Lunch-To-Nap Transitions

[Ariana]

Does any one else NOT sing during lunch? I just find this baffling and feel like it would just encourage silliness at the table. The reading I can maybe understand although I do not do it myself.

I eat with the kids sometimes although now all of my chairs are officially taken or just stand by them. They can chat during lunch and I think that's important but no way to the singing. I also use the time they are eating to do some of the dishes and get a jump start on my cleaning.

I don't sing or read DURING lunch. I think we all mean that we do it while they sit and wait. For example I play the pizza song game while waiting for stuff to cook but once food is served, we eat . Sorry I don't think that was super clear!

[storybookending]

I don't sing or read DURING lunch. I think we all mean that we do it while they sit and wait. For example I play the pizza song game while waiting for stuff to cook but once food is served, we eat . Sorry I don't think that was super clear!

Oh that makes much more sense. We don't sit and wait. They don't get in their chairs here until lunch is on the table.

[Ariana]

Oh that makes much more sense. We don't sit and wait. They don't get in their chairs here until lunch is on the table.

Yes that would be much better! My daycare is on a seperate floor so no way to prepare while the kids play.

[storybookending]

I do most of my lunch prep between 8-9am before my last two arrivals at 9AM. Sandwiches get made and bagged for freshness, fruit gets washed, eggs get cooked etc. depending on what we are having. Some things get prepped the day/night before. We play downstairs from 9:30ish-lunch which is at 11. My state requires sight or sound supervision and my kitchen is at the top of the basement stairs. Believe me I can hear them haha. This way I can just run upstairs and pop things in the oven or microwave and run back down/sit and watch from the steps. The most I have is 6 though.

[Ariana]

I do most of my lunch prep between 8-9am before my last two arrivals at 9AM. Sandwiches get made and bagged for freshness, fruit gets washed, eggs get cooked etc. depending on what we are having. Some things get prepped the day/night before. We play downstairs from 9:30ish-lunch which is at 11. My state requires sight or sound supervision and my kitchen is at the top of the basement stairs. Believe me I can hear them haha. This way I can just run upstairs and pop things in the oven or microwave and run back down/sit and watch from the steps. The most I have is 6 though.

Sounds very similar to me! Some days I can do this but some days I can't. I have one toddler that cannot be trusted for a hot second ::

[storybookending]

Sounds very similar to me! Some days I can do this but some days I can't. I have one toddler that cannot be trusted for a hot second ::

I have that toddler as well, she is also my niece. I feel ya girl.

[LysesKids]

We have outdoor time before lunch. Lunch is 11-11:30am. My partner (sister) reads a book or two then turn on nap music, then potty/diaper change, go on blankets. I read one book and our "nap" book that we read everyday which is the signal that it's time to settle bodies down. If they are done eating early we just have them sit and rest their tummies while we wait for other children to finish. Haven't had a problem yet.

I do infants/toddlers under 24 months... this is pretty much my routine; I will feed bottles while the older 2 sit at the table eating, then wash up, diaper changes & we read a book with soft music in the back ground. I'm transitioning one from PNP to mattress at the moment so I usually have to rub his back for a minute or two before he nods off

[daycarediva]

Lunch is at 1130
I set up for nap while they are eating lunch...
then they go potty, wash hands
get a story, and lay down for nap at 1230

lunch 11:30
I set up for nap and finish dishes while they eat. EVERYONE stays at the table. It takes new kids a few reminders "You may sit and eat, or sit and watch your friends eat, but you cannot leave the table."
I excuse them one by one, they potty/diapers, wash up
read a story
music goes on as soon as I finish the story (I pretend I can't hear them when the music starts playing. Even mime it while saying SHHHH and pointing to the music)
tuck in


Some kids don't make it past the music going on and the rest of the kids being tucked in. ::