Earning Privileges

[Josiegirl]

I know lots of you don't allow electronics. I do but I'm seriously beginning to rethink that. I have a 3 1/2 yo dcg who never naps anymore but she wants to use a Kindle. I tell her it's a privilege and she can earn Kindle time during quiet time if she can be quiet first, just lay down and look at books for 15 minutes. I truly don't think that's too much to ask. For normal kids. But this dcg fidgets, hems and haws, kicks the wall, asks me every minute if she can have it yet, gets up, loudly sighs, peeks at her sleeping neighbor, tries to talk to the dcg on the opposite end of the room, well you get the picture. This girl cannot be quiet for 30 seconds, let alone 15 minutes.

Is it unrealistic to expect a 3 1/2 yo to be quiet for 15 minutes???

[KSDC]

No, not unrealisitic at all.
My munchkins have to lie down quietly for 30 minutes before they can get up and play quietly.

And the 30 minute time only starts once they are lying STILL. If they are moving around and distracting the other nappers, their time gets longer. They have to have 30 minutes of calm resting.

Let her know that she doesn't get to wiggle around and be noisy for 15 minutes and then get up. If she wants to be a big girl and not nap, then she has to show she can be calm and quiet first.

[Blackcat31]

I know lots of you don't allow electronics. I do but I'm seriously beginning to rethink that. I have a 3 1/2 yo dcg who never naps anymore but she wants to use a Kindle. I tell her it's a privilege and she can earn Kindle time during quiet time if she can be quiet first, just lay down and look at books for 15 minutes. I truly don't think that's too much to ask. For normal kids. But this dcg fidgets, hems and haws, kicks the wall, asks me every minute if she can have it yet, gets up, loudly sighs, peeks at her sleeping neighbor, tries to talk to the dcg on the opposite end of the room, well you get the picture. This girl cannot be quiet for 30 seconds, let alone 15 minutes.

Is it unrealistic to expect a 3 1/2 yo to be quiet for 15 minutes???

She doesn't know how to be still or quiet because THAT is exactly what electronics do to a kid.

When she sleeps I bet it out of pure exhaustion. I bet she has NO clue how to calm herself and put herself to sleep.

If I were you, I might consider doing some sort of baby yoga or calming activities before nap time.

At her age, she should be pretty skilled in being still AND quiet for a few minutes for sure.

I would eliminate the Kindle all together. Kids don't NEED that.

It IS a privilege and one the parent should be giving....not daycare.

Plus, what does she use the Kindle for? She can't read yet can she?

[Josiegirl]

She has some kind of a game or app or something(that's how kindle illiterate I am Lol)where she traces letters, which is kinda cool but you're right, she really doesn't need it here. This girl is just fidgety all the time, I don't think she's ADHD or anything but needs to be the center of attention and cannot control her emotions very well. Drama drama drama, ya know?
Yoga is a great idea, I'll have to look into that! It'd be good for all of them.

[AmyKidsCo]

I had books on CD with earphones for the older ones to listen to at nap time. Lots of times they'd relax and end up falling asleep.

[KatiesCorner]

Yoga is a great idea, I'll have to look into that! It'd be good for all of them.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1905236042?pc_redir=1411126071&robot_redir=1

I used these cards at the center where I taught preschool. They were easy to understand even though I'd never done Yoga, and they provide the words to use when guiding the kids in the activity. Plus, they hold up to little hands, so you could allow them to use them independently sometimes.

Also, back to your kiddo that can't wait quietly. Setting aside the electronics discussion, I've found that some impatient kids do better waiting if you set a timer. Then you can tell her not to ask again unless the timer is done. For naptime, perhaps a sand timer is a good option because it is silent.