2.5 YO and sleep habits... HELP

MrsMoher

Sorry this is long, but I am lost!  I don't exactly know what happened, maybe Christmas, maybe that we got a new night light for Eli, or that he doesn't have his do-do (paci) any more, who knows, but my great little sleeper disappeared.  For the last month, he would litterally look at us and say, "I tired, go seepies" and go to bed.  No rocking, no fussing, and no crying.  Always in bed by 9 to 930 consistently, usually close to 9.  He gets up about 630 (give or take).

Starting Monday (which was the 1st day back after a week off/holidays, etc.) he didn't want to go to bed and at 10 was still up and running around.  So we forced him and he screamed bloody murder, until I rocked and sang him to sleep.  Tuesday we tried to get him down at his normal 9, but he again screamed and fussed until after 10, wanting rocking and singing.  Last night was the worst, we tried for TWO hours to get him to sleep.  He screamed and cried, wanted to rock, but still didn't sleep if we did, wanted the light on, the light off, the door open, the door closed, wanted mommy, then daddy, etc.  It was a never ending list of "I wants".  I know the holidays get them off schedule, but this has been 3 days back to work and 5 days where we put him back in his normal bedtime/nap time schedule (as we started it up the day after Christmas).  He never needs more than 2 days to get back into the swing of things!

He gets naps from 1 to 3 at daycare still.  And the weird thing is that this morning, even after not going to bed until about 1015, he was up before we went into his room.  Is it possible he no longer needs a nap and therefore needs a later bed time to compensate for day care still doing a 2 hour nap?  I mean 10 seems too late to me for a 2.5 yo, even with a 2 hour nap (to be honest so does 9, but he refuses bed before 9).  Thoughts on what we can do or how to handle this?  I can't take the CIO, because it isn't just crying, but wailing and sounds like he starts choking, which scares me.  I am surprised our neighbors didn't call the cops on us last night, because if you didn't know any better it sounded like we were beating or killing him.  Help!!!  I am at my wits end!

AgathiP04

It sounds like he's getting overtired.  I usually put Niko to bed at 8:45 latest.  However, during the holidays he stayed up later and I could tell he was overtired (he still naps, too).  I have found that I just have to enforce bedtime regardless of if he wants to go to bed or not.  I am the parent.  I know he needs to be in bed by 8:30 and I do my darndest to make it happen. Sometimes he lays in bed for an hour winding down.  He also has a list of excuses and "i wants."  We let him have one drink of water, one potty break, and we only go in there once to reassure him.  Sometimes he'll cry, but eventually he goes to sleep   He even told me last night, "Mommy get in my bed, right now."  Whoa there son.  I told him that he was a big boy and he goes to bed all by himself

Sometimes I use an incentive, too.  If you go to sleep like a good boy, tomorrow for breakfast you can put sprinkles on your pancakes.