Parents Giving Me A Hard Time About 5yr Old Napping

[MamaG]

I put mine down with up to 4 books they choose. Most don't read them, they are tired and they sleep. I have a 3.5 year old whose parents have hinted they want her to stop nap......but if she didn't need to sleep, she wouldn't. I think they problems they are having with her at home is more along the lines of lack of discipline. Same reason she comes to school with a tutu and no socks in 32 degree weather. She rules the roost. I am not going to give up my clean up/paperwork/relax time because they have trouble getting her to go to sleep at 8:00 PM.

My dcmom told me many nights DCG stays up till 10 or later. She gets dropped off at 6:20 am! I don't need them to tell me if she slept well or not. I can figure it out real fast! Often those mornings she sleeps in the am like 7-9am or something. But then she isn't always tired at our afternoon qt. some days she is. Shoot I go thru the same fluctuating needs for sleep. It's normal. I think if kids are calm they should be allowed books, colors ect and not forced to sit in silence bored stiff.

[KidGrind]

I know this is an old post. However, I didn’t feel it necessary to start a new one for my mini vent.

Today, a parent hangs back to ask me not to put DCK down for a nap. They are not sleeping at night due to naps.

UGH! UGH! UGH! UGH! UGH! UGH!

[daycare]

I know this is an old post. However, I didn’t feel it necessary to start a new one for my mini vent.

Today, a parent hangs back to ask me not to put DCK down for a nap. They are not sleeping at night due to naps.

UGH! UGH! UGH! UGH! UGH! UGH!

tell them they didn't nap, even when u stand their with the toothpicks in eyes to keep them open................I do what works for me and my program.

[KidGrind]

I basically told her it’s part of my program. I didn’t feel bad or guilty. I just don’t get the correlation.

[daycare]

I basically told her it’s part of my program. I didn’t feel bad or guilty. I just don’t get the correlation.

any time anything happens at home that is harder for the parents is DC fault.......

[KidGrind]

any time anything happens at home that is harder for the parents is DC fault.......

:::::::::::::::::::: You’re right! What was I thinking?!

[Leigh]

Blackcat, I know everything you are saying. I've read the reports. I've raised three children and have been in childcare for 14 years. I understand the whole issue of kids needing more sleep etc. All I can go on is my own experience with my kiddos. My 4 year old wakes at 7am and is in bed by 7:30pm. If she takes a nap in the afternoon, it does not make her more ready for bed in the evening. After a nap, I have tried putting her to bed at her usual 7:30pm bed time and she will lay there for 2 hours, not being able to sleep. I do NOTHING different in her routine except adding the nap. She has been that way for the last year. Just how her body works. My son wasn't this way, but she is. So I still believe, all kids are different. And we need to take that into consideration. If my daughter is getting 12 hours of sleep when she sleeps 7:30pm to 7:30am, or twelve hours when she sleeps 9 to 7 with a two hour nap, you bet I prefer for her to skip the nap and just have a rest time. All parents need some time in the evening to unwind with out their kids.

Believe me, I have had many parents who let their kids stay up late and they absolutely need a nap. I have a 5 year dcb like this. But I don't think it's right to make a blanket statement that we expect to apply to everyone. Rest times should definitely be for everyone. Naps I think we just need to be flexible one. JMHO.

You're right. However, I am not going to let a child skip nap at my home because they want to put their child into bed at 7:00 or 7:30PM. I'm not bending my rules because a parent wants to spend less than 2 hours a day with their kid (with you being a provider, I know that YOU spend all day with yours-this is not directed at you). My "downtime" is after the kids go to bed (9PM), and after I get all of my household chores done. Around 11PM, I watch a show on the DVR, and then get to bed around midnight. I'd LOVE to go to bed at 9, too, but I want alone time WITH my kids.

[nannyde]

I basically told her it’s part of my program. I didn’t feel bad or guilty. I just don’t get the correlation.

I don't provide service to children who don't need a FULL afternoon nap.

[nannyde]

You're right. However, I am not going to let a child skip nap at my home because they want to put their child into bed at 7:00 or 7:30PM. I'm not bending my rules because a parent wants to spend less than 2 hours a day with their kid (with you being a provider, I know that YOU spend all day with yours-this is not directed at you). My "downtime" is after the kids go to bed (9PM), and after I get all of my household chores done. Around 11PM, I watch a show on the DVR, and then get to bed around midnight. I'd LOVE to go to bed at 9, too, but I want alone time WITH my kids.

I'm SHOCKED at how early parents want their kid to go to bed. I can't tell you how many times I have heard complaints of them getting up at the crack but when I ask the parent what time the kid goes to bed it is clear that it is just a couple of hours after leaving my house.

[Bookworm]

Years ago I had a DCB who's bedtime was 7:30-7::45. He was a sun up to sun down child. We used to joke that he would put on pjs and eat dinner in the car. Then when he got home, he was hosed off in the yard, dried and sent to bed.

[jenn]

I'm SHOCKED at how early parents want their kid to go to bed. I can't tell you how many times I have heard complaints of them getting up at the crack but when I ask the parent what time the kid goes to bed it is clear that it is just a couple of hours after leaving my house.

I have been shocked by this also.

I recently had a family request that I stop giving their newly turned 2 year old naps. They pick her up between 5:30-6:00 and want her in bed by 7:00. They also want her to sleep until at least 9:00 the next morning, before bringing her to me at 10:00. Seriously?!

My rule is everyone naps/rests. About a month before going to kindergarten, I start shortening nap time to help them adjust to the no nap/rest time in our school district.

[Hunni Bee]

I have a parent who puts their kid to bed at SIX-THIRTY. The poor kid just lays there for hours staring at the ceiling.

[Leigh]

I have a parent who puts their kid to bed at SIX-THIRTY. The poor kid just lays there for hours staring at the ceiling.

I termed a parent whose NINE MONTH OLD wouldn't nap at my home. They actually told me (as if it were the "normal" thing to do) that they took her home, fed her, and put her to bed immediately after supper. They also told me every day when they dropped off between 8:30 & 9:00 that she JUST got up. Good God, I know EXACTLY why the child had such attachment issues-she was so neglected at home!

[nannyde]

I termed a parent whose NINE MONTH OLD wouldn't nap at my home. They actually told me (as if it were the "normal" thing to do) that they took her home, fed her, and put her to bed immediately after supper. They also told me every day when they dropped off between 8:30 & 9:00 that she JUST got up. Good God, I know EXACTLY why the child had such attachment issues-she was so neglected at home!

I think this is very common with infants in centers. The ones who are there for ten plus hours a day go home, eat, bath and bed. They sleep so poorly in the fully lit rooms with adults who HAVE to get them up and other crying babies.

The parents get used to this being normal life. The only real awake time they have is on the weekends. This causes a huge disconnect where the parent becomes very overwhelmed when they have the baby awake. Enter swings, bouncy seats, and constant holding.

[daycare]

Gosh all of this makes me so sad.