Some questions from a Newbie!

[mama2_3]

Hi there! I just opened my daycare a couple of weeks ago and have a few questions on what you would do. My 16 month old charge is a dream to watch and I am so glad my first experience has been so positive. Her usual nap is 1- 1.5 hours but sometimes she wakes after 45 mins. In that situation what do you do? My other kids nap for 1.5 hours and my 5 year old does quiet activities and/or watches a tv show during nap time. I've taken to sticking her on the couch with Barney while I finish up my afternoon prep before the other kids get up, but I'm wondering if there is a way to help her sleep longer.

Circle time- do you make the toddlers sit with the group or let them wander? If you make them sit do you just keep getting up, fetching them and returning them? It seems like that would be more disruptive than letting them play quietly nearby. Usually both my toddlers (14 and 16 mos) will wander back for a favourite story or song then wander off again for a bit, but they are listening to all the songs and stories while playing quietly. I don't want to set a double standard though if/when I get other, older kids in care.

Trips to the park- both my 14 and 16 month old just love climbing the stairs at the park:rolleyes: so far I've taken to parking my tushie on the stairs and helping them so they don't fall. 14 mos old knows to climb down backwards but 16 mos wants to walk down and isn't coordinated enough! I've tried showing her how to back down but she's not getting it yet. And sometimes I need to get up and deal with the other kids, but I can't leave the toddlers on the stairs to imperil themselves! what do you do in that situation?

Other than that I'm happy to report everything is running really smoothly! :D

[cfred]

Hello! Brand new to the biz huh? So glad to hear it's going well! This is a great spot to get advice. Many of us in here have been in daycare for years....20 yrs myself (13 of those in home daycare). This website is full of great resources and information.

The sleeping issue - as harsh as it may sound, leave her in her crib. That's what I would do. She may have a hard time with it at first, but will quickly adapt and that's better for her as well. She will (in all likelihood) start sleeping longer as she'll learn that she's not going to be brought out. She may cry and kick up a fuss for a little bit, but don't worry about that. After a few days or a week of doing this, she'll sort it out and learn that waking up does not mean she's getting up. Kids often wake up between sleep cycles and go back to sleep. Once we start getting them out of bed, a pattern is established in which she understands that if she wakes early, she's coming out. If she cries, don't sweat it. Go in and check on her, but don't pick her up. She will learn to self soothe, which is also a valuable tool for her.

Circle time - All the kids in my group right now are infants and toddlers and they all sit for circle. They all WANT to be there and I'll tell you how I've done that and maybe it'll be of some use to you. I do allow new toddlers to leave circle. I certainly don't want to stress a kid out by forcing them to sit. But my experience has been that they always wander back. What we're doing captures their interest and it just looks like more fun to them. The last little guy missed half of one circle...that's it. Now he sits. It helps to have very realistic goals for circle time. Our goal is to get through a story and 4-5 songs - that's it. Keep it simple and most importantly, keep it active. I read the same few books for about 3 weeks. I always look at the books ahead of time to see that I can add in actions and sounds so that the kids can participate in the story too, rather than just listen. When the same stories are used for a period of time, the kids start to anticipate what will happen next and you can see them get ready to do the next action. Now, when we read 'The Foolish Tortoise', all the kids start waving their hands in the air for the page with the wind through the trees.....you get the idea. We do the same 4-5 songs for weeks - all high action songs like Mr Sun, 5 Little Ducks, etc. Once the kids have those down, I introduce a new song. After a while, you've got a wider repertoire of songs that the kids know. Now, with 16mos to 2 yr olds I have, when I say it's time for circle, they immediately help tidy the toys and scramble to sit in a circle. It's pretty cool!

The Park - When I did my ECE training and worked in daycare centres, the general rule of engagement at the park was this - "If you can't do it yourself, you can't do it". No wobbly toddlers on the stairs, no climbing monkey bars, etc, etc. This way, a child will not find themselves in a pickle when you can't reach them. It's one thing to pick a child up and place them on a slide or in a swing. It's quite another to have them climbing stairs or, somehow managing to get up to the higher levels. With some of those high drops, I wouldn't ever chance it. At this point, with my group, we just don't go to the park. I know they'll want to do stuff I'm not comfortable with, so we just go for walks and hang out in the toddler friendly playground I set up in the back yard.

Congrats on the new business venture!

[Other Mummy]

Welcome:wave:

cfred gave you excellent advice. This forum is a great tool for newbies (and oldies :). As for the Park advice again.. spot on!

[Momof4]

Glad you found our forum, welcome mama2_3.

I agree that Cfred gave you great advice already. As far as circle time, that's something I've had trouble with too. I can't get my under 2's to pay attention half the time so I started reading books at afternoon snacktime while I have them all pinned down in their boosters at the table. I don't actually read the words from the books sometimes, instead I point to the pictures, use funny voices and hand movements, that keeps them interested more than just reading all the words, that's how I lose them.

On an inside bad weather day I sit down and start singing songs with finger movements that they love or surprise them with the puppets or feltboard and sometimes it works great and they will engage. If I start to lose their interests and only 2 are left paying attention I keep going because even though you don't think the other children who are wandering around are absorbing what you are doing or saying, they ARE! But it helps to repeat the same songs at the beginning so they recognize it's time to sit down and pay attention. Repetition sounds boring to adults but it's what toddlers need.

As far as the park is concerned, we have 2-3 park trips/week so I feel your pain! I rarely get to sit, I'm constantly going back and forth from child to child. My daycare children are pretty good going up the stairs, it's those open gaps at the top to the climbing parts that freak me out and I don't want one of them to fall through so as they walk across I'm dashing back and forth under the climber from open space to open space above me.

[sunnydays]

The other ladies have given great advice! I do my circle time on little mats in a circle and sing songs with actions (I make sure to alternate between standing and sitting songs and they are all action based and interactive). They all totally love it! But you have to keep it short and keep the pace brisk at that age. For the park, I bring lots of sand toys and for the little ones that age I don't let them up on the structure until later on when they are more stable on their legs and know not to throw themselves off the structure. Welcome to the forum! There is soooo much to be learned here :)

[angelsmith]

Hi, I have been doing part time child care from my home for about 3 1/2yrs now. I have recently gone "full-time" and am having an issue with quiet time for older kids and their parent. I really need some advice.

I have a 6yr old and 7 yr old sister/bother who do not nap anymore. this is fine, however I do require them to have quiet time while my younger kids sleep. I usually put everyone in a seperate space. the two older ones have books/puzzles/stuffies and know they have to be quiet. Occationally, one or both of them fall asleep (I assume then that they NEED a nap!)
The parent is quite upset with this and is INSISTING that I do away with the quiet time altogether.
I have tried to explain the benifits for a quiet time but she is not accepting of this and is quite angry.

Please help. Am i doing the right thing? I believe kids need a "down time" in the afternoon. If I don't do it (I experimented) then they are cranky and fight constantly. Also, I need the quiet time for my Little kiddies to sleep and for me to re-group..

How can I relay this to the mom without sounding rude and controllling? What is the general concensis for 6 / 7 yr olds.

Thank you all so much!

[Momof4]

What do you do? Exactly what you are doing. Except you tell the parents only if they ask that the children rested on their cots (or wherever) because that is the rule for quiet/nap time. They read, they played games, puzzles, etc. Do NOT tell them if the children sleep.

We all know that if children fall asleep then their bodies need the rest but if they don't fall asleep that's ok too, but children must be quiet at pretty much all of our daycare for the sake of the smaller children who must sleep.

Sometimes we tell the parents what they want to hear and mysteriously the children are sleeping better at night and going to bed without any problems. It's psychological for the parents, so if we keep them calm and happy the children don't feel any stress. Make sense? Happier families! Don't lie, just omit a couple of things!

[Momof4]

By the way, I know a lot of parents will hate the advice I just put into print. But I'm a parent too. I really believe that children will only fall asleep if they NEED sleep. And I believe that part of my job is to help parents learn as well as the long days I spend giving me all to their children.

[playfelt]

One issue I see for the 6 and 7 year olds is that with school coming up they need to master the art of staying awake all day whether they are tired or not as the teacher won't be allowing them to dose off during math class or story time.

I would put them at the table with the same quiet activities not laying down with them. The goal here is for them to stay out of your way while you enjoy some quiet time space.

[angelsmith]

Thank you ladies.
Momof4 perphaps it is ok to sugarcoat a bit. It may save the argument.
playfelt, I have been doing just that. sometimes they will just put themselves on the couch. I don't stop them.

I dont think the mom realizes that I have more that just her kids during the day. Or it doesn't matter to her. Very frustrating.

I appreaciate the assurance.

[Crayola kiddies]

Put a movie on for them ..... I don't allow tv in my daycare but my own school age kids watch tv or go outside during quiet time and that allows me to have some down time too. Or try doing some baking with them or get them to help prepare the afternoon snack. School goes back in 1 week so will be a non issue. If I was that parent I too would not want my 6 and 7 year old sleeping in the afternoon either ..... Quiet time yes ... Sleeping ? NO!

[angelsmith]

haha! Crayola kiddies how did you know?? I put a movie on this afternoon for the 6/ 7 year old. all was going well until she touched him and a fight broke out.
They are now in seperate rooms with books.
I really am ok with them not sleeping. But I don't think quiet time or space from each other is too much to ask!
My little ones sleep til 2 / 2:30

[Crayola kiddies]

Well then she would have been removed since she was the instigator and he would have been allowed to continue with the movie and I would remind them tomorrow that they get the privelage of watching a movie so don't screw it up. Tomorrow they would be on different couches or on the floor away from one another. I would speak with the parent and let her know she needs to have a discussion with her kids about their behaviour or they will be napped because they can not follow the rules and get along

[mamaof4]

Welcome! These women are great, you'll get great advice.