Napping Issues

[Lorna]

Curious about what others do for kids that don 't nap. So far I have been saying we are a napping daycare and they need to nap. Until the year before school starts. We do preschool activities with those kids. But I have child that just turned 2 years old and mom is having a hell of a time with bedtime. He isn't tired. and its only on the days that he is at daycare. She done'st expect me to change anything and will look for other options. But I don't really want to lose the child.
I actually think most of my kids aren't napping at home. Another child 18 months not napping at home. Another one turning 3 not napping at home. But I have 2 smaller children starting in the next month and 2 months that will be napping. We do naps in the daycare room. But might have to change that.

Whatever I do let the kids do during nap would have to be quiet. We have a tiny house.

[Blackcat31]

Curious about what others do for kids that don 't nap. So far I have been saying we are a napping daycare and they need to nap. Until the year before school starts. We do preschool activities with those kids. But I have child that just turned 2 years old and mom is having a hell of a time with bedtime. He isn't tired. and its only on the days that he is at daycare. She done'st expect me to change anything and will look for other options. But I don't really want to lose the child.
I actually think most of my kids aren't napping at home. Another child 18 months not napping at home. Another one turning 3 not napping at home. But I have 2 smaller children starting in the next month and 2 months that will be napping. We do naps in the daycare room. But might have to change that.

Whatever I do let the kids do during nap would have to be quiet. We have a tiny house.

Its very common for kids to not nap at home. Their environment and the level of stimuli at home is completely different that at daycare.

Bed time issues are NOT caused by an afternoon nap and in fact, just the opposite..... lack of a regular routine BOTH at home and at daycare is what disrupts bed time. NOT teaching your child how to wind down each night (think cool down period after working out at the gym) causes a ton of sleep issues and resistance with bed times.

Personally, as a provider I would not accept children that didn't rest/nap here. Allowing one child to remain awake while the others rest causes issues no matter how old the kids are.

If you are not wanting to lose the child, then you'll have to acclimate to the routine mom wants but I think it will do nothing but cause you stress.

If you want a real eye opener in regards to what the root of sleep issues really are, I suggest getting this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Sleepless-America-Child-Misbehaving-Missing/dp/006073602X

[Ariana]

Its very common for kids to not nap at home. Their environment and the level of stimuli at home is completely different that at daycare.

Bed time issues are NOT caused by an afternoon nap and in fact, just the opposite..... lack of a regular routine BOTH at home and at daycare is what disrupts bed time. NOT teaching your child how to wind down each night (think cool down period after working out at the gym) causes a ton of sleep issues and resistance with bed times.

Personally, as a provider I would not accept children that didn't rest/nap here. Allowing one child to remain awake while the others rest causes issues no matter how old the kids are.

If you are not wanting to lose the child, then you'll have to acclimate to the routine mom wants but I think it will do nothing but cause you stress.

If you want a real eye opener in regards to what the root of sleep issues really are, I suggest getting this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Sleepless-Amer.../dp/006073602X

This! I would also be willing to lose a child over this. I have a parent right now who dragged her kid around for 2 weeks at Christmas. No schedule, up until 10pm or later, skipping naps etc and today asks me to cut back on naps so she will start sleeping at night!! Parents just don't get it. You can't expect your kid to just adjust to THEIR schedule willy nilly. She's been back at daycare for 3 days and although she adjusted to my rules instantly it is a different story at home. It takes time but parents want instant gratification and don't understand the consequences of their actions.

[KristinsHomeCC]

I have a smaller (2k sq ft) house, all tile. I also have a wide variety of ages from 4m-2 yrs. When one cries during nap time, they ALL wake up and it ****s. Then I have a good 5 hrs left of the day with very whiney children and babies. I've got a pretty good routine down one by one to get them all to sleep at the same time. It happens 1 every 10 days or so. Lol! I can't even imagine one of them or even all of them NOT napping. I am not sure what to tell you but I wish you the best of luck! Nap time issues are just awful.

[caligirl]

I've had parents ask me if I could keep their child up while the others napped for the same reason. I tell them that I will give it a TRY. But I work 11 hour days and I NEED a lunch break.....which means a REAL break where I don't have to keep saying 'shhhhhhh' and I don't have to keep watching them.... I've only had one who it worked out with. He was 3. He loved not taking a nap, so I had a special chair for him in the living room. I would turn on Disney Jr. and tell him that he could watch Disney as long as he was quiet. I didn't want him getting up unless he had to go potty, that he needed to stay quietly in the special chair, and that if he wasn't quiet, then he would have to lay down for a nap like everyone else..... well, he didn't want to nap, he wanted to watch Disney, so he never made a peep. Younger ones, that would be a little harder. I don't know about you, but i really need that lunch break every day.

[Lorna]

I might be in a unique situation. I'm in Canada. There was recently some changes for unlicensed daycares. Everyone here is unlicensed since you don't benefit in any way from being licensed. So I can have 5 kids only 2 under the age of 2. So if I keep losing my older kids I can't replace them since most of people are looking for care for children when they go back to work at a 12 months. If I only replace kids when they go back to school it works out okay.

Today I had one napping. and 3 awake. So I put the napping child in my room and then I had the daycare room for the kids. But that didn't work so well. Kids couldn't remember anything was different and they needed to be quiet. I will try tomorrow putting them in the living room and the sleeping child in the daycare room. TV and books probably are the best for that time.

[Lorna]

Just wanted to add that this mom goes to bed early like 8. And when her child is napping at daycare he goes to bed at 10 and quite a fight to get him to bed. But when he isn't at daycare he has no problem going to bed early. Felt really bad for the mom. Sounded like she was on the verge of crying this morning. I warned her that even if I stopped napping he would probably just adjust back to the same time. That this is what 2 year olds are like at bedtime. She said he daughter stopped napping at 2 and that stopped the problem.

[Silly Sally]

HELP! I hate nap time

I've been an Early childhood educator for over 30 years. I've worked in many different preschools. I'm working in a day care now where I've been put into a classroom for nap time by myself with 7-12 children, mixed ages of 2-4 year olds. Some of the children fall asleep, but the school policy is every child has to sleep. I have a real problem with this. When I asked for help on how they get the difficult children to sleep. They told me to be more firm and put the blanket over their heads so they can not see. I just can't bring myself to do this to a child. The other teachers complain to the director that I have a hard time with napping. She talked to me about their complaints and told me to deal with it and be more firm. They have to lay down for 2 1/2 years everyday.I believe this is too long. This is suppose to be a break time but instead I'm almost in tears dealing with these out of control children that keep getting out of their beds.
Unfortunately, I have to work this is my income as a single Mom of 2 children. I've been looking for another job for almost 3 months. Help!!. I've never been in a situation like this.

[Blackcat31]

I've been an Early childhood educator for over 30 years. I've worked in many different preschools. I'm working in a day care now where I've been put into a classroom for nap time by myself with 7-12 children, mixed ages of 2-4 year olds. Some of the children fall asleep, but the school policy is every child has to sleep. I have a real problem with this. When I asked for help on how they get the difficult children to sleep. They told me to be more firm and put the blanket over their heads so they can not see. I just can't bring myself to do this to a child. The other teachers complain to the director that I have a hard time with napping. She talked to me about their complaints and told me to deal with it and be more firm. They have to lay down for 2 1/2 years everyday.I believe this is too long. This is suppose to be a break time but instead I'm almost in tears dealing with these out of control children that keep getting out of their beds.
Unfortunately, I have to work this is my income as a single Mom of 2 children. I've been looking for another job for almost 3 months. Help!!. I've never been in a situation like this.

I play audio books on CD's at rest time so that those kids that dont actually sleep have something to do that still allows their bodies to rest.

We also have a daily routine that helps promote rest and basically tires the kids out so they are tired at rest time.

Lots of outdoor time, lunch, potty break, little bit of yoga (long, lazy stretches) then rest.

Darken the room and make sure everyone is cozy and comfy, turn on the audio books (I record 2+ dozen stories onto one DVD). Keep the volume just low enough that they need to lie still to hear it.

Everyone one of my kiddos (12 of them between 3 mos and 6 yrs) sleep a full 2.5-3 hours.

Lots of exercise and fresh air. (in all seasons... I am in MN)
Good, healthy foods (no sugars)
Calm, soothing environment.
Routine and consistency

Thats all I got.

[Leigh]

I've been an Early childhood educator for over 30 years. I've worked in many different preschools. I'm working in a day care now where I've been put into a classroom for nap time by myself with 7-12 children, mixed ages of 2-4 year olds. Some of the children fall asleep, but the school policy is every child has to sleep. I have a real problem with this. When I asked for help on how they get the difficult children to sleep. They told me to be more firm and put the blanket over their heads so they can not see. I just can't bring myself to do this to a child. The other teachers complain to the director that I have a hard time with napping. She talked to me about their complaints and told me to deal with it and be more firm. They have to lay down for 2 1/2 years everyday.I believe this is too long. This is suppose to be a break time but instead I'm almost in tears dealing with these out of control children that keep getting out of their beds.
Unfortunately, I have to work this is my income as a single Mom of 2 children. I've been looking for another job for almost 3 months. Help!!. I've never been in a situation like this.

How many kids aren't napping? I'd put them all together and sit right in the middle of them. At my home, kids who disrupt nap get separated (where they fall asleep instantly after losing their audience). It sounds like that might not be possible where you are, but sitting down right with the kids who are acting up so that you can redirect them would probably help. Your attitude would probably help, too-some kids thrive on the stress they cause YOU. Be calm and firm.