Nap time - when they just don't get it.

All 3 of my little ones are horrible nappers. They all go down great, but more often than not, they are up crying after an hour. My nerves can't take it anymore, and I'm feeling like such a bad person for letting them CIO. They are all part time 3-4 days a week, and I know that each of their parents/grandparents get them as soon as they make a peep during the other days.

My 2 older ones (including my own) are horrible during their quiet time. They come out of their room, they get louder and louder no matter how many times I tell them to quiet down. They wake the others sometimes.

My son will be in JK full time in the fall and I was planning on closing next fall, but I honestly don't know if I can make it this long. All day long it's just take take take, and I don't know how much more I have to give. :crying:

Do you have any kids that sleep longer than an hour? If not, I would consider having nap an hour long and than back to normal. Some kids only sleep an hour and it sounds like you have a whole group of them! I am like you, I find it more stressful to listen to them cry for the last hour and it's not a break lol. If it's only occasional I can handle it and would let them CIO but if it were every day than I would just make nap an hour.

They wake up about 50% of the time. The rest of the time, they sleep to almost an hour.

If they are all up after an hour I would just get them up. No sense making the whole entire group cranky and screaming. For the older ones who don't nap - if they want to stay up they need to be quiet or they nap as well - no if ands or buts

are they getting lots and lots of activity in the morning? I know its hard with this weather but try being outside as long as possible. also do energy burning activities like dance parties, freeze dance, hopscotch, obstical courses etc. maybe try having them sleep in separate rooms if possible so they don't wake each other up with the crying. and white noise or music may help . i wonder how long they sleep at home for nap?
good luck though

The best purchase that I ever made for my daycare was a white noise machine! Wow! What a difference. I bought mine at Superstore - made by Conair $24.99. I use the "white noise" setting and put the kiddos down for naptime and don't hear a thing! I actually bought 5 of them haha! I have a babbler, and a banshee screamer. I also put the noisiest one in the furthest away bedroom of my house, the good sleepers all sleep in the same room.
While I agree with the others about getting up after an hour, honestly an hour is not a long enough break in my opinion. I know for me, it takes me nearly an hour to clean up and eat my lunch. I think you should keep them napping for 2 hours. Good luck to you!

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Originally Posted by Sassygirl

The best purchase that I ever made for my daycare was a white noise machine! Wow! What a difference. I bought mine at Superstore - made by Conair $24.99.

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Is this actually called a white noise machine? I'm looking for one, too :)

I agree, one hour is not enough time to be napping for little people.

Maybe you are missing that window of opportunity to get them down? Using my group as an example, I was trying to push nap back to 1-3 from 12:30-3. Mine were taking a really long time to fall asleep and wouldn't sleep for long, one would sometimes not even fall asleep at all! I thought that by pushing nap time back it would solve that problem. Wrong! Then pne day I put them down at 12.... and they were out within 10 mins and slept for 2 good hours. If I wait until after 12:30 it's game over for them. Almost like they've caught their second wind by that point. Maybe try shifting the nap time forward?

The kids don't decide how long quiet time is...you do. Put them down, close the door, come back in two hours. It won't take them long to realize that's how it is at daycare.

Non-nappers play quietly, or they get naps themselves. One warning, no negotiation.
You'll have maybe one week of noise during naptime, then blissful quiet from then
on.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ahnys

The kids don't decide how long quiet time is...you do. Put them down, close the door, come back in two hours. It won't take them long to realize that's how it is at daycare.

Non-nappers play quietly, or they get naps themselves. One warning, no negotiation.
You'll have maybe one week of noise during naptime, then blissful quiet from then
on.

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Yes this exactly

I read this a lot on this site...do you really not check on them for the 2 hours?

I have always had an audio baby monitor and now have a video one. Do you at least have these in all the rooms they sleep in so you can at least always hear or see them?