Naptime Question/Advice?

[Patches]

Backstory:
So I just opened my daycare in December. My youngest is 20 months and he has been in daycare since he was 6 weeks old. He has slept in cribs and on cots at daycare no problem. But at home he has always slept in his crib (now toddler bed) in his room alone. BTW, his room is upstairs and the daycare is downstairs.

So I had him napping in his room at nap time. I have an audio/video monitor in his room so I could AND hear him. Well, licensing said No way! to that so I said ok and slapped his name on a cot. But, I am having the hardest time getting him to go to sleep on a cot! He screams and cries, gets up and just plain freaks out and keeps everybody else awake! If I took him to his room, layed him down in his bed and walked out, he would be asleep in about 3.2 seconds

Now I have helped more children than I can count transition to sleeping on a cot at daycare so I'm trying everything I can think of.

Any advice or ideas?

[daycarediva]

UGH! No advice. Only sympathy! I am SO THANKFUL I don't have to use the same rules for my own children as I do daycare.

My ds could NOT nap unless it was pitch black and quiet. He couldn't do a room with other kids.

[bunnyslippers]

That stinks! My licensor allowed my own DS to nap in his own room, b/c it was only one floor away from me. Again, I wish states could be consistent with regulations!

What do you do during naptime? Are all of the kids close together? Can you carve out his own little space somewhere, so he can still feel like he is at home and not part of the daycare? Maybe talk to him about what would make him sleep better? Maybe try a rewars system for a certain amount of successful days on a cot?

[mbullette]

I would tell your licensing person to come over and deal with him at nap time. I dont understand why your own child can't sleep in his bed. Sorry but I would put him in it and be done with it. It's your own child and if you have a video monitor what is the problem????

[Patches]

UGH! No advice. Only sympathy! I am SO THANKFUL I don't have to use the same rules for my own children as I do daycare.

My ds could NOT nap unless it was pitch black and quiet. He couldn't do a room with other kids.

Thanks for the sympathy!

That stinks! My licensor allowed my own DS to nap in his own room, b/c it was only one floor away from me. Again, I wish states could be consistent with regulations!

What do you do during naptime? Are all of the kids close together? Can you carve out his own little space somewhere, so he can still feel like he is at home and not part of the daycare? Maybe talk to him about what would make him sleep better? Maybe try a rewars system for a certain amount of successful days on a cot?

Yes all the kids are in one room. My daycare room is where they all nap. I think I could probably try moving him to a more "private" area of the room. I don't feel like he would comprehend a reward sytem but it might be worth a try

I would tell your licensing person to come over and deal with him at nap time. I dont understand why your own child can't sleep in his bed. Sorry but I would put him in it and be done with it. It's your own child and if you have a video monitor what is the problem????

They said the problem was safety, like if a fire broke out I would have to leave the other kids to get him or take them with me and there's no way to get out from upstairs:confused:. I think it's ridiculous

[bunnyslippers]

I agree, it is ridiculous. I understand the safety concern; HOWEVER, he is your child in your home. I have said it before, I will say it again. I find so many licensing rules to be unnecessary and pointless.

[frugalmama4]

My own 20 month old would rather sleep upstairs in his bed also...but state said no to that.

This is what I did...got him a pnp "different from the one I used for dc" placed it in the nap room, I would change his diaper first hugs/kisses and place him to sleep first. One-one time seemed to help him a lot.

Now that he's old enough for the mat/cot " he has his pillow pet, and big boy blanket..I tuck him in...kisses/hugs and speak these magic words "mommy loves you...your my big boy...after nap we're have snack".

Good Luck...

[Blackcat31]

Does your county/state allow for exceptions when you have a recommendation from a professional?

We used to be able to place infants to sleep in other postions other than on their backs as recommended IF we had the parents permission or a doctor's note stating the child has some need or requirment to sleep on their tummy.

The food program allows us to serve soy milk if the child has a doctor's note

Just wondering if there is a way around licensing if you ahd your child's pediatrician state it is in his best interest mentally and emotionally to sleep in his own room with the video monitoring.

Sorry, you are dealing with such strict licensing rules. I understand why they have them but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with them.

[canadiancare]

Is your daycare on the main floor of the house? Could you put him on the sofa of another room?

[Patches]

I ended up putting a cot in my room, which is right off of the daycare area. I didn't want to do that originally because I thought he might roam around the room messing with stuff and I didn't want to put him in a pack n play becase he's too old for that, IMO.
Anyway, I put him on the cot, said, "nighty night. love you." and walked out and closed the door. He cried for a few minutes, but after he was quiet for a minute, I opened the door to check on him and he was asleep on the floor next to his cot . I picked him up and put him on the cot and he slept through nap. But of course, my best sleeper decided he did NOT want to take a nap until half way through napp time today. Figures