I agree with the earlier posts about routine and letting the child cry it out for a little bit. Just wondering how much physical activity do the children get. I find with mine if the weather is great and we go for a walk and play in the park they are more likely to go down for a longer nap and with less fuss. If it was a rainy day or winter time and no physical activity was had then I find nap times are less and pushed further into the day. Good Luck it's tough when children are cranky from being tired and it takes a toll on your health and well being.