Grr! That Is It!! All In Bed And Sleeping Too! It Is Only 9:45 am

[makap]

This has been going on for a while now. By 10 30 every morning it is a zoo in here as they are all so tired. They can not even stay awake during lunch or sit long enough to eat without constantly whining and crying while I am trying to serve them and feed them their lunch.

I have tried putting them down as soon as they arrive in the am but they will not sleep. But by mid morning the noise level from the crying is almost unbearable for me. There is just no making them happy no matter what I do!

I have 5 dcks here today and it has been absolutely crazy. All rubbing their eyes, lots of crying and whining so I've had it!

This group is just so difficult. They all are new (within the past year) and are so very different than my last group of dcks. All of my past families have grown up here. They all started at very young ages, right as soon as mom went back to work after having baby. I only take babies who have never been to daycare and are new to it as I have found that I can more easily "train" them (for lack of a better word) ::

These ones are just so different from my last group who were with me for 4-5 years. What is it? I know that all of these new parents have parenting styles that are different from my others and they do not say no to their kids. Parents have changed in the last 5 years I think and its not as much fun for me right now.

3 of them throw tantrums to get their way so are used to getting what they want from doing this. They cry and scream when you say no or redirect them. It makes it a very long tiring day.

I think maybe I am going to start putting them down everyday at 9 30 am until about 10 30 and then get them up and move nap from 1230 to 1 45 or so. I really hate to have to change my routine but I really need to find something that is going to work.

What would you all do? I have a boy 3 and 2 (brothers) who are in at 7 am, Boy 18 months who arrives at 7 15, Boy 2.5 who arrives at 7 30 and a boy 14 months who arrives at 8 30.

I am really looking forward to the next couple of years as every single one of my "old" families are returning with baby #2. They disciplined their kids too and did not care if their kids cried when they said NO!! After these children from my previous families are done I am semi retiring and just going to offer a preschool program from 8 30 to 11 30.

I love what I do and love children too much to give it up completely but I am getting old(er) Maybe this is why I am finding this group so exhausting?

[Heidi]

It does sound like they are tired. Try a morning nap for a while, and then make pm nap a bit later (1-3 perhaps?). Quite a few of your are still pretty young.

Maybe the 3yo would have a hard time with 2 naps, so during am nap I would maybe let him watch an appropriate tv show or movie?

[makap]

It does sound like they are tired. Try a morning nap for a while, and then make pm nap a bit later (1-3 perhaps?). Quite a few of your are still pretty young.

Maybe the 3yo would have a hard time with 2 naps, so during am nap I would maybe let him watch an appropriate tv show or movie?

To be completely honest the 3 year old is the one of the ones who needs sleep the most. He is actually 3.5 and is going to school in September. I do not know how in the world he is going to make it through the day. He is so tired. He will sleep all day if I would let him. He arrives rubbing his eyes and starts crying and asking to go to bed some mornings after only a half hour or so of being here. His 2 year old brother is similar. He does not talk yet but just cries. He won't play but will just stand there and cry. He will sleep almost immediately upon being put down. After having his 5 minute screaming, kicking, jumping up and down tantrum fit first!

[cheerfuldom]

I am having the same problem here and have just gone to letting the kids sleep whenever for however long. I don't even try to have much of a routine, we dont do preschool or anything and the napping issue is the main reason why. the parents are no help getting their kids to sleep regularly and one of them is worse because the little one has a horrible diet (lots of poptarts, etc.). I have a 2.5 year old that regularly sleeps for 4 or more hours a day at daycare. She has been here since birth and I have tired everything to get things worked out for her with no success. Now I just put her down whenever she gets tired.

[makap]

I am having the same problem here and have just gone to letting the kids sleep whenever for however long. I don't even try to have much of a routine, we dont do preschool or anything and the napping issue is the main reason why. the parents are no help getting their kids to sleep regularly and one of them is worse because the little one has a horrible diet (lots of poptarts, etc.). I have a 2.5 year old that regularly sleeps for 4 or more hours a day at daycare. She has been here since birth and I have tired everything to get things worked out for her with no success. Now I just put her down whenever she gets tired.

OMG Cheerful Yes! This "new" group of mine many eat a lot of JUNK at home! Highly processed diets and lots of sugar! One boy asked me for chocolate for breakfast not long ago. Sorry not here! I don't do processed and don't do sugar! I only serve whole foods that are home cooked from scratch. Breakfast, lunch and snacks all homemade!!

[countrymom]

I have a 3.5 yr old that is so tired that if I let him he too would sleep for hours. But its because he goes to bed at midnight, and they are having baby 3 soon. all they do is complain how he's so bad, and his diet is bad, seriously YOUR THE PARENTS DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! I can see the littles being tired, but the other children there is no reason. I too wonder how this kid is going to do at school.

[makap]

2 of these dcks will not eat anything all day.

I offer good healthy food and its their choice to eat and that's all I have.

[makap]

I have a 3.5 yr old that is so tired that if I let him he too would sleep for hours. But its because he goes to bed at midnight, and they are having baby 3 soon. all they do is complain how he's so bad, and his diet is bad, seriously YOUR THE PARENTS DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! I can see the littles being tired, but the other children there is no reason. I too wonder how this kid is going to do at school.

It is these parents who I get angry with!

These poor babies! It makes me sad.

[MrsB]

Sounds like maybe it is a blood sugar thing? Kids can get really tired and grumpy if there blood sure is low. What time do you serve breakfast and lunch? If they aren't eating what you are fixing it may not be helpful to serve lunch earlier, but throwing it out there.

Have you thought about having a helper each day be involved in the food making process. I have a food helper each day. They get to help me prepare the plates. Like put three carrots on each plate, etc. They always get to make 1 choice of something too. For instance, today I have applesauce, carrots, and green beans. Helper gets to choose one of those and I choose the other. (I recommend the other kids dont get involved or are not close when making the decision) Even though carrots may not be their favorite they are more likely to eat it if they get to choose it.

It really is sad that parents dont realize that what they are feeding their kids has a direct effect on their sleep, mood, learning, etc.

[makap]

Sounds like maybe it is a blood sugar thing? Kids can get really tired and grumpy if there blood sure is low. What time do you serve breakfast and lunch? If they aren't eating what you are fixing it may not be helpful to serve lunch earlier, but throwing it out there.

Have you thought about having a helper each day be involved in the food making process. I have a food helper each day. They get to help me prepare the plates. Like put three carrots on each plate, etc. They always get to make 1 choice of something too. For instance, today I have applesauce, carrots, and green beans. Helper gets to choose one of those and I choose the other. (I recommend the other kids dont get involved or are not close when making the decision) Even though carrots may not be their favorite they are more likely to eat it if they get to choose it.

It really is sad that parents dont realize that what they are feeding their kids has a direct effect on their sleep, mood, learning, etc.

I prepare all my meals the evening before. Everything is ready before morning. All of my meals are made fresh from scratch and I do not give them anything at all that is not healthy.