Is there such a thing for a 17 month old? I know there are many moms out there who can't get their kid to sleep; however, I'm beginning to wonder if Timmy doesn't have a sleep disorder. :o)

He takes one nap around 12:30pm at daycare which can last anywhere from 1-2 hours long and that's it during the day. I pick him up around 5pm and the games begin.

He's tired and hungry because it is dinner time. So I quickly get dinner together and feed him and then it is a game of how long can I stand him before I put him to bed. He's just miserable. He's getting close to two so those tantrums are coming out in full force and nothing seems to satisfy him but going to bed. He will kick, scream, cry, and throw him self on the floor.

But.......if I take him upstairs and change him into his pajamas and lay him down, he is a different child. He curls up with his blanket and goes to sleep AND sleeps through the night til 6:30am.

Is this too much though? He sleeps 12 hours at night. If he wasn't in daycare I know that he would take two naps during the day because he does on the weekends. However, because he is in a class with 5 other kids it's not an option to ask them to give him a second nap. He won't lay down because there is too much going on around him.

I'm beginning to wonder if I will live through the two's.

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 - 11:55 am:

Amanda, my DS Jeff was always a child who needed a LOT of sleep.

He would go to sleep early at night, and he took 2 naps a day until he was almost 3. He was an early riser, so he would nap for about 2 hours in the morning, and again for 2 hours in the afternoon.

Jeff was one of those kids who was really easy to get to bed at night. And if he was tired before his *official* bedtime, he went to his bed and went to sleep. He did this until he was in 5th or 6th grade - his sleepover guests loved that. NOT! LOL

Now he's a total nightowl, and loves to sleep LATE. I wouldn't worry about your 17 m/o and his sleep patterns right now. He's doing what his little body is telling him he needs.

By Oliviasmom on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 - 01:04 pm:

My kids are 6 & 4 and they sleep 11-12 hours every night. My ds also sleeps sometimes in the afternoon at daycare. If on the weekend, they have less than 11 hrs min, they are bears!

By Tonya on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 - 01:08 pm:

Let him sleep. Timmy goes to bed every night between 7-8pm and sleeps until 7-8am. He could sleep longer if I didn't have to work. Kids need this kindof sleep so let them have it while they want it. And enjoy it!!!!

By Bobbie on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 - 01:16 pm:

Callie my 14 year old needs a lot of sleep. She goes to bed between 7 and 8:30 every night and she is up every morning by 6:30 even on the weekends. This is her clock. When she was little. She would get up in the morning and eat breakfast and with in a couple of hours was down for a nap. Then she would get up and have lunch and with in a few hours she was down for her second nap which usually was a 2 to 3 hour nap. Then she was ready to go back to bed at 7:30. She too would get out of hand if she was forced to stay up. And once she started school she would come home from school and take at least a hour nap. And to this day she is that way. LOL She doesn't do sleep overs very often but when she does she will sleep most of the next day away because of lack of sleep. She says that if she doesn't get her sleep she feels moody and has a hard time focusing. It drives her friends nuts. She was invited to go to a movie with a boy a couple of weeks ago (just a friend), It was the 9 oclock showing. He said she was sleeping before the movie was half way over. She is going to be a fun date, at least I won't have to worry about her coming home late. LOL. I went to school with a girl whose sister was just like Callie. She would get up around 5 every morning and run 2 miles before school. Then she would be in bed by 8 every night. I am a night owl and really don't feel like my day begins until after noon forget a run at 5 in the morning. But Callie on the other hand will have her day done and be winding down by noon. That is just the way she is. I wouldn't worry about it. I notice with all three of my other kids that when they go through major growth periods their need for sleep increases. And a nother thing don't look a gift horse in the mouth. LOL I have a friend that has fought her children into bed for their whole lives only for them to be monsters in the mornings from lack of sleep.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 - 01:20 pm:

When my DS was that age he slept 12 hrs. through the night and took a 3 hr. nap every afternoon. It was heaven! Wish DD was the same way. Enjoy it!!

By Kittycat_26 on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 - 02:19 pm:

My son sounds so much like Bobbie's daughter it isn't even funny. He is just not fit to be around if he doesn't get to go to bed early.

I guess he's not as abnormal as I thought. I'll enjoy the sleep and quiet evenings.

I heard it from a good source that Santa Claus was bringing him a big bed to sleep in so we'll see how good he really sleeps.