Those That Have Everyone Nap In The Same Room

[DaisyMamma]

How do you do it?
I have 3 that cry themselves to sleep. I don't see how they could be together, and if they were they would also wake eachother up later. And seeing as I allow the kids to sleep as long as they want, that is not ok with me.

I had two new kids start today and so I'm running out of private napping space.

[EchoMom]

I have at most 2 babies and 2 toddlers sleeping in the same room. My DS sleeps privately in our King bed which is where he does all his daytime & nighttime sleeping (family bed/co-sleeping family). But in the nap room, everyone else sleeps in their PNPs. Some cry or talk themselves to sleep, I've learned though that after a little while they all start to drop off falling asleep one by one. I close the curtains, turn on loud fan, put everyone in PNPs with pacis or blankies or lovies they have, close the door, and that's it. When they wake up I just take them out as they wake up so as not to wake the others. They're all good sleepers and heavy sleepers so no problem. My DS though would NOT be able to do that, he's a terrible sleeper.

[lil angels]

I have 2 one yr. olds that would cry themselves to sleep in a pnp. Now they are on mats and don't ever and I am always close when they wake so I can say she your friends are sleeping and they are alway quiet till I let them up. Today I have two one yr olds, 2 that just turned two and a 31/2 yr old all together and it's great. You have to remember monkey see monkey do. You just have to lay the down and say this is what we are doing and it falls into place well. It can be done give yourself a few days and don't let them see you are nervous.:: just lay everyone down and do it you will be glad once you did.

[cheerfuldom]

I have never been able to make it work but this is the first time that I have had the majority of kids over 2 years old, so I do have the older ones share an area. The babies and toddlers are all split up because their napping is more unpredictable and they love to have a reason to stay awake and/or cry.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

Mine all sleep in the playroom with the exception of the baby because he may sleep longer and he cries when he wakes.
I sit back here (which explains me being online now.. sitting in my rocking chair watching them sleep) As they wake up I can hush them back to sleep if it is too early. Snuggle them if they are first up or whoosh them out so they don't wake others. Generally they sleep between 2 and 3 hours. I can get them all down in about 15 minutes. I have some that are awesome about falling asleep, some that will stay on their cots until I can snuggle them. So I rock the one that won't do that first and then go on from there and seriously 15 min and everyone is snoozing. 5 kids one room.
So, I can sit back here or sit at the table in the breakfast nook. I do my menus, play online, read a book, or supervise ds's school work depending on the day and how far into naptime we are. I do NOT do dishes because this is guarenteed to have everyone awake in about 5 minutes!
Seriously, they train fairly quickly to be quiet and respect the others that are sleeping. I have one that would sleep longer so I put her behind the toy shelf so I can block her off from the others when they wake and she usually sleeps another 15 - 30 minutes longer.

[My3cents]

Mine all sleep in the playroom with the exception of the baby because he may sleep longer and he cries when he wakes.
I sit back here (which explains me being online now.. sitting in my rocking chair watching them sleep) As they wake up I can hush them back to sleep if it is too early. Snuggle them if they are first up or whoosh them out so they don't wake others. Generally they sleep between 2 and 3 hours. I can get them all down in about 15 minutes. I have some that are awesome about falling asleep, some that will stay on their cots until I can snuggle them. So I rock the one that won't do that first and then go on from there and seriously 15 min and everyone is snoozing. 5 kids one room.
So, I can sit back here or sit at the table in the breakfast nook. I do my menus, play online, read a book, or supervise ds's school work depending on the day and how far into naptime we are. I do NOT do dishes because this is guarenteed to have everyone awake in about 5 minutes!
Seriously, they train fairly quickly to be quiet and respect the others that are sleeping. I have one that would sleep longer so I put her behind the toy shelf so I can block her off from the others when they wake and she usually sleeps another 15 - 30 minutes longer.

This sounds like my plan. but..... I do usually do the dishes. I try to separate my one that has never slept well. I am open concept so it is not easy and a juggle, but we are consistent with routine and this helps. I do my dishes right off while they are settling down. I think the running water helps. I have one that doesn't settle down as fast and so I will sit in a chair and read not talking to her until she does. Music, fan, loveys, blankets and close the blinds. I do a lot of you, lay down it is quiet time!!! They get it after a while. My parents are amazed. When they start to get up I let them wake up until they become noisy and then we move to diaper change and just try to be quiet until everyone else is up. Sometimes I offer them books to look at until others awake. It takes the new kids a bit to learn the way we do things. I expect that and work with it the best I can

Best-

[clep]

If a child is in a crib, they are in a separate room at my day home. If they are on a mat, they are in a common space. I have one child in a crib and five on mats. All five children just lay down and go to sleep. No crying, no fidgeting. We have rain forest music on in the common space. If a new child is crying I just sit with them to reassure them and rub their back or hand. Once they feel comfortable and stop crying at rest time, they get to see me put stamps on the children's hands once they fall asleep. They catch on quickly and go to sleep quickly so they can see what stamp they get when they wake up. Also I provide lots of encouragement for the ones laying quietly and still. The new child wants to hear they are doing a good job too, so they do the same thing.

[sharlan]

I only have 3 that sleep - 9 mo, 11 mo, and 2 1/2. They all sleep in the same room and all go down for naps at different times. It's very rare that the crying of one will wake up another.

[Annalee]

I have a 24' by 32' room where I keep 12 children. Nap is a doozy with the FCCERS-R so everyone has to be placed three feet apart or a barrier (science board works great) between. My mixed-age crew are down at nap at the same time. I do run two fans (one on each side of the room) along with kiddie music playing for noise control. On the average, most days are good with all sleeping the majority of the two-hour nap......but some days are difficult....just part of the my daily job.

[EchoMom]

If a child is in a crib, they are in a separate room at my day home. If they are on a mat, they are in a common space. I have one child in a crib and five on mats. All five children just lay down and go to sleep. No crying, no fidgeting. We have rain forest music on in the common space. If a new child is crying I just sit with them to reassure them and rub their back or hand. Once they feel comfortable and stop crying at rest time, they get to see me put stamps on the children's hands once they fall asleep. They catch on quickly and go to sleep quickly so they can see what stamp they get when they wake up. Also I provide lots of encouragement for the ones laying quietly and still. The new child wants to hear they are doing a good job too, so they do the same thing.

That's a really cute idea!

[Unregistered]

naps and meals

Mine always sleep with ocean sound music and chime music from my mini water fall, I sit there and rock in my chair, until they all fall asleep. Usually, I will read a few pages from a gentle book each day so they anticipate the story and the routine. If child is new, I put them close to me so I can rub their back, say it's okay softly. A lot of children come from homes where they are use to co sleeping, usually these children will have the hardest time adjusting, but if you nap them close to you "the adult" you'll find it will help tons. I opposite their little heads if they begin to play with their little friends... I nap my most secure children further away from me or my assistants. Just like when we feed the children, we start with the strongest eaters first and work our way to the weaker eaters, letting our strongest be the role models. Parents will tour or come in and be totally amazed I have 12 little sleepers all in one room, all of different ages...

[frugalmama4]

Well not to brag or anything...but ALL of mine sleep together...its not an option!

I currently have a 5mo, 6mo, 8mo, 13mo, 3-2yr, 1-18mo, 3yr, 4yr...everyone one is on the same schedule around here...breakfast 8-9am, lunch 12-12:30, nap 1-3:30/4. I lower the lights at 12:45 (this is the nap signal)...big kiddos line up for diaper changes/potty then they walk over to their cots...babies are diapered and placed in crib. Music goes on at 12:55...I walk out at 1:00 life is GOOD!

Know, yes there are days when one or two will test the water...I don't give them any extra attention...stick to the same routine...about 5 minutes of fussing they fall asleep.

My tips to help with this baby:

1. Talk to the parents..."but honestly they will most then likely lie"
2. No holding during the day "until baby can handle being alone"
3. Keep schedule consistent
4. Swaddle baby tightly...after a few days loosen it open til no longer needed.

Good Luck!!

[craftymissbeth]

The children who are still in pnp's sleep in a separate nap room. I have a 1 yo that CIO and I had a 6 month old sleeping in there also who would CIO sometimes. One day I went to grab a receipt to record from a room down the hall and the crinkling woke up the 1 yo... yet when the other baby was crying she wouldn't wake up at all. I figured out that they actually slept better somehow when they heard each other crying... like it was soothing or something

[MCC]

Well not to brag or anything...but ALL of mine sleep together...its not an option!

I currently have a 5mo, 6mo, 8mo, 13mo, 3-2yr, 1-18mo, 3yr, 4yr...everyone one is on the same schedule around here...breakfast 8-9am, lunch 12-12:30, nap 1-3:30/4. I lower the lights at 12:45 (this is the nap signal)...big kiddos line up for diaper changes/potty then they walk over to their cots...babies are diapered and placed in crib. Music goes on at 12:55...I walk out at 1:00 life is GOOD!

Know, yes there are days when one or two will test the water...I don't give them any extra attention...stick to the same routine...about 5 minutes of fussing they fall asleep.

My tips to help with this baby:

1. Talk to the parents..."but honestly they will most then likely lie"
2. No holding during the day "until baby can handle being alone"
3. Keep schedule consistent
4. Swaddle baby tightly...after a few days loosen it open til no longer needed.

Good Luck!!

This is for me too. I have 4 under 1, an 18 month, and 2 3yos. My DD sleeps in her room. All DCK are in the same dark room, with LOUD white noise. It took a while, but they are all now sleeping through the crying. Two of my babies cry themselves to sleep (5-10 minutes) and the rest just wait for them to stop, then fall asleep. I think the key is just make this the only option. It did take a few weeks to get this down (3 of the babies started the same month), but they got it.

As for waking up, they will learn to sleep through that as well. I have one that wakes up after an hour, my 9 month old always hears her and cries, but now goes back to sleep for another hour. My preschoolers don't move until I tell them too, but they all came from centers, I did not teach them this...