Wednesday 16 March 2016

The After Nap Grouch

This isn't something new to us, this has been the after nap norm from when Finley was about 18 months old. He would have his morning or afternoon nap and the wake in the foulest mood ever! This also started to happen with Noah too.

Finley doesn't nap that often now that he is 4 but when he does go to sleep in the car or occasionally on the sofa after a terrible nights sleep he will wake up in such a grouch. Give the other Friday for example, we had spent the morning at a trampolining park and on our way home he fell asleep in the car. He would have been asleep for about 30 minutes at the most and when I woke him up as we had to go and get Noah from preschool he just flipped. He was crying, moaning and just generally a moody bum. This was his mood for the whole journey to and from preschool. He kept telling me off for making him walk and for us not going in the car, when in fact I was letting him scoot on his scooter.

But I was unable to prevent him from sleeping as we were in the car and I was driving, and I knew as soon as I looked in the rear view mirror the mood he would be in when I had to wake him up.

The 'Oh crap' moment when you look in the rear view mirror
If Finley falls asleep at home and we wake him up he will cry, and I mean inconsolable crying for a good 10 minutes with some added tantrums. This can be really frustrating because if we were to let him sleep and wake up on his own accord he would not go to bed well that night. But even waking up on his own he will be moody just without the crying. So it is a catch 22 situation.

The same happens with Noah but in a different way. He still has the occasional nap during the day being just 2 and a half. When he wakes up he doesn't want anything to do with anyone but me and his answer to everything is 'no'. This is pretty tricky when Finley just wants him to play and all he wants to do is cuddle up to me and not want anyone in his face, which Finley tends to do.

Popcorn and a film after preschool is always a bad move as this results in both falling asleep and me having to wake both up at the same time - now this is when I really wish it wasn't 4pm and that my husband was home so I could reach for the gin!! I know I shouldn't let them watch a film and chill with popcorn but it does mean I get some things done.

The mid popcorn nap
You would think after a nice little sleep and a rest that they would wake up refreshed and raring to go again. This mood normally goes on for a good half hour until all of a sudden they snap out of it and are happy and full of energy again.

This only seems to happen on the waking from a nap. When they wake up in the morning they are full of beans and pretty happy to have woken up, apart from the fact Noah only wants me for the first 5 minutes. This means it is always me having to put him on the toilet and get him milk or he will have a almighty melt down. Finley is pretty to have anyone that will talk to him and make his breakfast.

I do miss the old daily nap time when I knew the boys would sleep at set times so I could get stuff done, but I don't and will not miss the grouchy mood that they wake up in. Anyone else have the same after nap tantrums?
Run Jump Scrap!
A Cornish Mum

Stopping at two

35 comments:

  1. Wonderful post I can't remember the last time the girls had a nap seems like forever and do miss it a bit ruby always woke up a little unhappy Maisie was instant smiles best&worst

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  2. We do sometimes if I tend to wake my girlie. If she wakes by herself not too bad. Like Noah she doesn't tend to nap much as won't go to bed!! Bless Finley; he will be fun when he's 13 and you waking him for school!! hehe xx Thanks for sharing with #bestandworst x

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  3. so true, my threenager H, crashed out at about 3pm on way home from soft play on Monday. he was fast asleep as we pulled up at home and I sat for about half an hour and enjoyed the peace. regretted it though has when he did wake up he was in a foul mood, refused tea, grunted at me for the rest of the day then when he did go to bed he sang until gone 9pm. happy days #picknmix

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  4. Oh geez this sounds like our #3. She will get really sleepy and get into this really happen mood. She will sing and giggle and off to sleep she goes. But when she wakes up she is clingy and grumpy.

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  5. Oh geez this sounds like our #3. She will get really sleepy and get into this really happen mood. She will sing and giggle and off to sleep she goes. But when she wakes up she is clingy and grumpy.

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  6. I'm so sorry they are so grumpy after a nap. When my boys were little, I didn't experience this. Hope things get better as they grow. ~Lowanda of Sunshine and Elephants

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  7. Oh naptime is such a minefield! Archie can be pretty grumpy after a nap, I'm always tense waiting to see how he wakes up haha. #justanotherlinky

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  8. I always used to wake up my two from their nap gently to avoid this! I'm glad they don't nap in the day anymore!

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  9. Oh bless they look so cute in the pics! My little one is too young yet to worry about too much grumpiness but I'm hoping as he gets older he won't be too much of a grumpy guts when he wakes up! I'm guilty of being a bit moody when I first wake up so hopefully he won't inherit that!! #justanotherlinky

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  10. Oh gosh I remember these days like they were yesterday! Mine are all too old for afternoon naps (although I'm still partial to one myself!). This too shall pass. :)

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  11. My children always ended up like this after their naps, my partners the same. But not me I could nap any time of day, for any amount of time and wake up happy. But I do love sleep a little too much #justanotherlinky

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  12. oh I remember this all to well, we are luckily past it all now, but yes we went through this #justanotherlinky

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  13. Gosh this all seems like a long time ago and I do miss those days when I could still pick them up and carry them upstairs to bed. I dong miss THE grouch though 🌸

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  14. Mine would be a little grouchy of I had to wake them but generally not too bad. In the mornings both are early risers so no grumps from them but plenty from me! #just another linky lifeinthemumslane

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  15. Mine would be a little grouchy of I had to wake them but generally not too bad. In the mornings both are early risers so no grumps from them but plenty from me! #just another linky lifeinthemumslane

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  16. My kids all did this - they hate being woke from a nap. I think of how I feel when I'm woke up from a deep sleep - it's not fun times. Luckily they will eventually grow out of it lol no help for now I'm afraid! Thanks so much for hosting #JustAnotherLinky x

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  17. I always ran into more crankiness if she missed her nap. At the end of the day I can certainly tell when she is getting tired. I do miss nap time though

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  18. Do you know, you're the first other person I've heard have this problem. My 1st woke up from his naps like a devil child, it was awful so I can sympathise! Whatever I did to try to calm him down was useless, I dreaded him waking from his nap. Like you say, you would expect them to wake up feeling better after a nap. I wonder what causes it, my 2nd never acted this way?! #justanotherlinky

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  19. Ha we are the same. My boy wakes up in a right mood. it takes him literally ages to come around and cheer up. I think he gets it from me. if I nap in the day, I wake up always feeling groggy and generally pants :/

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  20. Oh god I remember those days! My daughter was fine if she woke up herself, but if something woke her up such as me moving her from the car then life wasn't worth living!Lol So pleased we're passed all that now, though at almost 5 there's zero chance of a nap!

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  21. Awww, they look so cute when they're asleep though! I can never bear to wake Piglet up, even if he has a really late nap and I know he won't sleep later. #justanotherlinky

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  22. my youngest wakes up moody from her naps too! although she hardly ever naps but when she does she's a nightmare!

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  23. It's a nightmare when you can't stop them from sleeping and then have to deal with the meltdown afterwards... #justanotherlinky

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  24. When you got to go you go. My boy never sleeps unless he is at nursery and he is 2 must be all that stimulation X #justanotherlinky

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  25. We have a very similar scenario with our little man. He is also a nightmare if you accidentally wake him up just 5 mins or so into a nap. He screams hysterically and refuses to go back to sleep which leaves him grumpy and exhausted for the rest of the day. It's lovely! :-/

    Thanks for sharing and hosting #justanotherlinky.

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  26. My little one is too little for after nap grouch! But I'll bear this in mind for when she's older

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  27. I don't remember now whether the Tubblet woke up grumpy or not ... Thank you for hosting each week :)

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  28. My son is the same. He occasionally sleeps if I snuggle with him but if he falls asleep in the car he can be so grouchy. But when he needs a nap he's just as grouchy. What's a mum to do hey!

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  29. The eldest of my toddlers is like this for a while after naps but only if you wake her up. If I let her sleep as long as she wants, she wakes of her own accord perfectly happy. But sometimes I have to wake her up (usually if she went for a nap quite late & don't want her to stay sleeping too close to bedtime), and she does not like that. But I suppose the grumpiness is at least understandable! #justanotherlinky

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  30. Yes I do! We have to treat our toddler like a teenager and wake him up gently and only pick him up when he is fully awake. failure to do that equals absolute meltdown!!! #justanotherlinky

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  31. Oh I feel your pain! My little guy just turned 2 and used to be so good with naps but he's growing out of them and is sure grumpy most days! That's when I out mickey mouse on so I can have 20 mins with no tantrums. And I don't feel guilty about it lol.

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  32. For some reason mine both always woke up smiley, I think they love their sleep as much as me.... these days though my almost 12 year old is a grump to wake up as he thinks he;s a teen already and fancies sleeping all day..... next year I will have a teenager eeek think I might need to start drinking gin ;)

    Thanks for linking up to #PicknMix

    Stevie xx

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  33. My boy, who's 13 months, as always been so happy when he wakes in the morning. Maybe it's because we bed share, so he wakes up right next to us and realizes he has an audience (if a slightly blurry eyed one) from the word go. He's okay after naps, but will be so grouchy when he's tired! #justanotherlinky

    Nadia - ScandiMummy x

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  34. My eldest gave up her naps when she was 2 and her little sister arrived (like she was scared she would miss something). My youngest will nap at nursery but not for me. I have to say, that although we might have a grumpy 2 year old in the evening, I do quite like how easily she falls asleep at night when she hasn't napped. I am looking forward to seeking my revenge on them when they are teenagers and want to sleep all the time!
    Thanks for linking up to #sundaystars

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  35. Little Miss H is exactly the same. She is a real moody bum if we wake her from a nap. But if she wakes naturally then she is lovely. If we let her nap as long as she wants though then bedtime is hell. You are right it is such a catch 22 situation. And I often resort to milk and a movie in the afternoon just to get jobs done. Knowing that she will probably fall asleep. But at least the kitchen gets cleaned. Parenting - it should be much easier than it is. #SundaysStars (sorry, it has taken me so long to comment). Hugs Lucy xxxx

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