DCM Wants to do Away with Nap!

[Indoorvoice]

What quiet activities do you offer? I want my kids to lay down. They can bring books but they have to lay down with them. I also play audio books all through nap. Wondering about quiet activities.....not sure I want to incorporate that though.

I have to preface this by saying that I have really lucked out with kids that just "get" quiet time and understand it's non-negotiable. They don't test me on this. I probably wouldn't be able to allow the activities that I allow with just any child. I turn on soothing music and the kids are allowed to pick 3 things to take with them on their cot. I have books, puzzles, mini felt boards with felt pieces, lacing boards, large beads to string, and file folder games to choose from. They know they can only pick 3 and that they cannot switch. Once they are bored with their choices, too bad so sad. They also know that if any of the activities become loud, that they lose it. Most play for 10 or so minutes and then fall right asleep. I have one dcb3 that will play quietly the whole 2 hours. He doesn't nap at home either. But I'm fine with that because he does great and I go about my business without having to direct him at all.

[Blackcat31]

Do you mind if we use the brochure BlackCat?

It isn't mine ....I got it from a training a while back so feel free to do whatever you'd like.

[Naptime yet?]

WTH??? Sleep Fairy...............I can't stand parents these days...

Just knock it off and go to bed already. Put your smart phone down, tivo your tv programs and get off the computer.

goes to show that mom has no self control and no ability to prioritize her life.

Chocolate?!? Why not leave them Pixie Straws and tell them it's magical fairy dust???

[CraftyMom]

Chocolate?!? Why not leave them Pixie Straws and tell them it's magical fairy dust???

I was thinking "Ok, they are having trouble settling down at night...so let's have the sleep fairy bring them chocolate! That will solve it!"

[midaycare]

The Sleep Fairy?

Being a parent is work. My 6 year old has a looooong bedtime routine, but we love it. It's our special time together.

I am one of the rare people that naps do affect. If I nap, I can't sleep at night. The same with my DS. He stopped napping around age 2 or 2.5. But he did quiet time every day. I think once in a great while he fell asleep at daycare. But I never asked his home daycare provider not to give him a nap or rest time. Little bodies need that! Plus, it was her business, so ... her rules.

[daycarediva]

I wish that brochure listed recommended sleep times for children younger than SA!

I have one dcm who says kiddo can get by on 6-7 hours and is 'just fine'.

Yup, because falling asleep anytime he sits for more than a few minutes is NORMAL.

[nannyde]

I wish that brochure listed recommended sleep times for children younger than SA!

I have one dcm who says kiddo can get by on 6-7 hours and is 'just fine'.

Yup, because falling asleep anytime he sits for more than a few minutes is NORMAL.

Recommended times only apply to normal kids not gifted kids.

[My3cents]

Ok. I will just stand by my "no." Good to know I'm not being unfair. The "sleep fairy" visited them last night leaving chocolate & bracelets so apparently they went to bed easier. They asked my ds if sleep fairy came here too. I answered for him & said, "Ds doesn't need the sleep fairy. He just goes to sleep in his own bed b/c he's a big boy." Hopefully that will be the end of it. Lol Always some struggle.

tons of info on this subject here do a search for nap, nap time issues-

welcome

no way would I allow a parent to tell me a child I have full time with me is not going to have a rest time because they want time to themselves at night
no way, not here, not now- know no how............NO

kids need rest, providers need a break and its not a true break because we don't shut off at break time we are still working.

NO NO NO

I am not willing to put up with little lulu being a monster the second half of the day- parent wants this they need to hire a nanny not group daycare

best

[DaisyMamma]

Dcm approached me yesterday with concerns about naptime. Apparently her children are fighting bedtime and it takes her like an hour and a half to get them to go to sleep. She is concerned b/c she now has no "alone time." Of course, she tries to put them to bed very early anyway. She is considering having me do away with nap time during the day so that bed time will be easier for her. I said no. Her children are 2 and almost 4. They both complain they are tired all morning long, are asleep within 5-10 minutes of laying down at nap, and sleep for a solid 2 hours. They would sleep more than that if I allowed it. They are exhausted.
Also, these are the same children that are not able to entertain themselves for even a few minutes during the day. It's constantly, "go play" all day long so I feel that very honestly I would not be able to maintain my sanity if they didn't nap.
If I needed yet another reason, here are 3 more. I only have 3 FT kids right now, but all of my dck are 4 or under so if these 2 don't nap I'm going to have a really hard time getting anyone else to. Having 20 minutes of "quiet time" on a blanket has proven impossible with these 2 children so there's no way they would sit quietly while others sleep anyway. And finally, I am expecting a new baby next month and am counting on nap time as some down time for the baby and myself to help us with the transition.
I told dcm I could wake them up a half hour earlier or lay them down a little bit earlier, but doing away with nap is not a possibility right now. She said we will just see how the night goes and talk about it tomorrow. Then she texted me a few minutes ago saying they will be late b/c it was such a rough night. Is it unprofessional of me to refuse to completely do away with nap time for a 2 & 3 year old? Are there actual regulations on that at all? I'm not licensed, so I don't really know what the "rules" are regarding nap. I honestly feel like if she insists on this I will have to term over it. I love these children very much, but they are very high maintenance and I have to make a lot of exceptions with them and I feel like this would put me over my ability to handle them.

Not unprofessional at all. Actually she will have a hard time finding a daycare that will keep them up during rest time. There's no way I would do it.
If they won't go to bed as early as she tries then she needs to put off bedtime for an hour.

and by the way when do you get alone time if you give up your nap time from them? when will you clean, eat your lunch and prepare for afternoon activities?