Help With Napping

[Kym2098]

Anyone have any advice on napping 2 infants at the same time?
Here's the situation.. I have an 18mo old ans almost 1 yo, they generally go down at the same time but they enjoy keeping each other awake!! Laughing, jumping and anything else they can do. If one is quiet the other will get the other started!!!
I do go in lay them down, shush them, etc.
You would suspect they would wear out but no. This can go on an hour.
They are here only one day a week together but ths drives me nuts !!

Any magic advice?

[Play Care]

A few things I can think of off the top of my head - separate them. If you can't have them in different rooms, use something to provide a visual/sound barrier. Some providers use those decorative screens, I know one who has a wall of empty paper boxes (the ones reams of computer paper come in) as a barrier. Use fans for white noise and room darkening shades. This way it will be cozy and dark and they won't be able to see/hear others.

Do they both still take an AM nap? If so, I would shorten it (especially for the 18 month old toddler) so that they are getting their longer sleep for PM nap. I would also be putting down the 1 year old a little earlier, to give them time to fall asleep.
Good Luck!

[Kym2098]

Thanks!
It's a small room unfortunately.
I have white noise and plan on getting darker shades soon.

At least no one is crying! This happens later in the day too.

I'll try napping them separately..
The 1yo old usually only naps 30 mins.. Sometimes total for the whole day!

When the 18mo old is here alone I obviously have no issues!
Just wish I could get everyone to sleep without a hassle every Tue.
I also have a nearly 4mo old here too, so it's a loooong day

[Play Care]

Thanks!
It's a small room unfortunately.
I have white noise and plan on getting darker shades soon.

At least no one is crying! This happens later in the day too.

I'll try napping them separately..
The 1yo old usually only naps 30 mins.. Sometimes total for the whole day!

When the 18mo old is here alone I obviously have no issues!
Just wish I could get everyone to sleep without a hassle every Tue.
I also have a nearly 4mo old here too, so it's a loooong day

At 1, I would not be getting him up after a 1/2 hour. He is not an infant anymore, but a toddler. I would put him in his own dark, cozy room. I would put him down with a loving pat and leave the room. If he wakes after a short time, I would give him 5-10 minutes to see if he can settle down. If he did, great. If not I would go in give a few more pats along with a "shhhhh" and leave the room. I would not take him out until nap is over. I would keep going back in every so often and giving a few reassuring pats but would not pick him up. Of course, I've had kids that thought I was getting them up so it made them angry that I went in but didn't pick them up. I learned quickly who they were and would give them a longer period to see if they could settle. Again, we are not talking about young infants here, but toddlers.
I don't think you can spoil an infant, but this child is no longer an infant and it sounds as if some gentle sleep training is needed.

[Kym2098]

I agree. The almost 1yo has a crazy schedule.
Parents are separated and not follow what the other does. Plus someone else watches her on weekends!
I don't always rush in and I do, do gentle pats etc. but it's useless since mom and dad don't do this. I do let her finish out quiet time in Pack n play when possible. She's only here 2 days a week as it is. I've had her since Oct. and it's always been like this!!!

The toddler I never have any issues with when he is here by himself. And he still takes 2 naps a day a short one and a longer one.


And Guess What? They are both asleep now since 11:15.
I've put them down later too and the cycle still happens!
Kids! Lol

I wish I could put them in separate rooms but I don't have the space to do that either.. Wish I did tho!!

Thanks for your advice!

At 1, I would not be getting him up after a 1/2 hour. He is not an infant anymore, but a toddler. I would put him in his own dark, cozy room. I would put him down with a loving pat and leave the room. If he wakes after a short time, I would give him 5-10 minutes to see if he can settle down. If he did, great. If not I would go in give a few more pats along with a "shhhhh" and leave the room. I would not take him out until nap is over. I would keep going back in every so often and giving a few reassuring pats but would not pick him up. Of course, I've had kids that thought I was getting them up so it made them angry that I went in but didn't pick them up. I learned quickly who they were and would give them a longer period to see if they could settle. Again, we are not talking about young infants here, but toddlers.
I don't think you can spoil an infant, but this child is no longer an infant and it sounds as if some gentle sleep training is needed.

[melilley]

I have 4 who all sleep at the same time. One of them I have to put in my room alone or he will not fall asleep! For the other 3, (they are 22 mo, 30mo. and 32 mo.) I have them lay down and tell them that I will check on them in a minute. Usually that doesn't work so I put the child who falls asleep first in the room and the other two stay out with me. Then once that first child is asleep, I have the other two lay down and I tell them the rules of no talking or making any noise and that I will check on them in a little bit. Sometimes they fall asleep sometimes not. If they don't, I either sit in there or bring one out with me and the other usually falls asleep rather fast. Then the last child goes and lays down and falls asleep. It's hard to sit in there with them because I also have two babies here. If I don't do it the way that I do, they will never fall asleep and will keep talking and laughing and clapping and well, you know!

[jamiem]

I really feel like napping has been the hardest part of running my daycare so far. I have been doing it only for 8 months and the ages of the children now are 10 months, 15 months, 21 months. The oldest sleeps in a pack n play in our office, the middle one is my own son and sleeps in his crib in his room, and the youngest sleeps in a pack n play in my bedroom. I wish I could have them sleep in the same room or atleast the daycare kids in the same room but I haven't found a way to make it work. Even with them in separate rooms it is difficult because the rooms are right next to each other. My own son gives me the hardest time out of them all. He will sometimes stand in his crib crying and screaming for half an hour refusing to nap when I know he is tired and eventually I have no choice but to let him get up so the others can sleep. The worst is when one crying wakes up the others and then they are all crying! I wish I had some advice but just wanted to let you know that you are not alone!