Parents not wanting 3yr old to nap ????

Napping is something parents question without thinking. I have a 14 month old right now that still has a morning and afternoon nap. Mom can't understand why she naps in the morning still since she doens't on the weekends. She is upset because child is missing out on "school" learning time which we do during morning naptime. But then when you question mom you find out child wakes at 5:30 but goes back to bed till after 8am. During the week she is gotten up 5:30-6 and fed to be at my house by 7am. So she has two hours of extra sleep on the weekend which she now needs to make up on weekdays.

I don't provide service to children who don't need a full afternoon nap. When I say "full" I mean a 2.5 hour break with NOTHING to do but lay in bed and sleep. I don't offer "quiet" activities or TV. NOTHING but sleep.

I am never in the business of deciding if they do or don't need one. I've had "no nap" requests for infants to five year olds. The age of the child makes no difference to me. If they don't NEED a nap then they must move to a program that offers a "no nap" option. No exceptions. It's not personal. I understand that there are children from birth to five who don't need to nap. They just aren't a population I can serve.

For me its very simple : everybody is down for nap from 12:45 to 2:45... no later since kids from school arrive and everyone is napping in the playroom. So its only 2 hours but it has been working great. When parents told me at registration that the kid doesnt nap anymore, give them a book or a puzzle or something, my answer is no, everyone MUST lie down and rest, quietly. Even is no sleep, you rest !! I NEED that break too !!!!

I have clearly stated in my contracts that any child 4 and under must take part in nap time or this daycare is not the right fit. I further with explanation why: stating I feel firmly that IF a child of that age does not recieve proper rest through the day, their behavior will show negatively not to mention children need rest to have proper health as well! It is a requirement while in may care at that age....after 4 i have had parents request their child not rest during the day, to that I will explain I do expect a quiet period each day from all children in care, explaining to the older children that respect for the younger kids and their rest is priority, and IF any child falls asleep during rest period I WILL NOT keep them awake. If a child sleeps? their body needs the rest....I do offer to wake them early IF the parent is having issues with sleep at night. I personally feel that parents are taking bed time a little too far in some cases, who put their child to bed at 6-7 pm? they pick them up from care at 5-5:30 rush home, feed them, bathe them, and put them to bed. No family time? no play time? like little robots these kids are!!!!!! nothing wrong with 8-9pm bed time IMO. and if they have to get up early in the am (which is much the excuse from parents these days) they can assure with the proper placement of their child in a good quality daycare, they will get that extra rest that is needed through the day! :)

Even school age kids home on PD or summer benefit from a being separate part of the day to regroup. When I had my own home plus any other school age back then the first hour of naptime was alone time meaning they chose something that they could do by themselves without interaction with another child or me in a place by themselves so curl up and read a book, colour, etc. That made it quiet for those needing to fall asleep and gave me an hour to clean up from lunch, eat my lunch and do what I needed to do without interruption. When all was done we would then do a "big kid" activity till the little ones got up - a privilege they could lose if I had to waste my hour to deal with them not being alone quietly.

There were a lot less issues in terms of behaviour if they had a break from each other.

This is in my handbook, and if the child is unable to cope with this, then they are asked to find other care arrangements.

The designated daily quiet time is 12:30-3:15 p.m. each day. Your child may lay quietly and read in their beds. However they will not be allowed to be up and about during the designated quiet time, as this disturbs children that are asleep.

And you know? They don't even get through the book, 9/10 they fall asleep w/ no "fight" about it...