What is your naptime schedule?

[mlc1982]

I have a 15 month old who will only go for a morning nap sometimes but I try to avoid it. If he's overly cranky that is when he goes and usually it is around 9am and I will only let him go for an hour tops. I finally have all the other nappers on the same schedule from 12:30 - 3:00 and I don't want him ruining that. He may not fall asleep right away some days and may wake up a bit earlier somedays, but he still goes down whether he's had morning nap or not. When he first started and had the morning naps I thought it was a great idea. Figured it would be one less body to chase if we were trying to do circle time or something. Now I realize that my afternoon alone time is more precious and I would rather have that. As it was already mentioned, you need to to recharge as well!

[zen39]

I'm the same as most of the above. One naptime 12:00 - 2pm. When I have new 12 month olds start, their parents know ahead of time, that I only do the one nap. They are fine with it. If we're out in the morning and they fall asleep in the stroller that is fine. But I don't put any of them into their playpen for a morning nap. It's amazing how quickly they adapt to the new schedule.

[Mambia]

Ladies, need help with scheduling naps. I have a 9 mth, 12 mth, 1.5yr, and two 3.5 yr olds. The 9 and 12 mth old both take 2 naps a day at the same time (9:30 and 1:30) sleeping for about an hour and half during each nap. The 1.5 yr old sleeps from 12-3 and the older kids have full batteries and are non stop!!!! With this crazy nap schedule I feel as though I am going around in circles without any down time for myself. All kids start around 7:30-4:30 so it's a very long day for me. Please shed some light on me as to a better napping schedule. I'm afraid the youngest one needs the 2 naps per day ( my baby) which I am ok with. More concerned about the others. Also, the older kids often need ideas on what to do next. I get frustrated because I offer plenty of structured activities but believe free play is important therefore I have many times in the day where free play is encouraged and they still say "what do we do now" arghhh!!! Help before I explode

Honestly, kudos to us providers!!! It is NOT an easy job. Yea it has perks of being your own boss and being at home but boy oh boy, it gets extremely challenging some days to the point I want to scream!!!!!!

[Artsand crafts]

Hello Judy, when I have kids around 1 year old I've found that is easier for them to adapt to 1 nap during the day, but when they are younger than that they really look very tired and cranky to wait until noon to get a nap. How do you transition younger infants to one nap? Your advice would be appreciated!

We only have one naptime here. It is from Noon until 3pm. ALL the children nap here. ALL of them. It is mandatory.

I might have a twice a day napper when they first start but within a month I usually have them transitioned to one long nap.

[treeholm]

Like the others, we have one nap here. We stay active enough in the morning that the younger ones won't have a chance to sleep. We transitioned the little ones out of a morning nap by having early lunch and to bed by noon at the latest until they got used to only having one nap. Then, we were able to move nap back to 12:30-3:00.

[Artsand crafts]

Thanks threeholm! We are very busy in the morning, but at some point the babies get really tired. I like your idea of moving lunch time maybe an hour or so earlier for everyone and later move it back to the original hour...

[DaycareLady]

I have 3 that are 13 months, 12 months and 11 months...they all have a morning nap as soon as they get here and I don't let them sleep any longer than 10am or afternoon nap doesn't go well. I also have 2 two year olds and everyone goes back down for nap around 12 30. I am pretty flexible with the morning naps right now just because this weather has been awful and we really haven't got outside in months so it helps pass the morning and the babies still really need it but come nicer weather I will be shortening it so we can get out earlier, or just let them sleep in the stroller.

[playfelt]

When I had three of five taking morning naps I found they were hungry when they got up so I started serving lunch - meat, veggie and 1/2 starch at 10:30 when they got up. Then we played together doing active things, music, dance, etc. and then about 12:15 served dessert so to speak with fruit, 1/2 starch and usually a dairy. Then older kids went to bed at 1:00 and babies had a special time and then back down at 1:30.

I was intrigued by the balance day program that some school use and the fact when the babies woke up they were thirsty and hungry but when I put them in their chairs for a snack to tide them over the older kids were just hungry enoguh they wanted food with the babies but I knew a snack would spoil lunch and a drink didn't please them enough so the new schedule worked.

I think this is a good example of there not being a right or wrong schedule and the great thing about home daycare is that we are not tied to convention if that isn't what is in the best interest of our group.

[Momof4]

I have extremely busy mornings as well so even children who are 10-12 months old tend to drop their morning naps and adjust to our one naptime of noonish to 2:45ish. Sometimes one or two of them have little power naps in the stroller as we come home from an outing, then I delay naptime until around 12:30 if possible until the small ones are sleepy again. I'm flexible with my schedule.