Daily Schedule

[Teagansmom]

I just started 3 young ones who still need 2-3 naps a day. 2 are 5 month old twins. I was just curious of your daily schedules more so the nap times as ideally I would like all the kids to nap at the same time:unsure:, or do you think this will be impossible until the twin get a little older?

[Crayola kiddies]

Yup pretty much impossible till the twins get older ..... But you can start nudging their naps in the direction you want them. I would be ok as long as they slept in the aft at least half of the time as the other kids so I could at least have my lunch and a tea and put my feet up for a short time.....

[5 Little Monkeys]

I agree with crayola kiddies. Until they are older, they won't be able to be on the same nap schedule but for sure start pushing them towards that.

2- 5month olds and another young one on top of your other kids....kudos to you!! I couldn't do it lol

[gravy_train]

I agree with 5 Little Monkeys and Crayola. When I had younger (10 months old) kids in my daycare they had 2 naps per day - one at 9 (the children arrive at 7:30) and one at 12:30/1:00ish. I used the time during the morning nap to do a craft (or playdough, or baking, etc) with the older kids. I would let them sleep until about 10-10:30, give them a snack and go outside after that (weather permitting). Maybe you can start heading in that direction so that by 9 months or so they can follow that schedule. Another option might be to get a stroller that can accommodate everyone and start taking a daily walk during one of their naptimes so the older kids (and you) can get out?

[Teagansmom]

Thanks so much for all your inputs, i put the twins down at 9:15 and they slept about 45 min.

Yay me all are sleeping at the same time. All went down at 12:15, im hoping we can stick to this!

[Lee-Bee]

I have five 12-17 month olds. They nap from about 8:45-10am and again from 1-3pm. Some nap the full amount, some nap most of it and lie there the rest of the time. I wake some at 10am on the dot or they will keep sleeping and will be hard to go down come 1pm...others I let sleep until 10:30/10:45 and they still crash at 1pm.

I am in the process of slowly shifting morning nap earlier (hard to manage with so many to feed, change and get down!). This is so I can slowly make afternoon nap a bit earlier for when my kids are ready to switch to one nap. My goal is for naps to overlap as much as possible but once I have a mix of 1 nappers and 2 nappers then it will be harder as the one nap will be earlier (12ish).

My kids all have individual nap rooms, which helps. A couple of the kids were doing 1 nap a day when they started (11-1) but I switched them back to 2 naps pretty quickly as they were exhausted come 9am and they all crash with no fuss. Our day is just much busier than hanging out at home.

With 5 month olds it will be harder...but do your best to slowly shift things so they overlap naps as much as possible so you get down time.

[Teagansmom]

I think I have been pretty lucky so far (knock on wood). Today the babies went down at 9:00 yesterday it was 9:15. Today they slept for 1 1/2hrs. I just got all the kids including the babies to sleep at 12:30. I'm hoping it continues to stay like this. My age group is (2)5 months, 23 month part time, 3 yr and a 3 1/2 which is part time until 7pm (I will probably be terminating this week for on going behavioural issues)I will be starting a 1 yr old next week who's mom has been working within my schedule. She is part time and will be filling the 23 months days.

[Lee-Bee]

Make sure you relax and spoil yourself when they are all asleep! I always stock up on pop and chocolate when transitioning in a new child. I sit on my butt and pig out. So many things I should be doing, that I'll now be doing this evening instead, but you never know how the rest of the day/week will play out!!