children even though you love it. A child of 3 does sometimes need a sleep - it is not fair to you or him to keep him awake. Go for it and let him sleep. He obviously needs it, he probably is over tired at night that is why he has bad nights.

At the nursery where my GSs went, they had a lie-down in the afternoon and presumably some of them went to sleep.

I'd love to know how you keep a child of that age awake when they are tired! If they want to sleep, let them have a power nap at least and offer them a drink and snack after half an hour. Some days they sleep in the day, others not - at that age, they can't always do a full day, espcially if they didn't sleep through the night before.