Keeping Child Awake at Nap Time-Suggestions Please?

[Leigh]

I think morning nap is an AWESOME idea! I have a 2 yo who falls asleep before lunch at least once a week. What I wonder, though, is how was the transition to morning nap? I think a morning nap would be easier for me and for these kids who get SO tired before naptime. Do all of the kids do well with this time? I think I am going to give it a try starting Monday, and ask the parents to help transition over the weekend.

[childcaremom]

Thank you for your help everyone!
I had it written in my contract that there is a rest period every day and I assumed people would understand that all children must rest. I was wrong and I have now updated it to say that if a child has outgrown nap they have outgrown my program.
I really like this family and since the girl will be leaving in September I'd rather not term.
I am actively keeping her awake- something I will never do with future daycare children. I have talked to the mother about the situation and she hasn't been able to think of any other ways to keep her daughter awake. I think at home on weekends her older siblings keep her engaged enough that it isn't an issue.
Thanks again :-D

One thing I've learned is that just because I've agreed to do something doesn't mean I can't change my mind. I would have a chat with the parents, tell them you've tried it but it isn't working. That you will set her up for quiet time, in front of the tv, and if she falls asleep, she falls asleep but you will not wake her until rest period is over. (or whatever you are prepared to do, whether it is tv or quiet activities). When I had a non-napper, I set her up in the living room on a blanket with a basket of items. It went over like a lead balloon and now I will never do that again.

Pick a compromise and present it to dcm. She will probably be ok with that. If she isn't, you have to decide whether or not you are willing to do this for 5.5 more months. If you are, great. If not, I would term, stating that the child has outgrown your program.

[Laurel]

I know this isn't pc but I don't care. I just say 'okay' to parents and smile and then nap them anyway. I swear I never hear another thing about it. As long as they think they are not napping, it is fine. All of a sudden they can sleep great at night. Wonder of wonders. I've also had success with putting them down as little as a half hour later than everyone else. We can stall a half hour and no one notices. That seemed to help when I did it once and told the parent that I am giving them a shorter nap. It's only a half hour but they don't know that.

Let the flaming begin.

[daycarediva]

I always respond back that if a child isn't tired, they would not rest, especially on Mondays. Mondays EVERY ONE of my kids is good for a 1/2 hour morning rest (about half even sleep) and a 2-3 hour PM rest. They are EXHAUSTED from running ragged all weekend and late bedtimes.

Parents very rarely do what is best for kids- they do what is best for them. (Which is unfortunate, but true) kids need face time with their parents, they need 1:1 time after dinner- they need playing or outside before a bath and story and bed. They need consistency with routine (even on weekends, to a certain extent) they need loving discipline.

IF they get those things, bedtime is a non-issue. I find most kids who fight bedtime are the kids who don't spend any time with the parent, have no discipline and use bedtime as an attention/control seeking time.

[Fiddlesticks]

I think morning nap is an AWESOME idea! I have a 2 yo who falls asleep before lunch at least once a week. What I wonder, though, is how was the transition to morning nap? I think a morning nap would be easier for me and for these kids who get SO tired before naptime. Do all of the kids do well with this time? I think I am going to give it a try starting Monday, and ask the parents to help transition over the weekend.

My transition was seamless. The children were all very tired, which is why I switched in the first place, and especially so on Mondays, so no issues there. When they were napping after lunch they were falling asleep the minute they laid down and sleeping a solid three hours. Now they take 15 to 20 minutes to fall asleep and sleep one and half to two hours (except Mondays, which is still an immediate sleep and a three hour nap). The parents are happy because the children go right to sleep at bedtime, but again, they are up early (because they have slept as long as they are going to sleep at one time!!!) which just helps here for the early nap. It is the best thing I have ever done in my program. I have happy children to work and play with all afternoon, and the parents have stopped making little comments about nap time (no one ever out right asked me not to nap their child because they knew from the start that it was non-negotiable).

[Ariana]

I know this isn't pc but I don't care. I just say 'okay' to parents and smile and then nap them anyway. I swear I never hear another thing about it. As long as they think they are not napping, it is fine. All of a sudden they can sleep great at night. Wonder of wonders. I've also had success with putting them down as little as a half hour later than everyone else. We can stall a half hour and no one notices. That seemed to help when I did it once and told the parent that I am giving them a shorter nap. It's only a half hour but they don't know that.

Let the flaming begin.

Pretty much what I have done . I know much more about sleep and children than the vast majority of parents so I make the call. Now I am very upfront about it with parents. I tell them flat out that I do not keep kids awake under any circumstance. They can take it or leave it. I had one parent who would drag her kid all over the place any time there was a long weekend or a break in care. The kid wouldn't sleep for nap and then her night sleep would be thrown off. The dad asked me to cut down on her nap so she would go down better at night. I explained all about how sleep works and how this was their fault. I said give me a week of her napping here and night sleep will sort itself out, which it did.

[Puddleduck]

For those of you who fudge the truth, what do you say if the parents ask outright "How long did my child nap today?"
This dcm asks every day if dcg napped and if so for how long.

[Play Care]

For those of you who fudge the truth, what do you say if the parents ask outright "How long did my child nap today?"
This dcm asks every day if dcg napped and if so for how long.

I actually have two 4 yo's now who I suspect don't actually nap. They are allowed books and quiet toys on their mats. I glance in every 15 minutes but I'm not timing sleep, so I could truthfully answer that I didn't know.

That said, with a parent who asked constantly they'd probably get a "rest time is 12-2, please refer to your contract/handbook" and I'd do the broken record and just keep repeating variations of that answer.

[Laurel]

For those of you who fudge the truth, what do you say if the parents ask outright "How long did my child nap today?"
This dcm asks every day if dcg napped and if so for how long.

Whatever I think the parent wants to hear. If an hour and a half will please them then I'd say "Oh about an hour and a half or so." Or an hour or whatever. Sometimes change it up with "I put her down at 1:00 but she was kind of restless and woke up a few times I think." Or general things like "Nobody slept well today, what a day!"

If they asked everyday, I'd act busy and wouldn't answer them the first time or change the subject. Then I'd answer if they'd ask a second time. That would be just to give the hint that this question every day is getting old.