Enforcing nap/quiet-time - help!!!

[DCMom]

Hi,
I'm on day 2 of my new home daycare and am off to a rough start with nap/quiet-time! Usually, my 2 dd's have no problem falling asleep in their beds or resting quietly in their rooms (if not sleeping). I have my younger alone and asleep in her room and our 3YO DK in the other bedroom with my 5.5YO who generally does not nap but will rest quietly. The 3YO will nap some days but not others, while at home. I tried to explain the 'rules' of 1. stay in your bed, and 2. quiet as a mouse, but they are just reading tons of books with occasional chatter and asking frequently if quiet time is done yet (and we still have 1 hour to go!!!). We had a pretty relaxing routine of lunch-quiet play-story-potty-bedtime with lullaby. What do I do?
TIA, Ariel

[Crayola kiddies]

You will have to separate the kids .... Put the dck on a cot or nap map by herself and say "shhh it's quiet time, no talking and no getting up. Don't give her a toy or a book until she has done as requested for at least half of your quiet/nap time. She will most likely fall asleep. Try to put her somewhere that you can glance at her occasionally and if she's moving around you can say something to her "please be still on your cot" once everyone is separate you should have no problems. Doesn't your 5 yr old go to school?

[fruitloop]

You need to enforce a mandatory lay down with no stimulation time...30 minutes is a good round time. Most kids if they're gonna fall asleep will do so within this time. I have dark rooms with relaxing spa type music playing to help their bodies relax. If after 30 minutes anyone is still awake, I will allow them to get up and watch a movie quietly. They are not allowed to get off the couch, they must stay sitting and watch it or they have to go back to bed...most kids that age will understand that consequence and will willingly sit and watch a movie. This will allow you to still have your break.

[Lou]

Yes, they absolutely need to be seperated!

[kidlove]

Give it time and work out the routine AND they need to get to know the rules and your authority. You just started, they just started, your kids are excited to "have company". Once everything becomes "routine" you will have NO PROBLEMS at all, just give it time. :)

[playfelt]

No toys during rest time. Rest time is about resting the eyes (closing them), body resting - body still. Relaxing in other words. I would make them lay this way for a minimum of 30 -45 minutes and if anything play a relaxing music tape. Then after 45 minutes they may get up and read quietly but not until you say. Separate if you can or even keep them with you as in you can monitor the be still part and if they fall asleep fine and if they don't well that was the plan all along so you then pass them a bin of books to read on their cots.

[Momof4]

They are excited about the changes in your home and some children take a lot of time to adjust to changes. Your own children and your daycare children need transition time. Be consistent and keep your rules in tact at all times.

[DCMom]

My 5YO has school just in the mornings.

[DCMom]

Thanks, everyone for your ideas. I will try to implement as much as possible tomorrow. A new offshoot question: what would be a reasonable rule for my own 5.5YO (rarely naps) during the quiet time?

[Momof4]

My 5 year old grandson comes to my daycare on his PD days and other holidays and my rules for naptime/quiet time are that everyone lays quietly in the dark for the entire time until everyone awakens. I only have two rooms for daycare/playing/sleeping/you name it! My living room/dining room. Anyway, I let my grandson bring his DS game to play and he quietly plays it for maybe 45 minutes then lays it down because it makes him tired and he sleeps for the next hour or so. Hope that helps for an idea or two for you.