DCG Slept All Day, Dad Upset

[MCC]

New dcg here that was sick all last week, and is here for 8 weeks total.

Today she cried from drop off until 10:30, and at that point started screaming "I take nap" "I take nap". So I put her down for a nap thinking she was super overstimulated or actually really tired.

She ended up sleeping until 4! I kept going in there and making sure she was actually asleep, and she was...out.cold.

When Dad picked up I told him how long she slept and he was pretty mad. He just kept saying "She was in that room all day!" I didn't know what to say to him. I assure him that she was asleep, and that she obviously needed it. But he just kept saying "She was in that room all day?!"

My policies state clearly that I will not wake a sleeping child unless they are not yet to their birth weight and need to eat. And there is a spot for them to initial next to this policy.

I'm not sure what I should say or do tomorrow with this situation. Advice? Was I in the wrong to let her sleep?

[Unregistered]

My thought, she needs the sleep!
How old is she? Most kids won't sleep that long unless exhausted or sick!
If he was worried about it then next time she is screaming all day, tell him he has to pick her up.

[Leigh]

Kids aren't like us-they don't CHERISH sleep the way that we do. In my experience, kids sleep because they need it. I wouldn't encourage a child to sleep all day, but I wouldn't prevent it either, especially following an illness. My little ones (under 3) sleep as much as they want at my home. 3 & up, I will wake them after 2.5 hours. A child who has recently been ill, I would let sleep as much as they wanted to, as well.

[Angelsj]

If they have been ill, they need to get good rest. I can see him being upset if it were EVERY single day, but once?? Seriously, dad??

[CedarCreek]

My state regs say that naps are to be no longer than 3 hours. What does yours say?

Obviously, she needed sleep but i'm just worried about any action Dad will take.

[itlw8]

I would have woken her for lunch then laid her down for nap at regular time. If she would not wake I would have called parents and had them pick her up as she must be getting sick again... I would be upset also if I were a parent one to sleep all day if she had not been up all night she is likely sick.

And she will have a heck of a time sleeping tonight after sleeping all day.

[Cat Herder]

Did she sleep through meals, too? :confused:

I know it is after the fact, but if they won't wake for meals they should probably be sent home to avoid situations like this one.

I use the "unable to participate in daily activities" to cover sending them home with the odd parent who argues the point.

[Cat Herder]

I would have woken her for lunch then laid her down for nap at regular time. If she would not wake I would have called parents and had them pick her up as she must be getting sick again... I would be upset also if I were a parent one to sleep all day if she had not been up all night she is likely sick.

And she will have a heck of a time sleeping tonight after sleeping all day.

Jinx.... you owe me a coca-cola.

[daycarediva]

I would have woken her for lunch then laid her down for nap at regular time. If she would not wake I would have called parents and had them pick her up as she must be getting sick again... I would be upset also if I were a parent one to sleep all day if she had not been up all night she is likely sick.

And she will have a heck of a time sleeping tonight after sleeping all day.

I would have called at 10:30 when she fell asleep. Sleeping when it isn't rest time falls under 'unable to participate' and requires a pick up here. I understand your position, you weren't forcing her to sleep, and she did obviously NEED the rest, but I see Dad's point of view, too. She is going to be up late tonight, tired tomorrow and want to sleep for a long time again at your house and it's a vicious cycle.

[Heidi]

Too late now, but I think I would have called the parents when she wanted to go to sleep at an odd time like that, and kept them in the loop if she was sleeping all day.

[blandino]

For the future, I would follow the suggestions above. Let the parents know she is sleeping. And I would have woken for meals.

For this instance, I would just cite your contract that says you will not wake a sleeping child. And emphasize that she wast feeling well, was cranky, and asked for nap. They can't argue with that (they can, but it wouldn't be logical).

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

For the future, I would follow the suggestions above. Let the parents know she is sleeping. And I would have woken for meals.

For this instance, I would just cite your contract that says you will not wake a sleeping child. And emphasize that she wast feeling well, was cranky, and asked for nap. They can't argue with that (they can, but it wouldn't be logical).

Although, I would have been unable to let that child nap at 10:30 so I would have either had a really cranky child or would have sent home.

[daycare]

I would say tomorrow...

DCD you seemed upset yesterday about susie sleeping all day. I apologize that I did not think to call you and let you know that she was sleeping for that long. NOrmally I would call you and have you pick her up if she is enabling us from keeping on schedule. If we were not doing much that day and it was possible to let her sleep, then I would call you to ask you if you would like me to wake her up or let her sleep. I just figured that since she was not feeling well, that she really really needed the additional sleep to recover.

I have had kids do this before and this is normally what I do.......

[Heidi]

I would say tomorrow...

DCD you seemed upset yesterday about susie sleeping all day. I apologize that I did not think to call you and let you know that she was sleeping for that long. NOrmally I would call you and have you pick her up if she is enabling us from keeping on schedule. If we were not doing much that day and it was possible to let her sleep, then I would call you to ask you if you would like me to wake her up or let her sleep. I just figured that since she was not feeling well, that she really really needed the additional sleep to recover.

I have had kids do this before and this is normally what I do.......

Sorry, OP, I realized that I jumped all over what you should HAVE done, but not what you could do to fix the situation. I hope tomorrow goes better for you!

[MCC]

Thanks gals.

The child just turned 2. My own DD was still taking 2 naps a day on a regular basis at that age, so I had no problem letting her take a nap at 10:30. I have two other kids here that take a morning nap, so it wasn't interfering with our schedule.

As far as sending her home- She missed 3 out of 5 days of her first week, and I sent her home 2x this week already (Monday for a low grade fever that was below my "fever limit" but she was miserable. Tuesday I sent her home early b/c she was miserable, and she wasn't able to go on our field trip b/c of her mood). So I was very hesitant to have to send her home AGAIN, but I realize now that maybe I should have. I'm a little worried that these people are going to think I just can't handle their kid, but she really is miserable.

I'm torn on whether to even keep this family for the next 6 weeks (I only had a spot for her for 8 weeks). Her being sick has really put a damper on her first 2 weeks, and tomorrow is my opportunity to term without further obligation. I've never had this type of situation happen, and I'm worried that her behavior isn't just b/c she is sick, but maybe is just who she is. Gah...Such a tough place!

My regs say that I can not withhold sleep from a child, and that children under 24 months must nap on demand, she is 25 months, so technically I could have just put up with the crankiness, but when she is demanding nap, I would say I would have been withholding sleep from her. Plus the other children were holding their ears in the corner, so I'm not sure what I should have done, other then send her home for the 3rd time this week.