Weaning off nap/quiet time activies for preschooler

[bonnie]

Hello,

I have a 3 year old (will turn 4 in November) going to school this year. I was wondering if you wean a preschooler off of their nap to get them ready for school.
If yes, at what point do you start weaning a preschooler off of their nap? I.e. mid July/August? Or does it depend on the child? This dcb is very high energy. He still naps for 1 hour a day but I don't think he will have an issue going napless. Do you have a discussion with the parents about their wake up time and advise them to put them down at night by a certain time? Or do you just discuss the nap only?

Also what do you do for quiet time activities so that you can get a little break too. I give him quiet toys and he plays with those for 1.5 hours already while I am cleaning the kitchen after lunch. I usually take a 1 hour break when he naps but now I'm thinking I might have to take him to the backyard for the second hour if he is awake the whole time. Any tips for what do while the others are napping?

TIA

[Suzie_Homemaker]

I don't wean them off their naps if they are still napping before school. School is out by 2.30pm anyway vs day care where they are here until 4.30pm. The school day begins later too. He'll survive.

[Peacefulbird]

Hi. I also don't wean naps but, I follow their growith chart and development, ex. Some children still need to nap and some don't anymore.
I currently have 3 kids going to school all three gave up their nap time around 4 months ago. I just follow what their behavior show's (ex. Able to skip nap but unable to handle self regulation skills by 3 pm then still needs naps which their behaviour also shows).

When this kiND of transitioning period shows ex. Children still energetic and don't want to nap anymore then, I discuss with parents and tell them to be on board by putting them in bed at 06:30 or latest by 07:00pm. So their children have enough rest for the next very active day.

If parents haven't followed then you will also see how their child behaves (usually lethargic or grumpy); in my experience parents love when their children give up their naps and they most likely follow my suggestion, I usually send information about how important is a childs good sleep for brain development and how detrimental could be if they do not have enough sleep (either at their home or mine they must have a good sleep). I absolutely work things out with parents I send to them my observations and I ask them if they've also noticed any changes.

In regards of my break, well I just go with the flow if I have nappers is obviously great but, if I don't have nappers is also great I have a curriculum set to work with preschoolers and that basically gives me a break instead dealing with just cute babies.

Lately, parents of my group have been cancelling evening activities because they've noticed that putting their kids early in bed actually gives them a break too from a hard busy work day.

My preschoolers are very independent they do their activities quietly, they also help with setting the room for the next day putting together things for our next day, sometimes we bake or get ready the snacks together. Their eating table is set basically next to the dishwasher and sink. They place their dishes in it and cloth in the sink, so it all keeps organized and not much too do for me. The room is clear, food done for the next day (with their help); etc. Parents are happy the kids are happy and I'm happy (it has also helped me to develop the habit of going early to bed too)

I have friends working in the school system and they basically have told me that if children in their group still naps they let them nap but they adjust very quickly too.

My suggestion would be, to increase his quiet independent hour and work with other activities my group spends a great deal of time on the art table. They pick their activity and just work on them.

Taking your child to the back yard could also be hard. Because he will be physically over tired and can cause fatigue effects (Children still need a quiet time when they give up their nap); try to increase his quiet time, give him some books to look through, puzzles, playdough, Legos, a tiny set up of water play. Etc. I also ask them to lie down on the carpet and we just unwind from our busy day we talk, we plan we do practise a bit of yoga etc. Just unwind (try to read the benefits of it for children and adults, our society is growing stressful because we haven't learned to unwind).

[bonnie]

I don't wean them off their naps if they are still napping before school. School is out by 2.30pm anyway vs day care where they are here until 4.30pm. The school day begins later too. He'll survive.

Thank you!

[bonnie]

Hi. I also don't wean naps but, I follow their growith chart and development, ex. Some children still need to nap and some don't anymore.
I currently have 3 kids going to school all three gave up their nap time around 4 months ago. I just follow what their behavior show's (ex. Able to skip nap but unable to handle self regulation skills by 3 pm then still needs naps which their behaviour also shows).

When this kiND of transitioning period shows ex. Children still energetic and don't want to nap anymore then, I discuss with parents and tell them to be on board by putting them in bed at 06:30 or latest by 07:00pm. So their children have enough rest for the next very active day.

If parents haven't followed then you will also see how their child behaves (usually lethargic or grumpy); in my experience parents love when their children give up their naps and they most likely follow my suggestion, I usually send information about how important is a childs good sleep for brain development and how detrimental could be if they do not have enough sleep (either at their home or mine they must have a good sleep). I absolutely work things out with parents I send to them my observations and I ask them if they've also noticed any changes.

In regards of my break, well I just go with the flow if I have nappers is obviously great but, if I don't have nappers is also great I have a curriculum set to work with preschoolers and that basically gives me a break instead dealing with just cute babies.

Lately, parents of my group have been cancelling evening activities because they've noticed that putting their kids early in bed actually gives them a break too from a hard busy work day.

My preschoolers are very independent they do their activities quietly, they also help with setting the room for the next day putting together things for our next day, sometimes we bake or get ready the snacks together. Their eating table is set basically next to the dishwasher and sink. They place their dishes in it and cloth in the sink, so it all keeps organized and not much too do for me. The room is clear, food done for the next day (with their help); etc. Parents are happy the kids are happy and I'm happy (it has also helped me to develop the habit of going early to bed too)

I have friends working in the school system and they basically have told me that if children in their group still naps they let them nap but they adjust very quickly too.

My suggestion would be, to increase his quiet independent hour and work with other activities my group spends a great deal of time on the art table. They pick their activity and just work on them.

Taking your child to the back yard could also be hard. Because he will be physically over tired and can cause fatigue effects (Children still need a quiet time when they give up their nap); try to increase his quiet time, give him some books to look through, puzzles, playdough, Legos, a tiny set up of water play. Etc. I also ask them to lie down on the carpet and we just unwind from our busy day we talk, we plan we do practise a bit of yoga etc. Just unwind (try to read the benefits of it for children and adults, our society is growing stressful because we haven't learned to unwind).

Thank you. Yes my 3 year old is high energy however, he does get tired in the afternoon. And it is very difficult for me to wake him up after his nap. He doesn't like waking up. I also know that he doesn't have a proper bed time routine at home. As in he is out and about with his dad doing this and that. Sometimes different family members take care of him while his single dad is working so I can't picture them putting him to bed early at this point. I hope that changes once he goes to school. So at this point I think I will keep him on his 1 hour nap unless something changes.

Thank you so much for all the different quiet time activities. I do see that he does get bored of his bin full of quiet toys. I'm not sure if that's normal for quiet time or not. But I will try out all the activity you have mentioned.

As for the backyard, I was more thinking backyard for an hour and quiet time for 1.5 hours to break up the time. My other kids nap for 2.5 hours. I'm not sure 2.5 hours is a long time to do quiet time should it come to that. How long is quiet time for your kids in total?

[Peacefulbird]

Thank you. Yes my 3 year old is high energy however, he does get tired in the afternoon. And it is very difficult for me to wake him up after his nap. He doesn't like waking up. I also know that he doesn't have a proper bed time routine at home. As in he is out and about with his dad doing this and that. Sometimes different family members take care of him while his single dad is working so I can't picture them putting him to bed early at this point. I hope that changes once he goes to school. So at this point I think I will keep him on his 1 hour nap unless something changes.

Thank you so much for all the different quiet time activities. I do see that he does get bored of his bin full of quiet toys. I'm not sure if that's normal for quiet time or not. But I will try out all the activity you have mentioned.

As for the backyard, I was more thinking backyard for an hour and quiet time for 1.5 hours to break up the time. My other kids nap for 2.5 hours. I'm not sure 2.5 hours is a long time to do quiet time should it come to that. How long is quiet time for your kids in total?

I currently have kids in different schedules but usually in a busy and active day is around 2 hrs. They wake up on their own usually. When we have long days (trail walk and picnic etc) 2 1/2 to 3 hrs (babies and nappers) Also they wake up when they're ready. Even in a long day and nap the kids are consistent going early to bed in the evening. The old ones we just relax unwind and do quiet activities.