Monday (or first day back) Naps - What would you do?

[AfterSchoolMom]

If a child is nearly a year old, and they normally take a two hour morning nap, but on Monday (or Tuesday, in this case) after a long weekend at home they're waking up crying after 30 minutes.... what do you do?

They've been recently fed, I know for a fact the diaper is clean, and that the only thing wrong is that they got off routine over the weekend.

Should I get them up, or let them fuss until they go back to sleep and/or until nap time is over?

[Blackcat31]

I think you should just try and go with your normal schedule and if the child continues to have difficulty merging into the normal daily activities, I would call the parent to pick up.

I completely understand being off track after a long weekend but ultimately it is the parents job to make sure their child is well rested and ready to go back to daycare.

I also understand that kids are up late and are usually pretty busy with holiday activities during these longer weekends but again, it cannot be at the child's (or my) expense.

[SunshineMama]

I agree with Blackcat. Another option is to lay them down for an hour now, and then again during regular naptime. I always find that the kids are extra sleepy after weekends, and holiday weekends are even worse.

[CheekyChick]

I would get him up. He will probably be a bit fussy, but he may take a longer afternoon nap.

[Meyou]

I would let him fuss for 15 minutes or so to see if he would settle and then get him up.

[My3cents]

I think you should just try and go with your normal schedule and if the child continues to have difficulty merging into the normal daily activities, I would call the parent to pick up.

I completely understand being off track after a long weekend but ultimately it is the parents job to make sure their child is well rested and ready to go back to daycare.

I also understand that kids are up late and are usually pretty busy with holiday activities during these longer weekends but again, it cannot be at the child's (or my) expense.

I usually agree with you blackcat but I don't here. It is normal for the kids to be off routine at home over a three day weekend. I would just try to go by the normal routine at care. It is hard for everyone to get back into it. I would not call the parent to come and get the child because they are having an off day. I would **** it up and go with it. If it was all the time that is another matter. Ultimately these kids belong to the parents. Reality is that they are with us in waking hours more then the parents, so I feel it is ultimately both our jobs. On the weekend for us, routines go out the window. I don't worry that this and that happens at a certain time, we are often on the road, or busy with this and that. We go with the flow. Then back to basics come Monday. I don't expect the parent to stay home and keep my routine so that I don't have a bad week or Monday. Ultimately it would be ideal.....but not realistic and I want these kids having fun with families and friends. Maybe I am not disagreeing with you after all BC but just have a different view on this. Ultimately it would be the weekend already

[jojosmommy]

I think they should be able to function within normal expectations. If parents keep them up late all weekend and don't let them nap then why do we have to deal with it every monday (tuesday in this case)?

I have never sent a kid home b/c it has never been that bad but I have many times said at pick up on Monday "They had a rough day, very tired, upset etc. They really need to go to bed early on Sun to be ready for all the excitement daycare brings on Monday." Who knows if parents care what I say but atleast they can't blame their grumpy monday kid on me. ::

[Blackcat31]

I usually agree with you blackcat but I don't here. It is normal for the kids to be off routine at home over a three day weekend. I would just try to go by the normal routine at care. It is hard for everyone to get back into it. I would not call the parent to come and get the child because they are having an off day. I would **** it up and go with it. If it was all the time that is another matter. Ultimately these kids belong to the parents. Reality is that they are with us in waking hours more then the parents, so I feel it is ultimately both our jobs. On the weekend for us, routines go out the window. I don't worry that this and that happens at a certain time, we are often on the road, or busy with this and that. We go with the flow. Then back to basics come Monday. I don't expect the parent to stay home and keep my routine so that I don't have a bad week or Monday. Ultimately it would be ideal.....but not realistic and I want these kids having fun with families and friends. Maybe I am not disagreeing with you after all BC but just have a different view on this. Ultimately it would be the weekend already

Yep...just a different viewpoint but I think the same content.

However, I guess for me I approach things a bit differently. I choose parents who do have a regular schedule at home. I choose parents who understand the importance of good sleep, good food and consistent routines.

Raising children is hard but I am doing no favors by simply accepting that the parent gets the child off track and then expects me to fix it and get the child back on track. I do NOT agree that it is my job to deal with or fix it. I run more like school and that if you cannot make it through the day due to whatever activities you had going on at home, then you go home.

I am a child care provider but I also run a pretty tight ship in that our routine rarely varies and I expect all the kids I have to come well rested, well fed and ready to FULLY participate in our day. I don't really do the "family" side of this job. I know that kind of sounds weird but I am probably 95% business and only 5% family with my clients.

Also reality for me is that the children I provide services for DO spend more time with their parents than they do with me. Thay are more than welcome to go hog wild crazy all weekend and feed their child snacks/meals and whatever else they want off schedule. They can miss nap and not bathe...they can lay around and watch tv all day....makes no difference to me as I adored doing those things with my children.....I just do not allow it to effect my day and that of the other kids I have here.

I know, I am a bit different that what a lot of families (and maybe even other providers) expect but all in all, it works for me. It works for the families I enroll and as long as that is the case, I will continue to do what works for me.

So again, I absolutely agree with you about not really caring what goes on during the weekends and I really don't concern myself with the different rules and styles parents use but I DO care about what happens at my house and every single one of my DCK's seems completely able to conform to the rules at home and then to the rules here....no matter how long the vacation or weekend.

[AfterSchoolMom]

Well, something else is up, I think. This is the second day in a row that they've woken up crying after 30 minutes. Yesterday I let them go for a bit and they were back to sleep in 15 minutes and finished the full nap. We'll see how it goes today.

I've never called a parent for pickup due to nap issues. I wouldn't in this case, anyway, unless there is all day screaming or if I suspected an illness.