Does This Sound Crazy Or Brilliant?

[Fiddlesticks]

I thought I would inform the parents of the schedule change after two weeks or so, assuming it works out.

[crazydaycarelady]

If that works better for your group then I would do it. The parents would probably like it too because the kids will most likely go to bed better.

[nannyde]

I would put them to bed when they arrive so they can finish their nights sleep and then get them up for breakfast at nine.

Nap two hours in the afternoon.

When parents complain about them being up in the middle of the night and early morning, tell them they need at least five WAKING hours a day with their parents. If they are going to put them yo bed without giving them home awake time they will be up in the night and up really early.

The only way to deal with it is bedtime around nine pm, lots of outdoor time in the evening, a good healthy from scratch supper, a good bedtime routine of bath, books, and snuggles.

They have to actually parent at night. If they don't, the kids will force them to by being up during the time they want them to sleep.

[racemom]

If I were you I would try it! It sounds like you have figured out how to make it work. That is,what is great about your position you can,so what is best for you and your dcks.

[permanentvacation]

I've changed my schedule a few times based on the majority of the group's needs. I've put everyone back to bed as soon as they get here, I've moved my nap time to various times (depending on each group of kids), I've had 3 hour naps and I've had 1 hour naps.

Yes, I would suggest that you do what's best for your kids. If you can figure out a routine/schedule that fits their needs better than the one you typically have, then, yes, I think you should adjust your schedule for them.

[Alwaysgreener]

My worry would be, what happens when this group ages out? Are you wanting to go back to typical schedule? Or stay on this.
Personally, I adjust the schedule for myself. I tweek daily to meet needs but the flopped schedule would have to work for me for it to be considered here I do snack between 9&930
Lunch between 11&1230
And a supper at 4:05.

They seem to not be hungry as much as before and I don't waste food for breakfasts. I serve milk and fruit/cereal/cheese or yogurt for what I claim as snack on FP but we call it bfast for the kids.
Then lunch is served when they seem ready for it. If they're playing well and not fighting I hold it to 1230.
I then serve a single helping meal with all dinner meal components at 4:05.
The kids go home with more in their bellies, giving mom or dad more time to get dinner for them.
It works for us.
I'm interested in how this works out for you should you choose to flip your day. I am curious how the parent reaction goes. Keep us updated.

Why not claim it as breakfast? You have all the components of a breakfast, you get more back for breakfast then snack. I do the same thing. I serve breakfast but call it snack. 2 of my odck eat breakfast at home when they get up and 2 ydck do not. So I serve breakfast with protein and they (odck) call it a snack. As long as I am feeding them what they need and not candy, who cares if I add protein.

[Former Teacher]

I have been a home daycare provider for 20+ years, and I have always followed a pretty typical schedule: 8 am breakfast, free play, preschool time, outdoor time, 11:30 lunch, nap from 12/12:30-3:00, 3:00 snack, outdoor time until pick up.

But the last few years the kids come to me SO.TIRED. they are cranky and uncooperative (for one if he sits still for two minutes he falls asleep). Lately, it is all I can do to get them to lunch time so we can have nap, lunch has been creeping earlier and earlier to where we are now eating at 11 and some of the children are falling asleep during that.

So I have been kicking around the idea of turning my schedule upside down. The children will wait for breakfast until 9 (they all have something on the way over so breakfast has typically been poorly eaten so this change should not be an issue) and then go down for nap at 10, lunch will be served at 1:00 and then we will have preschool time, snack will move back to 3:30 then outdoors. The children should go home a little less hungry and maybe more ready for bed at the 6:30-7 parents these days seem to insist on (which leads to a 5 am wake up time and very tired kids for me…) I think it would work REALLY well for the littles transitioning to one nap, and for the infants, they would likely be soundly asleep for their second nap during our preschool time, which is another win.

Is this crazy? Brilliant? Has anyone tried this?

I could be wrong, and things might be different in your state, but in TX, lunch must be BEFORE nap.

[Rockgirl]

I could be wrong, and things might be different in your state, but in TX, lunch must be BEFORE nap.

I'm not finding this in the standards. Not arguing, I just can't find it.

[Fiddlesticks]

We have been following this new schedule for about 6 weeks now, and I LOVE it. The children are much better behaved, I am way less stressed and enjoying the children more now. Before it seemed it was all I could do to get through lunch time, then I would collapse on the couch during nap time. But now we have a pleasant morning, a hearty breakfast, and during nap I get things done. Then they get up for lunch and we have a wonderful afternoon that FLIES by. The children take a little longer to fall asleep than when they had the later nap, and sleep a little less also, but it is enough to make them rested and cooperative. I suspect they are going to bed better for their parents as well.

The best part is that I am guaranteed ALL of the children laying down at the same time for at least a little while everyday, because the older children are going down at the same time as the morning nap time for the little ones, which always tended to be their longer nap, so now if the littles don't take a second nap it doesn't bother me, because I already had my little break.

It also feels like we have more uninterrupted time for projects, because no on needs to eat or nap during circle time/project time. So we have a solid 2 hour block where everyone is rested, full, and happy. Heaven.

[Fiddlesticks]

I could be wrong, and things might be different in your state, but in TX, lunch must be BEFORE nap.

Well, what about the little ones who take a morning and afternoon nap? The morning nap would be before lunch. Our state rules don't mention meal scheduling other than to say I MUST offer them food every four hours they are in care. Both my licensor and food program rep have been here since the schedule change, during the new nap time, and were fine with it, so it must be one of those state by state issues.

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

happyfacehappyface That's great! Thanks for the update : )

[Blackcat31]

Well, what about the little ones who take a morning and afternoon nap? The morning nap would be before lunch. Our state rules don't mention meal scheduling other than to say I MUST offer them food every four hours they are in care. Both my licensor and food program rep have been here since the schedule change, during the new nap time, and were fine with it, so it must be one of those state by state issues.

I'm in MN too and there is NO rule saying when we are to serve lunch or have nap.

Thankfully, our state is still one that allows providers to use common sense when implementing daily rules and routines.