She has SO much Energy! (sleep issues)

My 2 year old will be three this september. Lately we have been having a hard time getting her to take a nap and go to bed at night. Its really frustrating because she is this constant ball of energy. In a sense its quite amazing in a way, but also we cannot keep up with it.
She wakes up around 7 or 8 am. And when she wakes up I mean she wakes up. Its like she just shoots straight up and is running around. We try doing things to keep her active, and burn some of her energy off...but its not working. Around noon or 1:00 we will try so hard to get her for a nap. Often she will just lay in the room kicking and squirming for an hour, until we just give up. Then she will resume her hyper fairy being. Tonight she went to be at 10:30 and my husband took her to the zoo today.
Lately she has been staying up to 11:00 and sometimes 11:30 pm. It really sucks because by the time she passes out we are exhausted and have no alone time.
I really dont know what to do. I dont think she is ADD, but It might be a small chemical imbalance....I dont have much experience with kids except for my daughter. ;P So is this normal?

Thanks

Sonia

 

Sounds like you need a break! I have twin girls who will be three in August, so i know the age!!
Luckily mine still take naps for me, about 2 hours in the afternoon, because they really do need it. And i can always use the time alone to regroup myself. Kids this age are usually little spitfires, if I only had half the energy they had I would be so lucky.
Although they usually don't go to bed without a bit of a fight, it's up and down for a little while, but you just have to be very consistent in your routine. Make sure you wind her down(ifyou can!!) around 7-8. Give her a bath, a light snack, read a book, and explain to her the fun things to come the next day. It will give her insight on your next day, and give her a reason to hopefully rest better. You may want to get her checked if you feel like she is really really out of control hyper, and has no attention span, not that 2 year olds have much of one anyways! But if she does, its better to catch it now rather than later.
Some kids are just naturally energetic! Keep up a stern routine with her, until she understands that she can't fool around at bedtime. Keep the sugars away(if any at all) especially after dinner time. The summer months are here, so maybe she will work herself tired and play hard, and at nighttime give up the fight a little earlier! Good Luck, mom and dad.... I know it's not easy, trust me Iknow! But you will get through it.

 

Hey Thanks!
To be honest I think its her dad who cant get her down. I just started a new job and I am not home during the weekdays until around 3pm or later.
Today I had no problem getting her for a nap around 12:30 pm. I am about to get her to bed after she is done going to the bathroom now. Its been a long day.

 

SHe may be over with taking a nap. Several of my kids stopped napping at this age, and trying to get them to nap may contribute to bed times which are much too late.

Teach her "Quite Time Activities" that she can do on her own. I would read to my kids for a while then say, "Now you read your books (or color or quietly play with your dollies) and I'll read mine. You can read in here, if you are really quiet, because I need quiet time, too. Or, you can go into your room." I started doing this when they were about a year and a half old (only for a few minutes then) and they all became very good at self entertaining. The Key to self entertaining is to spend a LOT of time with the child when they are not having "Quiet Time."

I would be sure that nap time is a thing of the past for this little girl. It happens.

Good luck.