Length of nap time

[jec]

Hey ladies
I used to have a group that all slept for 2 hrs and oh how I miss them for that reason :crying:
I've got a group now that don't all sleep for 2 hrs...I've got one little one who gets up after one hour every day....some 1.25 and so on.
I always get that little one out of the playroom where every one else is sleeping and my brake is no more as this one is constant!

Do you all just take your one hour break or do you have them lay down for some quiet time for longer?

The one thing I have learned and know for sure about this business, is that you can burn out quick! I've met a lot of providers that are tired, worn out and don't have the energy for their own family. I don't want to become that person. I want to continue doing this long term.
I've learned to run my business just as that, a business. I do sit down with the kids and not always doing something for example if we are playing outside but, my senses are always on and watching so it's not really a break. Our days are long and I've shorted my hours from when I first started from 7am until 6pm to 7am to 5pm but it's a long day when your in the house and not driving from one place to another. As providers we need to get out of the house for not only the kids but, ourselves! Then my break is running around cleaning, laundry and getting dinner on the stove top etc so I can have family time at the end of the day.

Is it selfish of me to make the little one have some resting quiet time for longer...not another hour but 1/2 hr for myself? It can be either a 9 or 10 hr day. Do I need to just suck it up

[daycarewhisperer]

Two and a half hours EVERY day. Only exception is when I have newborns in the house. The kids birth to two take a 1.5 hour nap every morning also.

[Crayola kiddies]

No not at all .... All my dcks go down between 12 and 12:30 and with the exception of one child (cause he is picked up at 3) they are all required to stay in their beds till 3 even if they are awake.

[kidlove]

I would say on an average day I will get 1.5 to 2 hours break at nap time. With nap stretching from about 1pm to 3:30 sometimes even 4pm. I will put the little ones down at the first of nap and the older are usually aloud to watch one show on TV, then "rest" some fall asleep and some just lay there, but ALL are required to REST. No talking, no wiggling just lay still (give me a break:)) and rest. YES! It is easy to get "burned out" that it why things like rest time or nap and independent play are so important to us (also important to the childs developement) ...in short? Nothing wrong with having a child take a little longer rest period, even if you pull the little one out of the room with the others, train him to lay on the couch with a book quietly.
ps. Thats another thing I do: as the kids all wake from resting they are expected to sit quietly look at a book or just lay until the others are up. "having RESPECT" is what we call it :) :)

[Other Mummy]

In this business you do burn out very fast. I just went thru a burnout and I've only been open for a year :blink:

My crew goes down at 1:00 and stays down until 3:00 minimum. If anyone is up before then, then they have to stay quiet and relax their little bodies until 3:00. I have one 4 1/2 year old who is starting school in Sept. that does not sleep anymore. But without exception, she is to lay quietly and rest for the 2 hours. We are ALWAYS on in this profession. It is exhausting. We deserve a break for our sanity, and to function and be the best daycare provider we can to our DCK's.

If your crew is not sleeping, then have them lay quietly. Go have a coffee, turn on the news, read a magazine. Whatever it takes to recharge your batteries. AND do NOT feel guilty or badly.

[apples and bananas]

I require a minimum of 2 hours. I have a new little one that won't sleep longer then an hour, but I still go up when he wakes and place him back down. No one get's out of bed earlier then 2pm.

You're right about the burn out. I'm feeling it this week. I have one that starts as early as 6am some mornings and the early mornings are killing me! Not sure what to do about it thought, she's been with me since the beginning and no real reason to terminate, other then my sanity... that's hard to explain in a term letter. LOL

After reading these posts I'm considering pushing everyone to 2 and 1/2 hours instead of just the 2.

[Inspired by Reggio]

How old is the little one who is only sleeping an hour? Are the 'coping' with that hour through the afternoon themselves or do they have emotional meltdowns when things do not go their way?

I have had wee ones who will go through a phase where they 'wake up' at the hour mark and cry out as part of their sleep cycle but if I give them 5-10 minutes they always fall back to sleep again for another one to one and a half hours.

I would 'try' to see if the child will go back specially if they are wee and are not coping in the afternoon emotionally with the shorter naps ... if they are consistently not returning to sleep after being given a chance than I would get them up as long as I had been allowed at least ONE hour of actual break and as long as they can 'engage in quiet play' so not to disturb the others who need to sleep ~ otherwise if they are 'louder' when they get off the cot than they stay 'resting' to support the others need for sleep.

[kidlove]

apples and bananas: how does your "early" morning child come to you? Is she just raring to go when she comes in the door? I open at 6:30, (changing to 7:30 in 2 weeks after almost 10 yrs) alot of times I will suggest to the parents, because it is so early and that to me is not a "natural" time to be up for a child that small, I will ask if they would like to bring the child in pj's so they can lay back down when they get here, and rise at a more comfortable time for them. That way we all win, the parent has a easier morning not having to fight the irregular waking time for the child, I get my quiet am, my kids get to sleep longer due to no "noisy ones" bombarding through the door, and the child gets much needed rest for a better day. Then when its awake time everyone get out of bed, gets dressed and off to breakfast. Works here! :)

[jec]

How old is the little one who is only sleeping an hour?
Sorry ladies, I should have been more clear...this little one is coming on 2 and used to be my longest sleeper and things are changing and is takes about 1/2 hr to even fall asleep. He had constant ear infections when he first started, got tubes in his ears and now doesn't sleep long at all. I think he likes hearing! I do however have white noise going so not sure if it's just a different sound being able to have his ears cleared or, just getting out of naps. He goes down very early at night and sleeps late in the morning.

My newest addition and youngest is sleeping no problem and is the longest ~ thankfully !!!

[jec]

You're right about the burn out. I'm feeling it this week. I have one that starts as early as 6am some mornings and the early mornings are killing me!

6am! :eek: What are your hours??

[Inspired by Reggio]

Ya Jec at two I would be inclined to think this is sleep resistance and has nothing to do with not needing sleep and everything to do with them reaching that stage when thy realize things occur while they sleep and they do not want to miss it ... I would keep expecting him to lay quietly and go back to the sleep he was having prior .... I had one that age do the same thing for a few weeks and the expectation to rest quietly consistently sent each day he is back to sleeping well again :)

[apples and bananas]

apples and bananas: how does your "early" morning child come to you? Is she just raring to go when she comes in the door? I open at 6:30, (changing to 7:30 in 2 weeks after almost 10 yrs) alot of times I will suggest to the parents, because it is so early and that to me is not a "natural" time to be up for a child that small, I will ask if they would like to bring the child in pj's so they can lay back down when they get here, and rise at a more comfortable time for them. That way we all win, the parent has a easier morning not having to fight the irregular waking time for the child, I get my quiet am, my kids get to sleep longer due to no "noisy ones" bombarding through the door, and the child gets much needed rest for a better day. Then when its awake time everyone get out of bed, gets dressed and off to breakfast. Works here! :)

I should have been more specific. She's 7, lol. So, it's in front of the TV she goes and off to the shower I go. If I could give her a key I would LOL and she could let herself in. It's just the early rise that's getting to me. I'm a 7am person. Any earlier I don't feel refreshed at all!

[cfred]

I've found the magic number to be 2.5 to 3 hours every afternoon. No exceptions. Don't, don't DON'T pull them out early when still adjusting to the schedule change. If you do, it makes the transition so much harder to complete. It will work, but it will take a little time. It takes some time to get everyone in sync, but it always works in the end. Everyone wakes up happy, well rested and ready to play till closing. Little ones from 4 or 6 months to about 10 months also require an hour or so in the morning. I try to weed that one out before a year so everyone can be on the same schedule. After 11 years, I've found this a very successful formula. Of course, as the kids get older and don't require a nap, this changes somewhat. They must have a quiet time for the duration of one movie with a blanket and pillow, then a quiet activity that I provide for 1 hour until the little ones get up. Even the bigger kids need a break....from the day, from each other, from me. It's a nice chance for everyone to recharge their batteries.

[Littledragon]

Not selfish! My kids stay in their playpens for TWO hours whether they are sleeping or not. If you keep him or her in the playpen for the duration of the nap time (2 hours) he or she will learn to sleep for 2 hours. There are no exceptions in this house. They take the two hours, no ifs ands or buts.

[apples and bananas]

I've always been happy if I get 2 hours, but after reading this thread I changed my tune. Now I want nothing less then 2 1/2 hours! None of them can climb out of their playpen so that is where they will stay until at least 2:30. I have a new one whos 12 months old. He is a horrible napper! But today I decided, no matter what he does he is not getting lifted out of that play pen until 2:30. He woke up twice, put himself back to sleep both times and woke up finally at 2:35. It was nice. :)

[dodge__driver11]

Yeah for me its 2.5 hours- 3 hours no exceptions! :) And I really enjoy it LOL

[Momof4]

Jec, I hope he's going through a phase and goes back to sleeping longer very soon! Most of my dckids sleep 2 hours but one little boy who is 21 months takes 1/2 an hour to fall asleep and I stay in the room with them waiting for him to finally drift off, then I take 1 1/2 hours to read and rest and come back into the room at the 2 hour mark.

As soon as he hears me he is awake again so he gets a lot less sleep than the others. But I'm right here laying him down and telling him to be quiet because his friends are still sleeping and he lays there. So my rule is that once 2 or more children start to wake up I start to get the diapers changed and let the rest of them wake as naturally and quietly as possible.

It is really important for you to rest at quiet time. You really don't want to burn out, you're right.

[jec]

Thanks ladies!
I'm going to have the kids rest for a bit longer ~ 1.5 to 2 hrs. Then take my break first!!

[kidlove]

That makes sense, apples and bananas. 7 yrs, she is also going off to school in another couple weeks....then back to later wakey!? :)