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grateday 04:35 PM 02-17-2014
Although there is a routine, who actually sleeps week to week varies.
There are many reasons why kids don't sleep:
Stimulated by other children in the room
Stimulated by the room and what is in it-sound/light/heat/texture
Wanting to play and seeking stimulation and would rather not sleep
If its Monday and they are coming in from a different weekend routine at home
If they are older than 3 sometimes it is more difficult
If they did or did not sleep the night before, if they did not nap the day before
If there is no routine at home or differs greatly from your own
If they are naturally irregular sleepers
If they naturally require less sleep than another child
Varies on the individual need of the child
The crasher kids that the only time they sleep is when they crash out of exhaustion (No one's fault)--Kids that have a lack of ability to feel sleepy
Also, if there is a new child in care or if the child is not regularly in care can effect the kids napping
Lack of physical activity earlier in the day or stimulating activity
Too many interruptions in routine of a day
Kids picking up on stress and purposefully acting up because any attention is better than no attention
Nutrition Nutrition Nutrition- Sugar, caffeine, highly preserved/processed foods, food additives, artificial colors, lack of variety in diet and nutrition. Being hungry or thirsty and not having that need met prior to nap
(None of these things are to say that something is someones fault, just things to investigate as a parent and provider)
Lack of comfort in the environment- this includes whether the child feels loved and accepted in the daycare



Effect of kiddos starting the nap at 3pm
***Can cause a late going to bed time but not always because it depends on the needs and what is going on with that individual child

Effect of kids state of mind not resting at all in my childcare:
***Short fused children-less able to deal with one another
This is in the form of crying, yelling, hitting. They become so tired they cannot use proper social skills with one another. They can get more clumsy and fall more often because they are paying attention less. Finally, they are less able to follow any sort of rules or really pay attention to any sort of activity or teaching.

This is a safety risk because:
-They can hurt each other
-Get hurt

This can cause a major stress in the childcare if children are not in sync and able to focus. It can lead the provider to make decisions about whether or not a child should be in there care.

Should a provider force a kid to take a nap? No
Should the parents work with the provider? Yes. Yes. Yes.......I am not saying providers are perfect parents and they always do things just so with there own kids or that other children's parents should listen to a daycare provider but there should be some agreement and some sort of meeting the daycare in the middle somewhere or it just is not a good fit for your setting. Some parents and providers are very my way or no way. It really is a team effort for the parents, provider, and all of the children. It is not a mistake but a constant learning experience, always question what is ethical and right and how it can be improved. It can work but we have to make it work together.

Says the provider who's kid crashed on a Monday at 5pm because of many of the reasons above=)

I have had rigid parents here but they usually had been through a few childcare's and have an older child. I have had disagreements with more rigid parents. I have had disagreements with other parents and I like that they are open enough to speak with me and I with them. Rigid first time parents don't usually like my style from the get go and just go straight to a center or struggle to find care.

Rigid parents want everything just a certain way for there child with disregard for you, disregard for other children in your care. They want more than what you can provide. I look at it as though the children should all have the same level of care. If they have an allergy or disability - I work on that but above all they are all getting the same level of care. It is not fair and children know when someone is treated different and then they all want what the other has.
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