Cutting out a child's naptime when they are not ready.

The parents on one of my DCK want me to cut their child nap out. The only problem is this child needs his nap!!! No nap makes a very cranky child and he is very hard to deal with. Right now I`m cutting his nap time down to 45-60 mins at their request. He refuses to get out of bed and yells and cries. He`s 3 1/2 and I think he needs the 2 hour nap time. How should I deal with these parents that insist hes ready and don`t have to deal with the fallout everyday? His negitive behavior is not fair to the other children after nap time.

Hi GrinsNGiggles,
Make sure you fully communicate to his parents just how miserable and cranky he gets without a nap. Also, maybe try and find out why they are so insistent on cutting out his nap. It may be that he is sleeping poorly at night and they feel that by cutting out his daytime nap, they will get an easier ride in the evenings! Good luck, let us know how you get on!

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Originally Posted by LisaQ

Hi GrinsNGiggles,
Make sure you fully communicate to his parents just how miserable and cranky he gets without a nap. Also, maybe try and find out why they are so insistent on cutting out his nap. It may be that he is sleeping poorly at night and they feel that by cutting out his daytime nap, they will get an easier ride in the evenings! Good luck, let us know how you get on!

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totally my thoughts. Could you consider discussing moving the nap time a little or shortening the nap as an alternative to eliminating it all the way?

Parents often tell me that their child doesn`t have a morning nap for instance on the weekends and wonder why I still put the child down or for an older child that they go down earlier here than at home or sleep longer. What parents often forget is that they may be letting the child sleep in on weekends meaning if they wake them early during the week the child needs to make up that time with a short morning nap or if they sleep in later they still start their nap 6 hours after waking up but again if up early to come during the week 6 hours is earlier. When parents start to question the sleeping I try to get them down earlier and leave them the same 2 hours they need but then it means they are up a bit earlier so there is more time till bedtime. Fussy kids because of tiredness go to bed and stay there till the fussies are gone. It is not to me, the child or the other children to do it any other way.

LisaQ that is why they want to cut out his naptime. For a few nights he has not fallen asleep till 10pm but all the other weeks he goes to bed as normal. The also let him watch treehouse in his room to fall asleep. I think he is just in a stage right now like a lot of kids go through and things will go back to normal soon. Maybe turning off the tv before going to bed might help him more! I`m going to move him to a different sleep area and keep getting him up earlier as the parents request but if after a week he is still difficult to deal with I will have a talk with his parents.

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Originally Posted by GrinsNGiggles

The also let him watch treehouse in his room to fall asleep.

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Watching TV before bed stimulates the brain; which is bad especially for children who need to get the quoted number of hours of sleep.

Naps are a non-negotiable part of my daycare. Children will get naps from 12-2pm, or sit on their cots for quiet time during that period. I need my breaks as much as the children need a break!!

I want all the children to be well-rested because then my day is easier. I'm in this business for the love of the children, but I don't want to be miserable while doing it...and non-napping 1-4 year olds will make me and the other children miserable. LOL.

Sleep begets sleep...google Dr. Weissbluth...he's a pediatrician who has run a sleep disorder clinic out of Chicago's Children's hospital for the past 30 years and has lots of documentation supporting naps for 3-4 year olds, as well as an early bedtime, no TV before bed, ect.

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Originally Posted by Emilys4Guppies

Naps are a non-negotiable part of my daycare. Children will get naps from 12-2pm, or sit on their cots for quiet time during that period. I need my breaks as much as the children need a break!!

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This is so true Emily! What some parents don't realize is that we work 8-9 hours without proper breaks. Yes, we work from home, but we're caring for others children. When the kids nap/rest, we have our proper break! It's my rest time!

Naps are very important for children. The amount of sleep should not be changed for parent/provider convenience. Every child is different and I guess it differs from child to child but depriving of sleep is not great.

Age Nighttime Sleep Daytime Sleep * Total Sleep
1 month 8 1/2 7 (3) 15 1/2
3 months 10 5 (3) 15
6 months 11 3 1/4 (2) 14 1/4
9 months 11 3 (2) 14
12 months 11 1/4 2 1/2 (2) 13 3/4
18 months 11 1/4 2 1/4 (1) 13 1/2
2 years 11 2 (1) 13
3 years 10 1/2 1 1/2 (1) 12
*Note: number of naps in parentheses

Ref

http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-much...d-need_7645.bc

Exactly! Quiet time is the one time of day that I know I'll be able to SIT to eat something, drink a cup of HOT coffee, and prep/plan. It is absolutely necessary for everyone. Even the kids who don't sleep benefit greatly from a quiet time where they aren't dealing with everyone else, and we can all enjoy our own space.

Days that my infant doesn't nap (the only one I can't reason with, lol) are hard because I'm so 'touched out' by the end of it that I'm not the best wife to my husband or mother to my own children. I have to consider my own personal life, as well as those of my families.

Have you ever heard the term "sleep begates sleep"... sometimes when a child is overtired it is harder to put them to bed a night, then in turn harder to get them to nap, then a later bedtime then.... it is a vicious cycle...

At my house if you are to old to nap then you are to old to come to my daycare.

Nap time is non negotiable here too. All children must lay down for a quiet time. If they don't sleep, that's fine but they must lay there. For my "non-napper", she must lay on the couch and watch a movie. I have the movie on very quiet and 9/10 she falls asleep and sleeps for most of my quiet time.

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned is, it is very stimulating to share, take turns etc. with so many other children! So, children that don't need a nap at home DO need a nap at daycare!

My 22 month old does not nap for her parents very often. But she'll nap for me for up to 4 hours if I will let her! She's used to my routine, and sometimes falls asleep before having lunch. But with my home daycare, I treat it as if they're at home, and not at a daycare.

For example today, she fell asleep at 11 a.m., and I had to wake her up at 2:30 p.m. Then we tried to have lunch, but she's backed up (and is tooting lots!).

As of today I have moved nap time up an hour and I`m going to ask his parents in the morning how he slept`. I have spoken to his mom and explained that here he is go go go all day and needs to sleep. I will have to wait and see how things work out. Thanks for the advice everyone.:)

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Originally Posted by Play and Learn

My 22 month old does not nap for her parents very often. But she'll nap for me for up to 4 hours if I will let her! She's used to my routine, and sometimes falls asleep before having lunch. But with my home daycare, I treat it as if they're at home, and not at a daycare.

For example today, she fell asleep at 11 a.m., and I had to wake her up at 2:30 p.m. Then we tried to have lunch, but she's backed up (and is tooting lots!).

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I do too. I find that my own children do best with a routine they can look forward too and that's why we have a scheduled naptime. Even before we had a daycare I had a set routine because I've seen how my kids react to having a routine. I also like how having a set routine means that our bedtime is predetermined...it means that my evenings with my husband are always set in stone. I know with my own children, when I let them nap when they wanted it would mess up bedtime occasionally and my evenings are important to DH and I. Just my take on why we have a set naptime and did before my home was a daycare too.

I am dealing with the exact same thing right now. The parents want me to cut out the nap of their 22 month old?!
Yesterday was the first day they had asked me to not give her a nap and not only was it exhausting for me and confusing for my other 3.5 year old daycare child, but she was so tired that she fell asleep on the 2 min drive to school to pick up the kids. She continued to sleep as I got her out of the carseat, carried her to pick up the kids then back into the carseat. She didnt wake up until we got home where I laid her on the couch and took off her coat and hat. Obviously she needed a nap if she fell asleep within seconds of driving in the van. She apparently sleeps better at night without the nap. If it stays like that I think I will suggest maybe just moving her nap earlier or cutting it short instead of cutting it right out.
On top of that I was exhausted since her nap time (12-2) is usually my "break". Her brother who is 3.5 was also confused by it because when she naps it is his time to do an activity that she is too young for, marbles, colouring, playdoh etc. I basically have to redo my whole routine and do without my break.
Any idea how to create a quiet time for a 22 month old without her falling asleep? Im pretty sure if shes that tired a movie would put her to sleep (if I could find a movie that would keep her attention).

I would probably do the earlier naptime or keep them both up to play together while you put the others down. Then for the last half of naptime lay her down which presumably she will fall asleep right away or if not at least have a rest time. That gives the brother a time to do his thing. Get everyone up at the same time and hopefully if you are into an active time and eating she will wake up.

Don't forget that if this child attends full day school in jk, I believe and please correct me if I'm wrong but they have a nap time in the afternoon. Length I would guess an hour but again not 100 % sure about that. Naps in my contract in bold black letters is mandatory, and not negotable.
I want my time too!

I read a great sleep article from a sleep expert I'll try and see if I can find it on my email and I'll let you know. But part of it said that all children's brains need that rest time it is very important for brain develop. this is when the brain does its "work". Anyway it was a really great article. I will be referring to it if and when I need it. It also says something to the effect that napping till 3 should not affect their bedtime routine. ummm , I would say 2:30-2:45, 3 is a bit late. Myself however if you do not want your 22 month old to sleep in the afternoon, find another daycare, and good luck with that, not sure who wants that age up all day. Makes me tired!

I just use the Day Nurseries Act as my defence which says all children up to age 5 need to be offered a chance to sleep after lunch but that any children that can't sleep should be allowed to play quietly. For me that means you lay down for an hour and then we talk. Have rarely had a child that could last without falling asleep. Yes in full day they offer the rest. The children had to provide their own nap mats and blankets too for the one my ex daycare child went to.

If your child has outgrown their nap they have outgrown my daycare.

Enough said.:yes:

So I found a great article on sleep advice from a sleep expert. It was in the Educatall.com newsletter I was getting through email... I have it if any one would like it just send me a message I can email it too you. You could try to google it I haven't tried not sure if your able to it. I say what you guys, girls say, I'm sorry but chances are they will be sleeping or laying down in jk and possibly sk in full-time. They need to be used to it so they are not distruptive in class at quiet time and the parents don't get a phone call. Thats my feeling. I tell my parents this. Otherwise good luck on finding someone who wants children up the whole time. This is our only break/house cleaning time we have during the day.