MORE nap questions-need advice.

[Daycare123]

Hey everyone,

I have a nap room - so all the kids sleep in the same room.

WWYD with a child that is having trouble napping? Not used to napping much at home.

Thanks in advance!

[Inspired by Reggio]

I do not have this issue anymore because I have them all spaced out as the 'group space' was not working for us and I ended up not getting a 'break' because I was having to 'help' kids back to sleep cause the others would make sleeping noises and wake each other up.

However what I did 'prior' to separating them was when they were 'new' I stayed IN the sleep room and kept lying them down and 'shhing' them or rubbing their back so that the others could go to sleep ~ if they woke up screaming mid sleep I would go back in and do that over again and so forth so that the other kids were able to try to sleep ~ but in the end I was lucky if I got an 1.5 of 'quiet time' and most of that time I spent IN the sleep room settling kids back to sleep and it stressed me out ~ which is why they are all in their own spaces now and most days I am waking kids up after 3 hours of ACTUAL quiet time now

[Daycare123]

Reggio- I hear ya! I am hoping that I don't have to separate them because right now my daycare is self-contained which means when I come upstairs I am in my home with no daycare equipment etc. I like it that way. I know it can be done-every centre I have ever worked in had all the kiddies sleep in the same room. Fingers crossed it works out!!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Yup I hear ya ~ I admit to resisting for the longest time as well trying to make it work ... I worked for eons in centres myself so know it can be done for sure ~ I just did not have the patience to 'break them in' after months of trying cause unlike in centre care they do not have 'mixed age groupings' at different stages of that 'reasoning' level around sleep so it was easier in the centre cause either you had multiple staff to help the infants 'get to sleep' or everyone was 'old enough' to learn to just rest through the newbie they did not all start crying when someone else did anymore and well what was MOST important to remember is that in centre care I got my lunch break regardless of if all the kids were 'screaming' in the sleep room trying to 'learn to self sooth' and go to sleep

For me my challenge was I would just get the group doing 'well' and someone would be graduating out and another newbie would start ~ cause sadly childcare has turnover one us

For me since the option to separate was there it was a small price to pay for a REAL BREAK in the day to have to store some cots in an upstairs closet and have the one pack and play up ... now I get an hour of break time and at least another of 'prep' time for the program plus some days even more time of 'whatever'!

[Crayola kiddies]

I too have my daycare self contained in the basement but I do use my upstairs bedrooms for napping that way I do get a break ....so the only daycare equipment I have in my living space are pack and plays in my bedrooms. All the kids are in bed by12- 12:30 and the first one is up at 2:30.... So I get at least two hours of break. It's worth it to me.

[Daycare123]

It is so true we providers need a break in our day because there is no other staff! I will give it a couple of weeks and go from there.It is always helpful to get some advice and hear others' experiences. Thanks!

[Momof4]

I have all of my children sleeping in the same room except my noisy screecher upon waking is in the next room. Not that it slows her down much for waking the rest of the children, but oh well, she sleeps a solid 2 hours before she wakes.

When I have new children start I sit beside them for as long as it takes for them to learn that they are going to lay down and sleep. I keep laying them down again and again and shushing them and patting their back and I keep hoping that it won't take weeks.