I Have a Confession...

[Butter Biskets]

My 3 year old dcg fell asleep this afternoon. Mom doesn't want her sleeping for more than 30 minutes tops because "it interferes with bedtime". Well, it was a long week with this girl and she is here late on Fridays (til half hour after I close, I know, I am a ****er). Anyways, she fell asleep today for the first time and I let her sleep for the entire length of the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movie. I lied and told dcm that she only slept 20 - 30 minutes max and that she was awake by 2, but it was more like 3. Now I am praying that the girl goes to sleep on time and that I won't get busted. It was just so nice to have a real break for that time. To be fair though, I did try waking her up, but she kept falling back to sleep, so I figured she must have needed it and according to dcm, she was falling asleep eating dinner last night so come on, it should be okay...right??

[cheerfuldom]

I am curious why you would agree to wake a child after 30 minutes each day?

[Tdhmom]

All my 3 year olds take a nap for at least an hour in a half! They have her go to bed early I bet! That's who I used to get complaints from. They would put the kids to bed by 7:30...not pick up until 5. A whole whopping 2 and a half hours with their kids a night

[Butter Biskets]

She's not even supposed to nap, but if she did fall asleep, to only allow 30 min. I was just getting out of before and after school care only and they were the first family that signed on. I didn't know at the time, how valuable nap time is to a providers sanity. Upon her starting doing full days and joining this forum, I discovered that I should have had a mandatory nap time, but, I was new and inexperienced and now it is too late. I do try to enforce "quiet time" for the ones who don't nap and the mom is on board with this. I do regret it, but what can you do? This family is a HUGE chunk of income for me so it is what it is until she is gone (at least a year). Luckily, I do have all of the younger ones on a scheduled nap routine, so eventually all of my kids will be napping while here. I just have to wait for that day to come.

[racemom]

Mom doesn't need to know how long she naps or even if she naps. If asked I would say yes she fell asleep. If asked how long she slept I would vaguely say something like. I thought you only wanted her to nap 30 minutes max. That's not saying she only slept 30 min but that is what mom wants. Sometimes if parents think you are doing what they want everything is fine.

[Butter Biskets]

Mom doesn't need to know how long she naps or even if she naps. If asked I would say yes she fell asleep. If asked how long she slept I would vaguely say something like. I thought you only wanted her to nap 30 minutes max. That's not saying she only slept 30 min but that is what mom wants. Sometimes if parents think you are doing what they want everything is fine.

Clever, clever!!! I LIKE it!

And yes tdhmom, I think the girl goes to bed around 7pm, so that makes sense too.

[coolconfidentme]

I had an inspection during naptime once. As the kids were getting up, a few of them were still sawing logs. She told me NOT to wake them up & let them sleep it off. She said it was obvious they were getting enough sleep at home. She said it was my daycare & if parents wanted them up at a certain time they should hire a nanny. She cracked me up with that one.

[Laurel]

Mom doesn't need to know how long she naps or even if she naps. If asked I would say yes she fell asleep. If asked how long she slept I would vaguely say something like. I thought you only wanted her to nap 30 minutes max. That's not saying she only slept 30 min but that is what mom wants. Sometimes if parents think you are doing what they want everything is fine.

Laurel

[Naptime yet?]

I had a parent who wanted me to shorten dcb's naptime; of course I told her I did, but let him sleep until his usual time. When I asked her how he was sleeping at night, she said "much better, taking shorter naps has helped"

The placebo effect?

(Although she did pick up early once, when the kids should have been up. My excuse? They went down for nap a bit later than usual).

[MissAnn]

Nap time is our break time! Part of that time is work and the rest is our break! Why should you give up your break?

[coolconfidentme]

nap time is our break time! Part of that time is work and the rest is our break! Why should you give up your break?

exactly!!!!

[daycarediva]

I had a parent who wanted me to shorten dcb's naptime; of course I told her I did, but let him sleep until his usual time. When I asked her how he was sleeping at night, she said "much better, taking shorter naps has helped"

The placebo effect?

(Although she did pick up early once, when the kids should have been up. My excuse? They went down for nap a bit later than usual).

I've done/said the same thing, with the same exact results, too. Kiddo is also in bed at 7pm.

Rest time is MANDATORY. I don't care if they sleep, but everyone needs a rest. My kiddos play VERY hard in the mornings and most are early drop offs, even the 5yo hits the mat and is OUT. ::

[lovemykidstoo]

This is one of the biggest pet peeve's I have. Why do parents think that we should work 10 hours a day with 6 kids (sometimes more depending on your daycare) and not have a break? So they can pick up their little darlings at 5:00 or 5:30 and put them to bed at 7:00? Tough is what I say! I always tell them, that I require "quiet time". I don't call it nap time. If they fall asleep, I do not wake them.

[nannyde]

The parent who has been told the kid had a shortened nap has nothing to say but that the kid went to bed better or earlier. If they say they didn't you stop doing short nap.

So they accept your words and then a few weeks later they tell you they are now having problems again and want no nap or done with nap by noon or one.

The kid doesn't go to bed earlier or easier when the parent has been told this. The parent is just easing the provider into what they REALLY want which is no nap.

Be prepared for a nap time drop in to see if the kid is.up. once the parent hits you with no nap then all they have to do is ask the kid. Now that the request is coming for toddlers and babies, if they can't ask the kid they will come early unannounced to see if the kid is up.

They will not buy that you just laid them.down. they will start putting actual limits to how late they want them to sleep and then come by and check or call and ask to talk to the kid.

[Butter Biskets]

I tried covering my butt with the girl by telling her when she woke up that "You fell asleep for about twenty minutes!" - just in case mom questioned her.

On that note of sneaky parents, do you remember how one of my dck's got HFMD? Well, I had to call a parent because another child looked like she could have it as well and that they would need to pick her up and have it checked just in case. The dad came (who also is laid off, btw) and was cranky at me and claims to have taken her to the doctor who told them it was nothing. Okay, no problem. Mom was a b*tch when she picked up the other kid and the next day dcg told me that her dad was reaaaaaalllly mad at me and told her not to tell me if there is something wrong with her anymore. WHAT?? So yesterday she did complain of a stomach ache, which as a mom, I knew it was just a poop so no big deal. dcg asks me not to tell dad or she will get in trouble. But I did mention it to mom because I want them to know that I won't call home for every little thing, just it is something potentially big. I am so upset by this now that I am almost regretting going full time. Oh well. Just thought I would mention that too. Thanks for listening to my vent.