Handled Right?

[WImom]

new 3y old DCB - started two days ago...
Mom says he doesn't always nap. Yesterday he fell right to sleep and slept the whole nap. Today he started crying when nap started. I took him out of the room until he calmed down - few minutes- put him back on his mat and he started crying again I reminded him he needed to lay quietly. He fell asleep a few minutes later. Was up after an hour and start crying. I told him he needs to be quiet and can look at books. Yelled No and started crying louder. I took him out of the room so noone else would wake up. Told him he needed to be quiet because his friends were sleeping. We could go back in after he was quiet and he could look at books or do puzzles.

Everytime he is quiet I ask if he is ready to go in. He says no and starts crying again. We've been in my laundry room (right off daycare) for 40 minutes now. 20 minutes and nap is over. (thank god I have a laptop so I could still get my cirriculum done)

Here is kind of a back story.....
Yesterday he cried at drop off for about 5mins. Didn't cry today at drop off, a little clingy to mom but didn't cry. Did cry when the cracker box was on the counter from snack and I wouldn't give him any (snack was over and he already had some), then cried during lunch prep because I was cutting apples and said he had to wait until lunch, he wanted them now.

He was in another daycare awhile back but had a hard time - cried alot and then was in preschool but they said he couldn't stay because he was having accidents and they thought he wasn't ready. I really don't know how mom thought he was fully potty trained. He can't even pulled his shorts down to go. He is either shy or is behind in speech beccause I can't understand much of what he says. Mom didn't mention this.

Mom is home at 1pm and will probably say she'll just get him at 1pm. I would rather she didn't since it will disprupt nap but he is now anyways so catch twenty two for me. I'm think he needs to get used to be quiet for preschool/K5 anyways so it would probably be good if he learned that now.

SORRY so long. I've always had great nappers so this is new to me which is why I wanted to know if I should have handled this different. I'm sure tomorrow will be the same.

[Rockgirl]

I wouldn't ask him if he's ready to go back in, or do the back and forth thing. If I remove a child, the mat goes too--they finish their nap in my hallway.

[Unregistered]

I would place in him a separate nap area next time. IMO it's not a good idea to take him out of the nap area during nap time, even if it wakes up the other kids. Then ask to go back then he starts crying. He is manipulating you because he knows if he does this then he gets to stay up. Tomorrow if you can put him in a separate area for nap time and let him cry it out. If he sleeps for a bit and can't go back to sleep give him a book or a coloring book (if you trust him with crayons) to play quietly until nap time is over. Also that he can not get off his cot. It will be difficult for a few days but trust me once it is over it is worth it.

Good luck!

[WImom]

I guess my problem is my daycare is closed off my door from the rest of my house so my hallway is not technically licensed so I'd never leave him there without me standing there.

He's back in here now and two other kids are awake playing with puzzles on their mats. Hopefully that helps him seeing them. I have a feeling he may cry at home to get what he wants. He will learn quick that doesn't fly here.

If he would have kept crying to start I would have moved him to the hall - cot and all and stayed where I could see him (My door is glass). He slept and when they wake up they get a nap bag with quiet items so I was fine with him being awake. He just needs to be quiet.

[preschoolteacher]

It seems to me that crying has got him what he wants in the past. As long as you are consistent (no snack outside snacktime, etc.), he will learn. If he cries a lot after you calmly tell him the rule and stick to it, you might want to set up a cozy book corner with a rug and pillows and bring him over there to calm down during extended crying periods (checking in on him frequently).

For nap time, I would want to separate him. It sounds like you can't do that with your space. Hmm... How about books on tape/CD with headphones? You could get him to lie down and listen... ask him to listen with his eyes shut. Maybe he'll drift off to sleep. Most libraries have a good collections of these books and a 3 year old should be able to learn how to use the tape player/CD player successfully.

[nanglgrl]

I would give it time and be consistent and like the other posters said, I wouldn't remove him from the room. It won't be any fun if everyone wakes up but they will either learn to sleep through it or he will start to be quiet. Be consistent with the ones that wake up or don't go to sleep too. It shouldn't take long before he gets that his crying is changing the situation.
I've had a new child recently that would scream during nap and I was shocked that all of my children (only about 4 feet away) soundly slept the entire nap time.
I turn on a classical song and put it on repeat. I don't know what it is but they sleep deep and are even hard to wake up after 2 1/2 hours! The ages are 1 1/2-3 1/2.