More Nap Advice

[NillaWafers]

I get so frustrated. I've only been doing this 6 mo. I would say that the most difficult part of my day is due in part to nap.

DCG2.5 who I wrote about in the past is now napping with everyone else. She is past sobbing and crying when the mats come out and will sit on her mat for the most part. However, she is NOT napping somedays and it's driving me nuts. She talks loudly to herself, plugs her ears and sings, rolls from right to left constantly. It does not help that my son (just turning 3) just doesn't nap either - they feed off each other. Just today we laid down, we normally read books from 12:30-1, then I take them away and focus on napping (I rub backs for about 15 mins, but if they don't fall asleep in that time period I stop because I'm hugely pregnant and being on the floor ****s haha). DCG2.5 didn't sleep at all. Just constant chattering. I put my younger son in his room and he fell asleep right away. She didn't. I moved her to the living room and she's still sitting there talking to herself.

Maybe it's my inexperience with this, but I cannot get them to be quiet half the time. I can get them to stay on their mats - but that's it. I have tried removing books once they are loud, threatening (then making good on it) to move them to a room by themselves (this happens more often than not with my son). I am reaching the end of my rope - I don't get a chance to clean anymore or eat lunch, not to mention being pregnant and just needing some flipping quiet.

Fortunately my other two kids (4 and 5) sleep through anything - despite their incessant chattering. If I leave the room though the younger ones get REALLY LOUD, even if they are staying on their mats.

They probably think I'm just a pushover and there's no real consequences (that they care about) to not napping, so there's that.

[Thriftylady]

Well would the opposite approach work? If you lay down quietly and go to sleep after nap we will.... "insert whatever you were going to do anyway but make it exciting".

[NillaWafers]

Well would the opposite approach work? If you lay down quietly and go to sleep after nap we will.... "insert whatever you were going to do anyway but make it exciting".

Nope, I actually tried this today! "If we all go to sleep nicely we can make COOKIES! Doesn't that sound yummy!?"

They both immediately are like, "me go to sleep", for 5 seconds, then commence with their shennanigans. I was thinking about taking away an activity for not behaving at nap, but that seems kinda drastic for a 2.5 year old who probably can't remember naptime by 4pm anyways.

[Unregistered]

Now I don't know your set-up but for me I'd keep them as far away from each other as possible. Definitely so they can't see each other. I realize you may do all this. I'd find a cozy corner for her and give her one of those super soft, fleece type pillows that are really soft and comforting.

I'd probably lay them down earlier...I love to lay kids down from 12:30-2:30/3:00 but I've learned that some kids miss the window of sleep and become wired if I wait that long. You might want to have light off, back rubbing, by 12:00 or 12:15.

Shades that block out light.

A book on c.d. or C-span can put them to sleep or quiet classical music-we have music channels on TV and one is light classical that works wonders. Also rain/nature sounds on you-tube work wonders or the ocean. Starting rain, nature or ocean sounds before lunch is over seems to work well. Darkened room, mats or sleeping bags out so they can go wash up, diaper change, potty and right to their nap spot. Set the mood!

Centers I worked in do lots of back rubs, forehead/temple massage, etc.
I've never had to do that in-home except for one child.

I've had luck massaging their palm if the child will let you. Something to do with reflexology. I've had providers say they rub the bottom of feet too with good luck.

I make sure they always get outside and run around and wear themselves out even in the winter. I don't do snowpants though. I have a long blacktopped driveway they run around on. Hats, mitten, coats do it for me.

Good Luck!

[NillaWafers]

Now I don't know your set-up but for me I'd keep them as far away from each other as possible. Definitely so they can't see each other. I realize you may do all this. I'd find a cozy corner for her and give her one of those super soft, fleece type pillows that are really soft and comforting.

I'd probably lay them down earlier...I love to lay kids down from 12:30-2:30/3:00 but I've learned that some kids miss the window of sleep and become wired if I wait that long. You might want to have light off, back rubbing, by 12:00 or 12:15.

Shades that block out light.

A book on c.d. or C-span can put them to sleep or quiet classical music-we have music channels on TV and one is light classical that works wonders. Also rain/nature sounds on you-tube work wonders or the ocean. Starting rain, nature or ocean sounds before lunch is over seems to work well. Darkened room, mats or sleeping bags out so they can go wash up, diaper change, potty and right to their nap spot. Set the mood!

Centers I worked in do lots of back rubs, forehead/temple massage, etc.
I've never had to do that in-home except for one child.

I've had luck massaging their palm if the child will let you. Something to do with reflexology. I've had providers say they rub the bottom of feet too with good luck.

I make sure they always get outside and run around and wear themselves out even in the winter. I don't do snowpants though. I have a long blacktopped driveway they run around on. Hats, mitten, coats do it for me.

Good Luck!

Those are all really good suggestions, thanks! I think part of the problem is my son, I might just start putting him down in his room right off. We nap in my playroom which is pretty small. I have three (tiny) bedrooms in my 1100 sq ft house, one of which I can't use.

I do pay a cd, it's a nature sounds cd and lullabyes (sounds like a music box). Maybe I can just try plain rain or something like that. I am all for rubbing backs but right now getting up and down is a serious pain! I cannot wait for this inside baby to be an outside baby haha.

[Febby]

I work in a center classroom with 3 year olds and I don't pat/rub backs, except on occasion. Of my 18 children, only one doesn't usually nap and that's because of her schedule.

Our nap starts at 12. If they finish lunch before then, they can wash hands and then look at books on their mat until lunch is over. (We can't have lights off until every child has finished eating and we nap and eat in the same room.) Children who don't nap well together are separated so they can't see each other. I move shelves and other furniture for nap as needed to accomplish this.

The tough ones nap in a corner with me. They lay down. I sit down, doing paperwork or whatever, keeping them quiet and on their mats. Actually, I go farther than that. I know what they need to do to fall asleep. Learning that takes time, but I know that Johnny won't fall asleep if he's laying on his back, he'll just play with his hands for hours. I know Susy only falls asleep on her left side. Jimmy pulls his blanket over his head right before he falls asleep, but if you try to adjust it before he's completely asleep, he'll flip out and you'll start all over.

I've had a lot of luck with Rockabye! Baby music CDs for nap. The Green Day one is one of my favorites.

[Miss A]

Try moving your nap to an earlier time. Our schedule here is to eat lunch at 11:30, and depending g in each child we are laying down by noon or 12:15. We follow the same routine each day, even down to the way I wish them good night. We play an Enya CD, which the kids love. We have been training to lay down on their own, but I have one pack and play hopper, so I sit with them until they are out.

I also agree with you layingbyour son down for nap in his room. It helps him to feel like he has his own quiet place in his home, and should help him to relax.

[rosieteddy]

I also used the music.I put my rocking chair in the middle of the room.I have a'' magic '' blanket.I folded a heavy comforter,place it on the child it calms them right down.Child is usually asleep in 5 min.I eat there ,rock and whisper hush.Most days after 20 min everyone is asleep.I do take blanket off after child is asleep.Everyone gets tucked in and have cozy warm blankets and pillows on their mat.Good luck!

[Unregistered]

A heavier comforter folded on a squirmy child is a great idea! Yes, staying close in a rocking chair is a good idea too!

[daycarediva]

Here's my advice.

Lay them down earlier. You may be missing their optimal sleep time and they are getting overtired and overactive.

ONE story, read quietly so they have to strain to hear.
Lay down. Special tuck in song. DO NOT PAT BACKS.
Put on music, no words. Lullabies. White noise, loud fan, something else, too. I would sit in ear shot and SHHHHHH every time anyone says a word. At rest here, total quiet is expected. Even the 20mo gets that.

[MunchkinWrangler]

At naptime, which happens right after lunch, it's dark, quiet, I don't do any rocking, back rubbing, I find it's more of a distraction, and I don't talk anymore the most that is said is Shhh. That's it, I don't engage and I ignore. Within 15 min. everyone is asleep and they stay alsleep for a couple hours. It could just be luck, I have a small group and it hasn't been hard to get all the kids on the same schedule and it doesn't change, we always do the same thing everyday before nap, other activities change throughout the day except before nap. I strongly believe this sets them up to become tired, it's a signal to them that nap is coming and they're all yawning by the end of lunchtime. They're excited to lay down to rest. Within an hour and a half of naptime do the same thing everyday then put them down, this has always worked for me

[NillaWafers]

I think I'm bookmarking this thread haha. I used water sounds today instead of the lullabies. Seperated my son (he's in the hallway, didn't want to sleep in his own bed), and put a heavy blanket on DCG2.5. Holy cow the heavy blanket was like a charm. She's already falling asleep and it's 12:15.

Yes I started earlier. We have lunch at 11, are done by 11:30. Then I did circle time (I kinda worry it winds them up so I may switch it with something?), and they laid down at 12. Working great today and I haven't rubbed a single back!

[Ariana]

My own kids dropped naps at 2.5 and 3 respectively. When they did I just put them to bed an hour earlier. If I wanted them to nap they stayed up. Maybe chatting with the parents about keeping them up an hour might help? Some parents are in a rush to put their kids to bed right after dinner. Also waking them consistently in the morning at the same time is important. No matter what time my kids go to bed they get up at 7am.

[MunchkinWrangler]

Yay, I'm glad naptime went smoother today! And oh, to be pregnant and working you're a champ! It will also teach them to fall asleep ont heir own which is good and will help when the baby is an outside baby. happyface

[NillaWafers]

Whoever suggested the heavy blanket is amazing. Ever since I started putting a queen quilt folded like 4 times on her, she's been out within 15 minutes. Freaking magic I tell you.