Naptime Length

[Guest]

How long do you allow in your schedule for nap? I am thinking of over 2's, specifically 2-3yrs. If your nap is from 12:30-2:30 for example, do you wake the children after those two hours or allow them to sleep?

The director at our center thinks that the children need to be woken up after the two hours, even if the entire room is still asleep! She said, "The parents aren't paying us to let them sleep all day."

It is my opinion that if they are still sleeping after 2 hours, they are tired and need to sleep- especially during this bad cold and flu season.

[Daycarelady1979]

I say let 'em sleep!
I never, never, ever wake a sleeping child.
But that's just me!

[Daycarelady1979]

I had a little boy here tonight from 2:30-10:15 pm that fell asleep 3 times!! He took a nap right after his mom left, he fell asleep after being placed in a time out for running in circles inside my house over & over, and then he fell asleep again around 9:30 when I put him down for bed. Personally I think that's crazy, but his mom is a single mom going to nursing school full time & working part time...who knows what this kid's weekend was like?! I don't really question it. If they're tired, let 'em sleep. The only time I ever do it differently is if the parent says, "Little Johnny isn't sleeping well for me at night...could you please not let him sleep past 3:00 today?"

[AnneCordelia]

Nap time here is 2.5 hours scheduled but I will let them sleep if they need it.

[Play Care]

Being in a center your hands are tied. Although I personally question the wisdom of a director who thinks naps, which are so important for children's developing brains, as a waste of parents money...

That said - My nap time is 2 hours - *if* the child has been asleep for the whole time and is still sleeping I do allow them to continue sleeping for a little while longer. Then I do get them up but this is mostly because of where my napping room is located (away from the main play area). And I am a bit different in that a child who was goofing around and didn't fall asleep until the end of the scheduled nap time is not allowed to continue sleeping - because I find that this gets them into that schedule rather than napping when it's time.

[cheerfuldom]

I had a little boy here tonight from 2:30-10:15 pm that fell asleep 3 times!! He took a nap right after his mom left, he fell asleep after being placed in a time out for running in circles inside my house over & over, and then he fell asleep again around 9:30 when I put him down for bed. Personally I think that's crazy, but his mom is a single mom going to nursing school full time & working part time...who knows what this kid's weekend was like?! I don't really question it. If they're tired, let 'em sleep. The only time I ever do it differently is if the parent says, "Little Johnny isn't sleeping well for me at night...could you please not let him sleep past 3:00 today?"

930 is his bedtime? I would shoot for 8pm.

[coolconfidentme]

If they're tired, let 'em sleep. The only time I ever do it differently is if the parent says, "Little Johnny isn't sleeping well for me at night...could you please not let him sleep past 3:00 today?"

I have a parent who is working 12 hour shifts right now & wants her child to have shorter naps. (So she can go to bed earlier.) He doesn't fall asleep right away for his nap & if zombie-fied when he is woken up. I'm thinking she wants me to invest in a magic wand & pixie dust or something. idk...

[itlw8]

12 - 3 is my nap my kids are mostly all awake by 2 or 2:30 I will let someone sleep but will wake them at 3 if not awake

[williams2008]

Our naptime here is 2 hours. If they don't wake up on their own, I just let them sleep.

[BumbleBee]

Nap routine here starts at 12:15. Get settled, read a book, drift off to sleep-takes no longer than 15 minutes.

I HAVE to wake them @ 2:30 because we have to be out the door & on the way to p/u the SA @ school no later than 3.

I have actually never had to wake anyone. One sleeps until 1:30 while the other sleeps until 2.

Unfortunately, being at a center you don't have much say. I had kids at the center who desperately needed that extra 20-30 min after nap was over. We got written up if any child was on their cot 10 min after nap ended-didn't matter if they went down later due to a field trip, long lunch, etc.

[daycarediva]

Naptime here starts at 12:30, everyone is out by 1. It officially 'ends' at 2:30. That is when I stop tip toeing around and open blinds, play soft music, etc. Most kids are up ay 3. I won't wake a child until 3:30 or unless a parent specifically requests it (and even then I often disagree!)

I have a 2yo dcb who will sleep from 1-3:30 without an issue and then be cranky when he is woken up. Dcm requested shorter naps, but his bedtime is whenever Mom goes to sleep (11p+) and he is here at 7:30am! NOOOO! I told her to start working on a bedtime routine at home first and then if she was having trouble I would adjust naptime accordingly. Dcb went to bed at 9 the first night and 8 every night since. STILL naps from 1-3:30 but is a HAPPY HAPPY little guy when I wake him now.

KIDS NEED SLEEP. I wish I could convince parents that it's actually better for them to take naps vs being miserable/cranky in the evening due to lack of sleep.

[Blackcat31]

My naptime is 2-2.5 hours. If they are ALL still sleeping after 2 hours, I will let them go for another half hour but after 2.5 hours I wake them.

I believe that consistent routine is important for kids and letting them sleep until they wake up on their own just doesn't work for me.

The ONLY exception to this is if I know a kid is really really off from their normal behaviors and really really needs the sleep.

[Heidi]

My naptime is 2-2.5 hours. If they are ALL still sleeping after 2 hours, I will let them go for another half hour but after 2.5 hours I wake them.

I believe that consistent routine is important for kids and letting them sleep until they wake up on their own just doesn't work for me.

The ONLY exception to this is if I know a kid is really really off from their normal behaviors and really really needs the sleep.

12-3 here. If they are still asleep after that, I start making noise first, then, if that doesn't work, reluctantly go and wake them. I say reluctantly because most kids are grouchy then.

If the wake up before 3, which is rare, they have a book or a stuffed animal to keep them company. It seems to help them wake up slowly and have a little down time before going full-throttle again.

[kitykids3]

12:30-2:30. If they are still sleeping I let them sleep. They NEED it. About 3:15 I'll make noise and let the awake ones make noise. IF any happen to still be sleeping, I'll wake them at 3:45. The only time I wake them is if a parent asks, and it's a reasonable request, like my 4.5 yr dcg hasn't been going to bed til 10 when she naps here.

[jokalima]

12:00 to 3:00 usually the wake up by 2:30 or 2:45 but stay resting, if they r sleeping passed 3:00 I wake them up