Can't Settle Down For Naps

[Country Kids]

As many of you know I have kids that have a hard time napping. Naps are all over the place, I mean all over.

Last week I had 6 kids that took 3+ hour naps!!! Parents were ok with it, no problem. I had one day though where no one was sleeping though.I had posted about it that day, I think. Yesterday they all conked out within minutes also. It was Monday so I did think maybe the weekend had worn them out.

They all have strict bedtimes as I get some coming at 6;30 in the morning, ready to go-bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Now today I have had to fight them just to settle down for naptime. It has taken 45 minutes plus today and some are still awake. We only have 30 min. of nap and some just fell asleep.

Heres what I'm totally perplexed-when they will relax the sleep hard, I mean hard. I will have parents pick up at the end of naptime and the kids won't even realize parents are taking them home! They sleep all the way to the car, getting buckled and off they go. One of mine took a nap, went home fell asleep 2 hours later and slept 12 hours!!!! This is the one that fights me the hardest about naps.

So I'm not getting since they are so tired, why can't they settle down and get the rest they are needing. I'm wondering if they are all trying to outgrow naps or if there is something else going on?

[MizzCheryl]

Can they see each other in their nap areas?
I turn on soothing music but loud, and I position furniture with blankets over them if I need to so that they cannot see their neighbor.
Takes a few minutes to set but make nap nice.

[daycare]

are they finding ways to stimulate themselves during nap time?
Like are they twisting up the nap blanket?
chewing on their shirts, socks, pants or other?

are they crossing their legs so that they can click their toes together??

I find some of my DCK doing this so that they can do everything to keep themselves awake. I will go sit by them and tell them no more, it's nap time. I then sit there and rub their back and they usually passout in minutes....

[Country Kids]

Can they see each other in their nap areas?
I turn on soothing music but loud, and I position furniture with blankets over them if I need to so that they cannot see their neighbor.
Takes a few minutes to set but make nap nice.

Yes they can see each other. When I block them they literally get up so they see each other or keep yelling each others names!!!!

[Country Kids]

are they finding ways to stimulate themselves during nap time?
Like are they twisting up the nap blanket?
chewing on their shirts, socks, pants or other?

are they crossing their legs so that they can click their toes together??

I find some of my DCK doing this so that they can do everything to keep themselves awake. I will go sit by them and tell them no more, it's nap time. I then sit there and rub their back and they usually passout in minutes....

My biggest thing is the talking, talking, talking, talking, talking-whoa-sorry that got long!

Its really like they can't turn their brains off. We have been trying to lay down since 12;30 (normal time) and 3 out of 5 just now fell asleep. I have laid them in other areas today and that ended up in them running around, rolling around, singing, etc. Put a couple in the quiet area (one at a time) same thing. They literally can't relax/quiet their body down. I have quiet music (water sounds, black out curtains up).

The above was from my post last week about naps! It was the same though today and what usually happens on a daily basis. Two of them fell asleep at 2:15/2:30 and they are sound asleep now. One of them gets up at 5:00!!!

So now I'm trying to figure out if I should wake them up or let them sleep. I know they are tired but they won't just quiet down and relax at naptime.

[daycare]

hmmmm. I would be creating a spot that was alone away from everyone for the talkers.

if they talked once, they would be going to the spot to sleep alone away from the group. I have one and it only takes everyone seeing someone go there once to get their attention. It happens about once or twice a week. I remind them in a not so very nice sounding voice that it is nap time and it is time to sleep.

I will shhhhhhhh them one time and after that its alone mat away from the group.

I think that maybe you should think about taking a good poke at it for a good week, showing them there is no other option and that you mean business. They must lay quietly, there is no other option. If they don't fall alseep, then after 30-45min they can get a book, but must lay quietly..


It sounds like to me that you are not being hard enough on them during this time and they all think it's a joke time. It will take some work from yo and it will mean possibly not having quiet time for about a week or so during your napping period, which is normally your brake, but I think it will be worth it for you in the long run......

[Country Kids]

Yes, I have done the seperating thing and just recently went back to them all sleeping in the same room.

You ask why! They were still keeping everyone up and I was running around with like a chicken with its head cut off. Also, my kids were tired of not being able to come home from school and not be able to relax. They would have to be in their room till naptime was over.

I had one in my hall area who would yell at the one in the livingroom and vice versa. The hallway was blocked off but they would still yell back and forth. Then the one in the livingroom would run around and yell anytime a parent or anyone came in. Also, they would yell back to the ones sleeping in the backroom.

The third one would go into the dining area but could see the one in the livingroom so that was shot. They would also yell to the ones in the backroom.

I ran out of places to put kids so I put them all back into the same room so I could at least see all of them.

[daycare]

I guess I just don't get why they keep yelling. that would not last one second here at my house. It is not an inside voice and it is not ok. they would not be doing anything other than being quiet on their nap mats here.

perhpas that is the issue that you need to address. It is not ok to yell indoors ever. not at any time during the day....

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Oftentimes, being wound up means being overtired. Maybe, if they're coming in at 6:30, you've missed the "nap window" by 12:30. I used to always do nap 1-3. When I had trouble last spring, and was noticing especially with my own daughter that she was exhausted by 11:00, I shifted nap to 12-2. It required a lot of juggling of the rest of my day, but it was totally worth it. Nap got much better! I'd try shifting it a bit, even if only by 15 or 20 minutes, and see if it helps.

[snips&snails]

Oftentimes, being wound up means being overtired. Maybe, if they're coming in at 6:30, you've missed the "nap window" by 12:30. I used to always do nap 1-3. When I had trouble last spring, and was noticing especially with my own daughter that she was exhausted by 11:00, I shifted nap to 12-2. It required a lot of juggling of the rest of my day, but it was totally worth it. Nap got much better! I'd try shifting it a bit, even if only by 15 or 20 minutes, and see if it helps.

YES once you miss that window its all over ....try DARK room, get 'blackout' type curtains if you need to or thick blankets for naptime. Play relaxing music, turn it up over the voices if you have to . I am baffled by how people get them to 'lie down & be quiet' without a lot of traing . I assist them in getting to sleep as that is ALWAYS how I did it in centers, now that it is just me I try & pat the ringleaders 1st, usually there are those 1 or 2 kids that keep the others wound up.

[daycaremom76]

happyface DUCT TAPE happyface

I have the same issue with my daycare kids, it drives me insane cause it's always the worse days that they do this. I just shush them........but that doesn't always work cause the second I walk into the kitchen which is right next to the sleeping area they are all up and running around like chickens with their heads cut off!! Sometimes I just break down and put on Sesame Street cause that seems to be the only thing to get them to lay quietly!

[Angelsj]

Oftentimes, being wound up means being overtired. Maybe, if they're coming in at 6:30, you've missed the "nap window" by 12:30. I used to always do nap 1-3. When I had trouble last spring, and was noticing especially with my own daughter that she was exhausted by 11:00, I shifted nap to 12-2. It required a lot of juggling of the rest of my day, but it was totally worth it. Nap got much better! I'd try shifting it a bit, even if only by 15 or 20 minutes, and see if it helps.

This is what I was thinking. It may not be helpful, but perhaps move nap time to 12 or even 11:30. I would deal with the misbehavior as well. Whatever discipline method you use, but yelling out and being noisy during nap needs to stop.
I didn't read everything, but maybe keep it simple. Whoever is quiet, will get to play a special game, a sticker, a small piece of candy, whatever, at wakeup time. Anyone who is loud or disturbs others does not get the special prize. If you are consistent about enforcement, you should get results.

[LK5kids]

Yes, I wondering their ages. I thought it was either they are older and outgrowing naps or they are overtired and can't calm down. I've always liked nap at 12:30 too. I've never liked having an early lunch and then an early nap. I hope things work out for your bunch.