The body will stop producing it if you give it to him every day.
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No you can become dependent on it. And your body will stop producing what he needs because he is getting it elsewhere. Then he’ll have to have them.
3 hour nap for a 3 year old is ridiculous! My son hasn’t been napping since he was roughly 2 and a half, and if he ever did it was for an hour at most, no wonder he doesn’t go to sleep at night!!!
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Sounds like it is time to cut out naps.
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I would stop the melatonin. No judgment, but in my opinion melatonin should only be given if the child absolutely cannot sleep. Try cutting out his nap, or making it earlier and for less time. Give a good long bath before bed. They make a kid melatonin bath soap and lotion.
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Dont do it. As you give him more, his body will slowly produce less and less and itll mess him up. Then he will Have to take it as an adult. Please just let that kiddo be a normal toddler…
I was told by a pharmasist that children under 5 should not have melatonin because their bodies can not break it down and it just builds up. How true that is, idk.
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Cut the naps down, if possible. I know some daycares don’t really listen about that. Do a bath and no brain stimulating activities before bed. Read a story. Also maybe a light snack before bed.
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Cut the nap. I’m sure he doesn’t need a 3 hour nap.
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Try Dreamtime meditation for kids on YouTube
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My 1 1/2 year old can’t take more than a 2 hour nap or he is up for hours at noght
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Cut his Naptime in half & start a bedtime routine. At his age he should be sleeping no later than 8pm. Dinner, heavy playtime, warm bath & lavender baby lotion after. Then start bedtime routine. NO TV or Games, draw the curtains (get room darkening ones), play soft music. Tell him he can pick 2 books & read them in a slow soft voice. If he is still awake make him stay in bed & play quietly (with non stimulating toys) or look at more books. But really cutting that nap is key!! If you took a 3hr nap would you be ready to go to go to bed? Nope, you would be recharged & ready to go!!
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Take the nap out or shorten it. There is no reason for a nap that long if he is still wound up at night.
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I have a 6 year old that’s balls to the wall all day every day. He will not sleep he’ll stay up all night and still be ready for the next day. His dr gave him melatonin. Because his body needs to rest and recuperate.
If her child is in daycare they have a nap it’s not optional really
I’d cut out the naps. Give him a bath, read him a book, tell a story, sing a song. My girls who are now 5 & 7 about to be 6 & 8 years old haven’t taken any naps since they were between 1-2 years old. I wouldn’t give my girls melatonin every night I have only given it to them 2 times they woke up screaming at the top of their lungs both times so I never gave them any again. Cutting the nap out is what will help the most. but he will end up needing melatonin if you did it every night. I know how hard it is not getting enough sleep some nights. I work at 4 am 5 days a week. I get at best 5-6 hours maybe those mornings I have to work. My girls sleep really well 9-10hours
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When my son wants to wild in the night I just put him in his bed n turn the lights off when he finish crying its sleep time but I dont get that problem with him
I think if u keeps giving him he will be dependent on it which is not good
Try to cut out the during the day sleeping and see if it helps
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As mentioned, I’d cut the nap out. Or if necessary I’d have a “time out” my 3 yo still needs a quiet moment during the day. She can have her iPad or watch a movie during this time but never sleeps. Instead of melatonin try tart cherry juice! It helps the body naturally produce melatonin. Maybe give it to him when he wakes up.
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Depends some peoples bodies don’t produced enough so they won’t sleep well. Someone I know her son sleep walks if he doesn’t have it. Some kids won’t go to sleep without it. Everyone is different. I do think you should only give it if they actually need it though.
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Not every night tho. Once a week maybe. He needs more play or exercise way before bedtime
I would stop letting him take naps he will go to bed on his own at night
No. Take away his nap
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Perhaps the activity at night could be exchanged with some of the nap time in the morning. Being hyper at night might not be conducive for sleep. Calming activities might work well at night. Might be the child’s sleep pattern will change as the child learns from your sleep pattern.
Lavender baths before bed should help him relax
No. Cut the nap time. Make a bed time routine. Its gunna suck for a minute. Hut its better than melatonining ur kid who probably doesn’t need it
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Cut out all his sugar intake ×3 days you will have a different kid, absolutely no sugar!!!
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My daughter is 7 and she has to have it every night. She doesn’t produce enough to get sleepy on her own but the went to the doctor did all types of testing. Tried baths, reading, tiring her out when she was younger and nothing worked so we do melatonin. During summer break I don’t care what time she goes to sleep because I let her sleep in and get the full amount of sleep she needs but during school if we don’t give her some she won’t go to sleep on her own until way in the morning hours. I’d take your kid to the doctor
I used to have the same problem when my daughter was younger. We tried everything, cutting out juice for flavored water, eliminating red dye foods. We started giving her melatonin. They Doctor said It was fine to do every night since our bodies naturally produce it. Some people just don’t produce enough of it. As far as what I’ve read they won’t become dependent on it since we naturally produce it.
Melatonin made my 6 yr old wet the bed ( never happened before) also caused him to sleep walk.
Melatonin is a natural substance in your body it’s what helps you sleep. My son is 2.5 and takes it daily at bedtime, with permission from our family doctor, because my son is like yours and very hard to wind down and get him to fall to sleep. My doctor told me it’s the safest thing to help children sleep because it’s all natural and their bodies can’t become addicted to it since our bodies already produce it and it doesn’t hurt the natural melatonin levels already present in our bodies, although some people naturally don’t produce enough melatonin. It can cause grogginess and irritability from feeling tired sometimes if the dose is too high. I take it for insomnia myself. So really it’s fine if you give it to your child every night.
I give it to my daughter on school night and give her the weekend and summer off. She likes it and says she gets better sleep with the melatonin gummy. She feels better when she wakes up. She is 5.
Definitely cut out the nap, but also try a banana at bedtime helps produce the sleepy hormone 
Mine have been tested and just like mommy, my boys don’t produce it at all. We can stay awake for days and run perfectly fine on just a couple hours of sleep, so they’re forced to take it before bed every night. Sometimes I get lucky and they’re so worn out from the day that they just pass out. Lol but if you’d rather not give your little Melatonin at all, I’d make him stay awake all day. Let him outside. Before bed time, a warm bath with lavender. Heat and lavender calms down babies. Works everytime.
Melatonin can become dependent to sleep if used all the time. I would only use it when absolutely necessary when he will not fall asleep after 20-30 minutes. Try cutting out the 2nd nap or nap time in half. Also, try to stop all the stimulation before bedtime. Learning activities and puzzles are not relaxing so find things that calm him. No running around, that hypes them up so all that together is over stimulating him so he’s unable to turn off his brain. My grandson loves listening to a sound machine with rain. I would even try that on tough nights. Good luck!
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Melatonin is a sleep hormone so it’s not going to harm giving him some if he struggles with making his own, My son has it but it was prescribed by a peaditritian because of his Asd/adhd
My other child is nearly 3 and I dont put him down for a nap in the day at all and he goes to bed at 7pm and is asleep in seconds and sleeps till 7am!!
No nap time at this age.
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I feel like melatonin really shouldn’t be given at such a young age. It really messes with their sleep patterns. Try limiting nap time or cutting it completely or even just a rest time where they don’t actually sleep just rest/relax.
Melatonin’s half life is 30 minutes and it is recommended to occasionally not take it so that they don’t need higher doses to help them fall asleep. Melatonin is a natural substance in the body that helps you fall asleep. My daughter is the same way. Going to sleep is hard for her. So our routine is a bath at night a melatonin laying down to read a book and occasionally some essential oils to assist her to relax behind her ears.
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I’d definitely cut nap time out if my 3 year old naps any time during the day she’s up until 2am or later, its rare honestly… she quit napping around 18 months. Plus 2-3 hrs is a long period for sleep if you keep naps i wouldn’t let them go past 30-40 minutes. Also try reading or white noise at night, not running, jumping and playing.
My suggestion is to trim his nap to an hour at the longest.
Melatonin is NOT addictive. It’s something your body produces naturally. It won’t hurt to give it to him nightly
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I’ve had insomnia since as far back as I can remember. It sucks. I wasn’t energetic, but never could fall asleep on my own. Melatonin had Zero affect on me. I don’t see anything wrong with using it if his doctor says it’s ok. I know a few mom’s that use it for their kids. I know it sucks. Good luck momma! 
Melatonin is safe. I use it as does the grandchildren
Try taking away the naps. My son quit naps at 1yr because he was just as u say. But even with no nap he cannot sleep and has never slept a whole night. By the time he was at 3.5 yr old he doctor decided to give him a sleep aid. It had horrible side effects and so I asked for something different. She put him 9n 5mg of melatonin. I felt it was way to much so got a pill cutter and took it down to 1 milligram. He still rarely sleeps through the night but it works for the most part.
My grandkids told me that everytime they’re at their dad’s step mom tries to shove these down they’re throats my grandson is 13 he doesn’t need these
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No. Your body makes it on it’s own. It’s not meant to take daily. This is something you should probably talk to their pediatrician about. They sound like normal kids to me. They just need to be able to get their energy out. Take them to a park in the afternoon so they will be tired by evening. Make sure their not taking naps all day. You cant drug kids daily with meds to get them to sleep.
He needs to learn how to relax naturally, you don’t want to be dependent on it. I’d say only if he really needs it? idk, tuff question. On you know what’s right
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Question- Does anyone have any studies to back up anything they are saying? I am seeing a lot of comments for and against the use of melatonin, I’d love some actual studies for ether side. Thank you!
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They’ll become immune to it after so many times. It has also caused sleep problems for some. I know someone personally her mom constantly gave melatonin now she can barely sleep without some type of pill and melatonin doesn’t work.
Have you tried taking away naps? My daughter will be 3 in a few days and I took her naps away around 2 and she falls asleep within 7 minutes of being laid down and sleeps til morning (she’s down for bed at 8pm and wakes around 7am. She’ll wake around 8-8:30 if I let her stay up a little past her bedtime)
Don’t let him nap then he’ll be tired for bed. It’ll be hard for about a week but it’ll be better for you in the long run. Also melatonin is ok to get him on track as far as a sleep schedule or just really difficult times when they are too excited for sleep ect. Every might is a bit excessive. His brain will stop producing as much as it actually needs if he’s constantly being fed melatonin nightly
I’d consult the childs pediatrician
Cut his nap see if he will sleep at night with out a nap thru the day
I would cut his nap out or down to like an hr maybe but give that time if not talk to your Dr ours recommend we gave our 3 yr old meletonin because he doesn’t sleep he stopped napping at 1 and still is just so full of energy
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Take him for bike rides every evening
I wouldn’t give it anymore than I have to, but it’s not the end of the world to use it. I did it. Many, many, many others parents have. All of our children are fine. And we aren’t horrible mothers either. Do NOT let any Karen try and make you out to fee like a horrible mom. I had three toddlers at the same time while working and going to school, both full time. It was definitely a life saver for me….and yes their pediatrician was well aware. I didn’t give them a full pill though, but literally a shaving from one bc they were so little it’s all it took. It wasn’t til they were in elementary that I would give them a full one. And that was only because they were vocal. They could tel me if they were tired enough to fall asleep, but sometimes they knew they couldn’t and would request one. My oldest was diagnosed with insomnia around 8. My middle was diagnosed with severe anxiety and therefore he literally couldn’t shut his brain off to fall asleep….and the melatonin was a lot safer choice than most of the other meds.
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For me… when I was taking something every night to fall asleep it made it way harder for me to sleep on my own. Don’t do that to that baby. Cut out nap time. 11-2 is a long period for nap time. Plus, sleeping that long during the day insures he definitely isn’t going to go to sleep.
I think cutting naps should be your first step. If there is still issues then, talk to your doctor.
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No, please don’t! I say this because I used to take it nightly myself. I become dependent on it and it eventually quit working. Took me forever to get along without it. I suggest cutting the naps first.
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Have him take shorter naps
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So instead of the added substance in his body, try cutting out or cutting back his nap time. Children naturally have more energy than you, so just bc you are ready to go to bed at 8-9pm(or whatver) doesn’t mean he is, especially after a 3-4 hour nap daily, that you do not get. There are always solutions to things without medicating them. Especially being so terribly young, I would not recommend anything other than natural remedies for now. It also never states what time bedtime is, as he ages his routine needs to adjust, maybe pushing bedtime back an hour to start will prove helpful… parents who stick to a strict schedule need to remember that the child and their needs changes frequently during these crucial developmental years.
I give it to my son every night and his doctors are 100% ok with it
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I don’t think it’s bad to use here and there, but if you start to use it every night, then your body sees that it’s getting melatonin elsewhere so it will stop it’s natural production. So if/when you cut out the gummy, it’ll be hell getting him to go to sleep without it because his body will have stopped making it or making enough of it. You’ll have to wait days/weeks for his body to start making it properly again. I just say use with caution. 
I guess my body don’t make it naturally since I don’t sleep normally any more I may sleep at least a little over tree hours a night
I would look into herbs instead. Add a cup of chamomile tea into his bed time routine. You can also use glycerin tinctures so he doesn’t have to drink so much.
I think melatonin is great for kids when you go on a trip somewhere and going to sleep may be a bit more difficult. Or just on rare occasions. But taking it daily actually reduces the body’s natural production of it. I would definitely shorten nap time a little bit. And maybe rearrange your nap time routine. Puzzles or learning activities are a great thing to do with your children in the evenings, but that is stimulation for them. It makes their brains work, and within the hour before bedtime, you want their brain to wind down. So maybe do those things right after dinner and before bath time. My night time routine was always bath time, brush teeth and all those things then straight to their bedrooms. There was still a story and maybe a little bit of tv, but that was what I called “quiet time” specifically for them to calm down. Even if they weren’t asleep yet, they were still in bed. 9 times out of 10, they were asleep before their actual bedtime.
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I gave my son melatonin starting at 6 he was struggling with falling asleep he would lie there for 2 to 3 hours some nights. I talked to a family friend who’s a nurse practitioner and she recommended melatonin. So we started with 3 mg and it helped so much.
My kids like this, she doesn’t nap, and she would be up running around all day, and not want to sleep at night… which is shocking about all the activities we do thought would tire her out. I refuse melatonin unless it’s urgent as it can screw up their sleep then they would always rely on it. I hate medication for kids, but don’t ask the internet , always ask the doctor .
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I use melatonin for my daughter and only 1mg and it helps so much! But I can understand how some parents don’t want them to be dependent on it so try doing a banana or some cherries about 30 minutes before bedtime! They are a natural source melatonin
No. Just cut the nap.
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I don’t think every night is good, we give our daughter melatonin gummies on school nights as she doesn’t sleep much, I stopped giving her naps when she was little she has always slept 4 to 5 hours even without naps
You could try a weight blanket, turning off all electronics two hours before bed and white noise machine in addition to the melatonin. We give our daughter melatonin because she has SPD and it a suggested aid. Without it she struggles to sleep through the night. We have found a weighted blanket and white noise also assist her with calming down. We also have added color light strips in her room. She really enjoys the soft colored lights as she falls asleep.
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Cut the nap. He will be ready to go to bed at a normal time.
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Cut the puzzle and learning activities before bed. You are stimulating his brain right before it needs to shut down. Melatonin is fine
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I would cut out the nap. Or make it where it’s only 1 hr. I would first try cut it down to an hr and be waking him up. If he doesn’t get that rest in middle of the day it will make him more tired at bedtime. You will just have to be consistent which sounds like your amazing at doing. Just make sure your making him get up when you want him to in the mornings and at nap time make sure to cut them short. It will take a little bit and eventually you could do away with the nap. He will probably be grouchy ar first and trying to sleep but just do what you can to keep him up. I would also maybe not do the puzzle and learning activities so late. Those are still fun and it could be contributing to him being wound up so late. After dinner we do baths and story time. My kids are two and almost 4 and don’t take naps. My two year old does occasionally for an hr or two on some days. They go to bed at 830 and are up by 9. Honestly I agree with you on not doing it daily. A very good point you could make to your husband is that when you take stuff like that daily you become used to it and it actually ends up not helping. You would have to take more. Its always like that. Example. Tylenol. Take it for a headache and then decide to take it daily. Eventually that 1 Tylenol won’t work and you may have to take two or 3 to get rid of that headache.
we had to roll our daughter up in a blanket and rock her for about 10-15 min so she could let go to go to sleep–she needed the tightness of not moving her arms and legs to calm enough to go to sleep
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As long as your pediatrician says it’s ok, give it to him daily.
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Talk to his doc because some people just don’t produce enough and some don’t produce any but you can start by cutting the nap and doing quiet time
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A 3 hour nap for a 3 year old? There’s your issue! He doesn’t need a nap at that age, definitely not 3 hours! He’s probably not sleepy enough at bedtime because of it. Try cutting the nap out & see if that helps. Gx
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You don’t want a child to be dependant on it. Even if it’s “natural”
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3 hour nap? There ya go
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Give it to him for like a week. I gave it to my son for a week then stopped and he continued to go to bed at the time I wanted him to. I then only gave it to him after a vacation when his sleep schedule was screwed up. He’s know 5 and sleeps great. But I would try cutting the nap first my son quit napping around that age.
Age 3 is about the age I had to quit giving all 4 of my kids a nap. Made bedtime so much easier
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Please no!!
My grandson has night terrors, according to his mother. He has never had them at our house. I’m not sure where all he has had them. I know that we never give him melatonin when with us. Truthfully, unless he’s been sick, I’ve never had a problem with him sleeping. I keep him active during the day, a nap mid-day, and then bedtime. I usually let the grandbabies know ahead of time when they are going to be getting ready for bed. I let them know, which is the last cartoon, before we read books, then story time, and they get to talk for a little after the lights have been turned out, then they aren’t allowed any more talking.
We have been told by numerous physicians, that melatonin causes night terrors, in children!
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I think the melatonin is fine for every other night as long as it stays half dose or smaller and doctor is still giving the ok for it.
But a 3 hour nap mid day for a toddler is a bit much. The kid should be eating lunch between anywhere from a 11:30 to the latest 1, not asleep. An hour or hour and a half long nap -after- eating lunch should be fine. I’m gonna say cut the nap in half and see how that goes before deciding that melatonin is the only answer.
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I take Melatonin often. My 9 year old does as well. If not, we’ll lie awake for HOURS trying to go to sleep. Melatonin is a natural hormone in our bodies already. Some people’s bodies just don’t make enough for a healthy sleep routine. Be glad 1/2 a gummy works and your child is getting proper sleep.
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Talk to your pediatrician first.
This is based upon my opinion and experience. I didn’t give melatonin to my daughter until she turned 6 (that’s only because I found out what it was around that time) beforehand it was a full year of struggling with bedtime and with covid being home didn’t help. She doesn’t take naps so it was weird she wasn’t going to sleep until 1-3 am and would wake up at 6. With help from her pediatrician I give my daughter 1mg every night that has helped a lot the recommended dose for her age is 2mg however with 1 mg it’s been a huge help, lately she’s been able to fall asleep on her own. I would suggest you cut out the nap and see how that changes for him to sleep for bedtime and if that doesn’t help then speak to a pediatrician before making it an everyday thing
No. Melatonin is produced naturally, if you keep supplementing it, it will stop producing it.
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Follow his cues with the nap if he isn’t tired let him stay up. He doesn’t need a 3hr nap at that age. I would let him keep going and if he’s tired have quiet time…doesn’t have to be sleep just laying down quiet for say half an hour to recharge
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That’s a really long nap. That’s your problem, cut the nap out, then you probably wouldn’t need the melatonin
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My oldest child has Epilepsy, ADHD, and Autism. My Youngest has ADHD. They both take Clonidine and Melatonin to help them sleep. There is NOTHING WRONG with giving your children melatonin to help them sleep! Some kids don’t process it naturally. If my kids didn’t get their melatonin and clonidine they wouldn’t sleep. If my oldest doesn’t sleep he has seizures. If my youngest doesn’t get enough sleep he has behavioral issues. My sons pediatrician, neurologist, and pulmonologist all are aware and are in agreement. Ask your dr. My sons have been on melatonin since age 3 for both of them.
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No. They shouldn’t. Also naps should definitely be A LOT less than 3 hrs
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No. Not every night. As it can cause your body to not produce enough on its own naturally.
Personally I give a quarter piece of a 5mg gummy to my 9 year old during the school week to keep him to stay on a schedule…If I didn’t he’d stay up til 2 am lol
Summers vacations and weekends I don’t give it to him
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My kids stopped napping at 2…the nap is probably the issue…no way he needs a 3 hr one… Skip it and see what happens…bet he will be ready to sleep by early evening…
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Cut the nap down to half an hr maybe 45 mins and that should help alot
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I agree with Chrystal but you will have a “crazy hour” Around 6 PM, cranky and whiny and loony… But they pass right out after that
Melatonin is produced in our body for sleep, so it’s fine to give them.
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This issue is between you, your child and your doctor. No two people are cut from the same mold.
We cut our 3 year olds naps. She goes to bed at 6:45. She is exactly the same such a wild child and hard to wind down. If i let her nap bed time is a nightmare
We do quiet time from 1-3 while her brother naps. She can choose whatever she wants to do ususlly it’s drawing or a movie snuggled in my bed