4 year old and waking at night (long)

katezta

I need some advice.  My (just turned) 4 year old is having sleep issues.  We put her to bed at the latest 8:30 pm after her normal routine and sometimes now she stays up until 10-10:30.  During this time, she either looks at books quietly or whines every five minutes about her leg bones hurting, forehead hurting, needing medicine or fresh water, etc.  Then in the night she wakes up afraid of the dark, monsters, noises, etc.  The process is maddening!  Plus, she has been an excellent sleeper for years (12 hours overnight) and this is a relatively new issue within the past 4 months or so.   

Last night, she went to bed fine, but was up at 3:15 am and didn't go back to sleep until almost 5 am.  I put on really low Disney music on her CD player, sat with her a few minutes, and went back to bed.  She called me in again at 4:45.  Of course, DH doesn't hear any of it and since I am up to pee a million times a night anyway, I take the brunt of it.  

Any suggestions?  Is this just a 4 yr old thing or is she ready to give up her nap in the afternoon?  In the 3 yr old classroom, they still nap and on the weekends, she is a hot mess in the evening when she doesn't nap.     

Sofka

as I was reading this, I thought to myself, "she's not still napping, is she?" and then I got to that part of the post.  My thought is to drop her nap and put her to bed earlier.

and congrats on your pregnancy!

katezta

Thanks! 

I am also wondering about the nap.  I can't drop it at daycare.  I think naps are optional in the 4 yr. old classroom, so hopefully, this will make a difference. 

MrsKLS

Actually I was going to say it is probably a reaction to your pregnancy and the impending sibling. DD started having sleep issues when I got put on bedrest late in my PG. She got back to normal and then periodically had issues after DS arrived. Sometimes I think it is a way to get a little more attention. Usually I will try to make effort to give her more alone time with me when she seems to be having sleep issues.

And FWIW...she still naps roughly 2hr a day and for the most part sleeps 7:30-7.