What Do You Do With Your Older Kids At Nap?

[My Lil' Monkeys]

I am wondering what you do with older kids who are 5 or older at nap? 2 weeks ago I had a family who's 3 yr old started coming full time and her 5 yr old sister comes only on Fridays and doesn't nap.

Today, is my first day with both at nap. So, I laid the 3 yr old down for nap on a cot, like I have done for 2 weeks and I let the older sister lay on my couch and watch a movie (as she's the only one I have who's older). The 3 yr old cried and was upset because I made her lay on her cot. She knows my rules and how my day works... I guess I feel mean.

[SilverSabre25]

My 3 yo does not nap and she gets quiet time with a show or movie for an hour or so every day and then gets up and goes about her life as normal. This is my plan for any dcks who don't nap, as well.

[laundrymom]

Everyone here naps

[My Lil' Monkeys]

My 3 yo does not nap and she gets quiet time with a show or movie for an hour or so every day and then gets up and goes about her life as normal. This is my plan for any dcks who don't nap, as well.

Thank You. My 3yd old does nap.. and after about 5 mins of crying she is sound sleep.

[Blackcat31]

EVERYONE has quiet time here...no matter how old you are. On a rare occassion, I will let the older kids go outside but if they come in and out and in and out..... they lay down.

[momma2girls]

Everyone here naps as well. If I have school agers for the day, such as snow days, vac. days, etc. then they sit quietly and watch movies. They have to be quiet, or they all get seperated!!

[Zoe]

You're not mean! I had a problem like that once when my 2 yr old son was "left out" and had to take a nap while his 4 yr sister and her friend who was here at daycare had quiet time in another room and watched a movie. They might disagree with it, but it's what they need!

My daughter is now 5 and there's a 4 yr old dcg, both who don't nap. They both are in a separate room and they lay down for 30-45 minutes while watching a video. Then I come in and turn on the light. They are allowed to play quietly until nap/quiet time is over.

If you have a separate room to put the nappers away from the non-nappers, then it's more than fair, so that everyone has their needs met. Stick to your guns!

[AnythingsPossible]

I have tried the movie thing, but in my experience it is very rare that they are quiet when watching. There is always something they just find hilarious!! If you are not in Kindergarten, you lay on a mat and take a nap, if you are in kindergarten or older you lay on the couch, chair or find yourself some real estate on the floor, but you are going to rest quietly. Read a book, stare at the ceiling, I don't really care. Letting them do a quiet activity has never stayed quiet here. I guess it depends on how many over 5 you have though. When I only have 1, I do let them color at the table, but only after the little's are asleep. In the summer when I have multiple older's they need to sit and be quiet. I have a girl who has an older sister and I simply tell her when she turns starts kindergarten she won't have to have a mat either.

[My Lil' Monkeys]

You're not mean! I had a problem like that once when my 2 yr old son was "left out" and had to take a nap while his 4 yr sister and her friend who was here at daycare had quiet time in another room and watched a movie. They might disagree with it, but it's what they need!

My daughter is now 5 and there's a 4 yr old dcg, both who don't nap. They both are in a separate room and they lay down for 30-45 minutes while watching a video. Then I come in and turn on the light. They are allowed to play quietly until nap/quiet time is over.

If you have a separate room to put the nappers away from the non-nappers, then it's more than fair, so that everyone has their needs met. Stick to your guns!

Thank You!!!

I only really have 3 kids a day.. my son naps in his rm and the 18 month old sleeps in a pack-n-play in my rm and the 3 yr old sleeps at the end of the hall down by the rooms on a cot. So, she's separated from the living room area where her sister is watching a movie. (I can see her on her cot from my couch but she can't see the living room)

I will stick to my guns!!

[nannyde]

I don't provide services to kids who don't take a full afternoon nap. I don't do any version of nap but full nap. No activities quiet or not. No TV. No books. Just nap every kid every day.

[DCMomOf3]

I don't provide services to kids who don't take a full afternoon nap. I don't do any version of nap but full nap. No activities quiet or not. No TV. No books. Just nap every kid every day.

this is me, i do play classical music for them though. When my own kids don't have school, they are up in their room or watching a movie upstairs.

[momma2girls]

I have tried the movie thing, but in my experience it is very rare that they are quiet when watching. There is always something they just find hilarious!! If you are not in Kindergarten, you lay on a mat and take a nap, if you are in kindergarten or older you lay on the couch, chair or find yourself some real estate on the floor, but you are going to rest quietly. Read a book, stare at the ceiling, I don't really care. Letting them do a quiet activity has never stayed quiet here. I guess it depends on how many over 5 you have though. When I only have 1, I do let them color at the table, but only after the little's are asleep. In the summer when I have multiple older's they need to sit and be quiet. I have a girl who has an older sister and I simply tell her when she turns starts kindergarten she won't have to have a mat either.

I have the same thing happen to here, I will warn them a couple of times, then I seperate them all.
I used to allow going outside, they kept coming in and out of the door, drinks, bathrooms, I am bored, etc...
I used to allow activities at the kitchen table, this was way too much- I would even provide a couple of activities, and they would finish them within 10-15 min. and say what else do you want us to do. So I would have to find them stuff to do for the 2 hrs. this was definately a pain in the butt!!!

[e.j.]

I tell the older kids they have to lie down on a mat and stay quiet until the younger kids fall asleep. If I'm lucky, the older kids fall asleep, too. If they don't, I offer to let them watch tv quietly with the understanding that if they make any noise, I'll turn it off immediately. They're usually pretty good about being quiet.

[Live and Learn]

I don't provide services to kids who don't take a full afternoon nap. I don't do any version of nap but full nap. No activities quiet or not. No TV. No books. Just nap every kid every day.

This is my policy. On the rare occasion that I take an older sib over afternoon nap time I remind mommy right up front that everyone here naps. NAPS ARE SACRED.