Why do parents feel the need to question our schedules??

[JennJubie]

Seriously! Why? I just had a parent tell me that 1 -3 pm nap time won't work for their child because they like to sleep from 10 - 12:30pm at home. I politely informed them that that is my schedule, and explained that afternoon nap is a must.

This coupled with the parent, (different one) that dropped off their 12 month old at 1 and ran out the door after informing me they'd just woken up last week. Grrrrr

[playfelt]

The 10-12:30 is common as they transition to one afternoon nap from two. Within a couple weeks you will be able to push it more and more - feed child early and let them play till naptime you desire. The fact child is sleeping for a solid 2 1/2 hours is the good part I would pick up on.

[JennJubie]

It's not that I have any problem transitioning a child to the afternoon nap schedule. It's that the parent is putting their foot down and telling me that they want it to stay 10 - 12:30.

[playfelt]

Remind them that just as child napped twice only a short while ago he will transition gradually to an afternoon nap over time. Then make the move as soon as you can.

They may also be putting child to bed very early and want him to go home from daycare exhausted so he eats and goes to bed so they have evenings to themselves.

The fact they think they can make demands and control the daycare is the part to address more than that the actual time for the nap is too disruptive to the day for home daycare. In a daycare centre in the baby room there is more chance they will do this schedule as they like always having some of the kids asleep. I would be asking what is so important about that time frame that they think it needs to always be that and likely you will find what they are really asking for is that his schedule now be maintained and that is where you remind them that he is changing his schedule constantly anyways and then wish them a good day and keep iterviewing.

[DisneyPrincess]

I dont have nice opinions about parents these days so... I agree with you Jenn... parents are nonsense themselves !

[Momof4]

Don't you cover the schedule at the interview? I'm willing to let a new baby nap for a short time in the morning when they start if they are very young and learn to stay awake all morning until our naptime. However, I nudge naps up from 1-3 to 12-2ish when necessary. As I'm waiting for the new baby to start for a week or so I'll get the established children into bed maybe 10 minutes earlier every day until we meet in the middle. But it's a compromise with the new family and I'll eventually get them back to a later naptime as the new baby grows comfortable.

I find the new baby will drop their morning nap soon because our mornings are so very active and it keeps them occupied but they can't stay away much past lunchtime, so I make that earlier for a while, close to 11am.

Experiment a bit, talk to the parents but make them understand that THEY are fitting into a schedule with 4 other children who are already into a great routine and it is THEIR responsibility to make a few changes too so their child will be healthy and happy at daycare.

I agree with DisneyP, why do parents want to saboutage their child's health and happiness instead of helping them adjust? Why do they fight us when we are here working hard to make sure all the children are taken care of properly? We're not doing it for US! We're trying to be happy as well, but one screaming baby will ruin it for us and for the other children in the daycare. Ugh!

If the parents are putting their foot down as you say, then they should have a nanny.

[playfelt]

Part of the issue is the self-esteem of the parents and their confidence in parenting. IF we tell them we need something different than what they are doing it is akin to telling them they are doing it wrong and most people do not digest that info well. Asking us to do the same as them is really them asking us to validate their parenting.

Problem is what works for one child at home does not always work for group care and parents need help transitioning from the concept of the world revolves around their own child to the concept that at daycare the world revolves around the needs of children in general and that can mean compromise for everyone including the children.

[Big Hearts]

I had a family that did the same I charge an extra fee of $7 a day. I explained when the kids are napping I get some paper work done have my lunch and get things ready for the afternoon. If they don’t want to follow my rules and take that time from me then I will charge a fee for the 2hrs for all the work I won’t be getting done seeing that this child will now have special needs. The mom said that was fine but after a month I found they didn’t want to pay the extra, so we get him napping once a day. Good luck