Rest Time Question/Advice

**mac60** · 07-30-2009, 01:22 PM

All children in my care during nap time must lay down and have quiet time. No exceptions. While the older ones (5/6 yr olds) do not have to actually sleep, they do have to lay down and be quiet and not disturb others. If they don't cooperate, they will be removed from the room and given a nice kitchen chair to sit in. This is my time to eat lunch, clean up the lunch mess, work on activities for the next days, get daycare laundry done, clean up daily messes, etc. I have tried the "letting the 6 yr old stay up and sit in the kitchen and color or other so called quiet activity", and it just doesn't work. So, there are no exceptions here. Everyone lays down. As a provider who works from 6:30 to 5:30 each day, I totally understand how important this little bit of quiet time is for us to wind down from the day, catch up on work, etc.

Now if it is school age kids, I would maybe let them take turns bringing a video, or suggest they bring a book or hand game to play. Something where they can sit quietly and do their activitity during naptime. If a school age child did not cooperate I would probably give them a spot to sit and reflect on as to why they are sitting there in a chair. Since I don't know what ages you are actually referring to, it is hard to give an answer. There is no reason even a school age child needs to be on the go all day long.

**seashell** · 07-30-2009, 01:33 PM

I have just the opposite problem . . . my kids nap a solid 2 and a half hours and I have to wake them up so that they won't sleep away the day!

I have had non - nappers before. I ask that they lay on a cot and watch a video of their choice while the others nap. If they disturb the other children, the video gets turned off.

**Unregistered** · 07-30-2009, 05:40 PM

Jmo

Originally posted by mac60

All children in my care during nap time must lay down and have quiet time. No exceptions. While the older ones (5/6 yr olds) do not have to actually sleep, they do have to lay down and be quiet and not disturb others. If they don't cooperate, they will be removed from the room and given a nice kitchen chair to sit in. This is my time to eat lunch, clean up the lunch mess, work on activities for the next days, get daycare laundry done, clean up daily messes, etc. I have tried the "letting the 6 yr old stay up and sit in the kitchen and color or other so called quiet activity", and it just doesn't work. So, there are no exceptions here. Everyone lays down. As a provider who works from 6:30 to 5:30 each day, I totally understand how important this little bit of quiet time is for us to wind down from the day, catch up on work, etc.

Now if it is school age kids, I would maybe let them take turns bringing a video, or suggest they bring a book or hand game to play. Something where they can sit quietly and do their activitity during naptime. If a school age child did not cooperate I would probably give them a spot to sit and reflect on as to why they are sitting there in a chair. Since I don't know what ages you are actually referring to, it is hard to give an answer. There is no reason even a school age child needs to be on the go all day long.

I am sorry but I do not agree with your statement that if a child in your home daycare does not nap they are placed in a chair. Whether it is a "nice kitchen chair" or not. That sounds to me like a time out for not sleeping. All because you want to eat, go to the bathroom, clean up (things that CAN be done while the children are still up, you just have to work around it) etc. It just seems cruel to force them to sit in a chair with nothing to do. Again its just my opinion.

I understand that you work a long day. So do the parents. No maybe we aren't watching children (which I agree is a hard job but there ARE harder jobs in this world) , however we are working just as hard as you do. Our days are just as long as yours is.

**mac60** · 07-31-2009, 03:34 AM

I personally see nothing wrong with having a 5/6 yr old, who is not cooperating and being disruptive at nap, to sit at the kitchen table and look at a book or play with a quiet activity. If they continue to be disruptive at the table with the quiet activity, it will be taken away and they will have nothing to do. Why is it that some are so afraid to be the adult and discipline children. It isn't like the child is put in a corner, they are being sat at the kitchen table, and if they are quiet there they can sit and do an activity, if they are not quiet, the consequence is no activity. Providers understand that you can not allow 1 child to totally disrupt naptime.

On a side note, I really wish people had to register to post. People hide behind "unregistered" and post rude and nasty comments about others.

**seashell** · 07-31-2009, 05:51 AM

Originally posted by mac60

I personally see nothing wrong with having a 5/6 yr old, who is not cooperating and being disruptive at nap, to sit at the kitchen table and look at a book or play with a quiet activity. If they continue to be disruptive at the table with the quiet activity, it will be taken away and they will have nothing to do. Why is it that some are so afraid to be the adult and discipline children. It isn't like the child is put in a corner, they are being sat at the kitchen table, and if they are quiet there they can sit and do an activity, if they are not quiet, the consequence is no activity. Providers understand that you can not allow 1 child to totally disrupt naptime.

On a side note, I really wish people had to register to post. People hide behind "unregistered" and post rude and nasty comments about others.

Mac,

You didn't mention in your original post that the kids have activities while sitting at the table. I think she just misunderstood your post.

**mac60** · 07-31-2009, 06:22 AM

I edited her post, as there were some rude comments made.

It states in my handbook that all kids who are here during nap time will lay down and have quiet time. I normally do not make exceptions to that rule. I have occassionaly let a 6 yr old sit at the table and do a quiet activity, at her request. If she becomes disruptive she will have to go lay down, disruptive there, and you will sit in a chair doing nothing. Rules are put in place for a reason, without them, it would be total caos.

My kids have a lot of fun here, and when nap time comes, most are ready to lay down and nap, on the days where you have the one that is being disruptive, you just have to take care of the situation, as you can't have 1 child disrupt the whole group.

**Unregistered** · 07-31-2009, 02:42 PM

First of all

Originally posted by mac60

I edited her post, as there were some rude comments made.

It states in my handbook that all kids who are here during nap time will lay down and have quiet time. I normally do not make exceptions to that rule. I have occassionaly let a 6 yr old sit at the table and do a quiet activity, at her request. If she becomes disruptive she will have to go lay down, disruptive there, and you will sit in a chair doing nothing. Rules are put in place for a reason, without them, it would be total caos.

My kids have a lot of fun here, and when nap time comes, most are ready to lay down and nap, on the days where you have the one that is being disruptive, you just have to take care of the situation, as you can't have 1 child disrupt the whole group.

I did NOT make rude comments. I was stating my opinion as you continually overstate yours on this board. As Seashell posted, you did not claify your "rules". It was just a shame that you had to get to my post first and be the one to edit out my "opinion" on your business. You didn't like it so you deleted it. So if anyone here is rude and nasty, its certain moderators who cant respect other peoples opinions.

**mac60** · 07-31-2009, 03:24 PM

Opinions are one thing, but making direct negative statements and accusations about someone and how they may and may not do things is not right, and I am not going to let those kinds of comments be out in the open when they are attacking to me, just like I am sure others would not want that done to them. Thank you. I hope it stops here.

**Former Teacher** · 07-31-2009, 03:36 PM

Whatever

Originally posted by mac60

Opinions are one thing, but making direct negative statements and accusations about someone and how they may and may not do things is not right, and I am not going to let those kinds of comments be out in the open when they are attacking to me, just like I am sure others would not want that done to them. Thank you. I hope it stops here.

Fine, as always, you are right and you have the final last word. It's over.

**Unregistered** · 07-31-2009, 06:57 PM

Originally posted by mac60

All children in my care during nap time must lay down and have quiet time. No exceptions. While the older ones (5/6 yr olds) do not have to actually sleep, they do have to lay down and be quiet and not disturb others. If they don't cooperate, they will be removed from the room and given a nice kitchen chair to sit in. This is my time to eat lunch, clean up the lunch mess, work on activities for the next days, get daycare laundry done, clean up daily messes, etc. I have tried the "letting the 6 yr old stay up and sit in the kitchen and color or other so called quiet activity", and it just doesn't work. So, there are no exceptions here. Everyone lays down. As a provider who works from 6:30 to 5:30 each day, I totally understand how important this little bit of quiet time is for us to wind down from the day, catch up on work, etc.

Now if it is school age kids, I would maybe let them take turns bringing a video, or suggest they bring a book or hand game to play. Something where they can sit quietly and do their activitity during naptime. If a school age child did not cooperate I would probably give them a spot to sit and reflect on as to why they are sitting there in a chair. Since I don't know what ages you are actually referring to, it is hard to give an answer. There is no reason even a school age child needs to be on the go all day long.

Personally I agree with this! Children in this day need disciplining! They need to learn consequences! Thats whats wrong w/this world today IMO...I do not take school agers any more for a lot of reasons....when i did, they had to lay down and watch tv/movie. whether its a 5yr or a 10yr old. quiet time is just that! for me as much as it is for them. sleeping is not a requirement but being quiet is. if a child is always disruptive i have to decide if this child is a fit for my daycare or not.

**GretasLittleFriends** · 07-31-2009, 07:47 PM

My son age 4 doesn't nap. I also have another 4yr old boy who doesn't nap. During nap time these two sit/lay on the couch and watch a movie quietly. The nappers are in bedroom with the door closed. It's what I've found to work best. There has been a time or two the boys get a little rambunctious in which case the movie gets turned off and they're each told to lay still and quiet.

P.S. If this site required you to be registered to post (WHICH IT SHOULD) you could then take your unhappiness with each other to private messages as opposed to airing dirty laundry...

**SimpleMom** · 08-02-2009, 03:28 PM

Thank you for the advice. I used to use movies the last time I had non-nappers. I am going to go back to that. I really want time to rejuvinate and be ready to tackle the last few hours of the day. I found that with that quiet time in mid-day I wasn't close to burning out by Tues. eves.

I am back to about 60 hours a week plus a fairly full house again. I have a few more openings that I need to fill. I just wanted to make sure I am balancing everything out.

Thanks so much!!

**melissa ann** · 08-03-2009, 08:34 AM

My 4 yr old doesn't nap. Occasionally she will, if she's tired. But she helps with the dishes, and with the cleaning up. when we are done, she usually sits at the kitchen table and does her leapster, while I crochet or do some other relaxing activity while the children sleep.

I, too, agree that registering should be required to post. Normally, I pay no mind to the "guest" replies because most of them are negative.(against the daycare provider)

For the person who said that they work long hours too. That may be, but we work longer. Ex. parents of the children I watch work 7 -4. But I have the kids from 6-5. The parents work 9 hrs and I work 11.

**SimpleMom** · 08-03-2009, 02:58 PM

Gosh, I did the movie thing today and it worked out good. The older children had a chance to rest a bit, the younger ones got their naps in, but I am totally exhausted...still.

I just can't seem to catch up and keep up. I am at about 7 kids per day on most days. It's a lot more work to say the least, but they are great kids. I have one more starting in Sept. and two that go to school in the Fall.

I just wish I could get enough rest or even me time to FEEL rested. I think I am a little overwhelmed. It's been almost a year and a half since I've had this many children (by choice).

I have been working since 6 am and just got done and didn't get any me time as of yet. I worked last night for 2 hours to catch up on paperwork as well. I am not trying to sound ungrateful for the additions. I love the kids and I love what I do. It would be a little easier keeping the numbers around 6, but the pay here won't allow for that if I want to continue in this field.

How do you gals get your quiet time or just plain me time to relax and enjoy a life as well as work? Does anyone else have this dilema? I only added on three children, but it feels like I added on about ten (as far as how much energy I use up in a day)...

Rest Time Question/Advice

Rest Time Question/Advice

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