My newly-3 y.o. just gave up naps a couple days ago (we'll see...). Before, he was napping a couple hours in the afternoon, going to bed at 8 but not falling asleep till 9, and waking up around 6. Things were ugly - lots of tantrums. Now we have him in bed at 7:00 and he sleeps through till 6. It's too early to say whether it'll be any better, but there does come an age when it's more important to have a longer time of consolidated sleep than to keep up the nap.
Fortunately, although he can be strong willed from time to time and surely has his moments, he's been the easiest kid on the planet.
I do feel your pain though. My dd, on the other hand, is extremely strong willed. Now that she's 8 she's a lot more cooperative, I think because she's finally getting mature enough to know why I do things the way I do. It's been a long road though and I'm so afraid of the teenage years I can't even tell you... But it's all so much worse when they're overtired.
I guess my advice would be to give up on the nap and aim for a very early bedtime. It can be an ugly transition. Hang in there!!
