My youngest turned three years old last month, and apparently bid farewell to his afternoon nap. He thinks he's so big now. He didn't even ask my permission to forgo that time-honored and cherished afternoon peace and quiet. He just decided on his own.

For the last few weeks, he has humored me on most days by laying in bed, chatting quietly with his stuffed animals during “nap time.” He would actually fall asleep about every third day. And that was fine.

Now, however, things have taken a turn for the worse, and I can see his determination to cast off his nap time burden once and for all. He no longer sleeps in his room... ever. And sometimes he protests going to his room so persistently that I relent and allow him to just “play quietly” for a while.

Every couple of days he will, rather inconveniently, fall asleep in the van as we wait in the car rider line at school to pick up his sister and brother. This is bad news because it happens so late in the day that it interferes with bedtime.

So which is better: grumpy boy without any nap who goes right to sleep at bedtime or happy boy who had a nap but won't go to sleep at bedtime? It's a no-win situation right now. My consolation is the knowledge that this phase will not last long. But then we will be well beyond regular naps for good. How sad.

Yes, my son has gleefully ushered in the death of his afternoon nap. And I alone will mourn.