The 'nap' issue surfaces again...amongst others

[flowerchild]

Here kids 3 and under have to nap the full 2 hours. But kids 3 and up (whose parents have requested "no nap") are still required to lie down for one hour (no questions asked, this is until they go to school) and after I allow them to come up and watch TV for the remainder of naptime.

I have a similar policy. All kids under three have a nap. Others have to have a "quiet rest time" where they usually watch a movie. If they aren't watching a movie, they are resting on the couch with books for the first hour and then they can do puzzles etc quietly afterwards. If they are tired enough to fall asleep, they will be allowed to sleep for a bit.

Have you ever had a parent insist on no sleeping whatsoever? How did you deal with it?

My thought is that if they are that tired, they need a little cat nap to get them through the rest of the day. I'm also not willing to force a child to stay awake for two hours. A. it's not practical. I have things to get done. I can't sit beside a child and make sure he or she stays awake. B. it's horrible for the child. It will make for a miserable mood and that's just a bad day for everyone.

[Fun&care]

ooohhhhhh yes, I've had parents walk in at drop off and say that Susie doesn't need a nap today. There is no such thing as "no nap" here. The one hour rest time is the minimum requirement and if they fall asleep, they fall asleep. I consider myself generous enough for giving up part of MY ONLY BREAK during the day. There is no way I can prevent a child from falling asleep if they are so inclined that day BUT I have offered that parents may send their child with a backpack with toys for them to play with QUIETLY on their cot and sometimes that helps to keep them awake, sometimes it doesn't.