Sooo Disruptive...

[Hunni Bee]

I've had dcg4 in my room since last Monday. Her behavior during the day is okay. She usually responds to redirection, but she needs a lot of it.

What I am having issue with is her behavior during naptime. She is super disruptive. She gets off her cot, moves her cot, takes off clothing, kicks the wall/furniture, and talks and sings. If I ignore she escalates to the point where she's yelling. But if I tell her to stop/be quiet or take her lovie away, she gets quiet for about half a second. If I give her anything to do like a book or small toy, it doesn't keep her occupied.

I guess this is more of a vent than anything because all my others nap and she wakes them all up everyday now. Plus I can't get anything done. I guess I'll move her as far away as possible and hope they get used to it. Her mom said that she gives her melatonin to go to bed at night, and my other experience with that sort of situation was just like this.

But I know she's exhausted. She spends the rest of the day after nap sitting with her thumb in her mouth, bleary-eyed.

Bah!!!

[Blackcat31]

I've had dcg4 in my room since last Monday. Her behavior during the day is okay. She usually responds to redirection, but she needs a lot of it.

What I am having issue with is her behavior during naptime. She is super disruptive. She gets off her cot, moves her cot, takes off clothing, kicks the wall/furniture, and talks and sings. If I ignore she escalates to the point where she's yelling. But if I tell her to stop/be quiet or take her lovie away, she gets quiet for about half a second. If I give her anything to do like a book or small toy, it doesn't keep her occupied.

I guess this is more of a vent than anything because all my others nap and she wakes them all up everyday now. Plus I can't get anything done. I guess I'll move her as far away as possible and hope they get used to it. Her mom said that she gives her melatonin to go to bed at night, and my other experience with that sort of situation was just like this.

But I know she's exhausted. She spends the rest of the day after nap sitting with her thumb in her mouth, bleary-eyed.

Bah!!!

In the past, I had a really tough napper. Didnt have to sleep but was required to lay quietly and not disturb others.

Had similar experience as you posted above.

Someone told me to stop talking and use visuals.

I set out 3 items (I've used tokens, stickers, tags, etc). Each time I had to remind, reprimand or rearrange the child or the child's area I removed an object. Without a word.

At the end of nap time, I allowed the kid to use their "object" to choose an activity or a special treat (sticker charts, M&M's etc) or choose the next story at story time. Some things cost only 1 object and some cost 3.

"What? You don't have enough "objects" for a sticker? I'm sorry, maybe tomorrow you will earn enough."

I've also been known to have the disruptive napper stay up and color or read books etc while the others rest.

Then after the disruptive kid thinks they've gotten their way, I have them take their rest time while the others are participating in a planned activity that was scheduled after nap and since the disruptive kid didn't take their rest time at rest time, they need to take it now when their restlessness won't disturb others.

I don't know... little things like rewarding others verses punishing the badly behaved one seem to work better than just punishing the naughty child... I suppose it stems from all attention is attention.

I've even had the disruptive kid lie down before the others. I've had them stay lying down after the others have gotten up too. Not both at the same time but what ever method seems to work best for that kid.

Rest time is a tough one but it's especially tough when you have kids that KNOW they are pushing your buttons and even worse know you really can't do much about it.

[Josiegirl]

Ugh, yesterday's nap time was a nightmare. Dcg was banging the cot on the floor, screaming my name, it was terrible and soooo frustrating. I don't do well with kiddos who are very loud and rude during rest time. But for her it was kind of a once in awhile thing.
I wonder if you could separate your non-napper and give her a quiet activity box to use during rest time? Change it up every so often to keep it fresh or new. Or another thing my kids like are those Melissa and Doug reusable sticker pads. That keeps them busy and quiet for awhile. I'll let my 4 yo dcg play quietly on her cot because she can be very quiet. She's blocked off so the others can't see her; otherwise I'm sure it wouldn't work. But she still needs to stay on her cot because sometimes she will fall asleep.

[Hunni Bee]

In the past, I had a really tough napper. Didnt have to sleep but was required to lay quietly and not disturb others.

Had similar experience as you posted above.

Someone told me to stop talking and use visuals.

I set out 3 items (I've used tokens, stickers, tags, etc). Each time I had to remind, reprimand or rearrange the child or the child's area I removed an object. Without a word.

At the end of nap time, I allowed the kid to use their "object" to choose an activity or a special treat (sticker charts, M&M's etc) or choose the next story at story time. Some things cost only 1 object and some cost 3.

"What? You don't have enough "objects" for a sticker? I'm sorry, maybe tomorrow you will earn enough."

I've also been known to have the disruptive napper stay up and color or read books etc while the others rest.

Then after the disruptive kid thinks they've gotten their way, I have them take their rest time while the others are participating in a planned activity that was scheduled after nap and since the disruptive kid didn't take their rest time at rest time, they need to take it now when their restlessness won't disturb others.

I don't know... little things like rewarding others verses punishing the badly behaved one seem to work better than just punishing the naughty child... I suppose it stems from all attention is attention.

I've even had the disruptive kid lie down before the others. I've had them stay lying down after the others have gotten up too. Not both at the same time but what ever method seems to work best for that kid.

Rest time is a tough one but it's especially tough when you have kids that KNOW they are pushing your buttons and even worse know you really can't do much about it.

I thought about it, and I could probably make any of those work. I like the tokens idea. She could lie back down but she'd have to be returned to her cot about 1000 times, and the thrill of that would block out the fact that she's missing something fun. I think of she would feel losing out on an actual, tangible goody and the visuals would help her understand why. Especially if everyone else "earned" their special treat by sleeping

[Nurse Jackie]

When I have one that disrupts the others while napping I pull them into a separate area with their cot and have them lay alone. Eventually they nod off into slumber.