Thread: Refusing Nap
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Heidi 06:08 AM 03-24-2012
sorry-I am NOT trying to be snarky, but it sounds like the arrangement there is not very practical. I realize this is not under your control;it sounds like your owner has it set up this way.

The reason I say this is because it sounds like the school-agers are also "forced" (for lack of a better word, but that sounds harsh) to nap. That tells me that there is a staffing issue, maybe for good financial reason, but an issue never-the-less. I cannot imagine expecting my school-agers to take a nap, although they do go into another room and have quiet time. I'm family dc though, and I can be a little picky about what school-agers I take. If they are real physical kids, they don't really fit in here. My own ds is a lego man, and although he can certainly be wild-and-wooly, he can also entertain himself (and a friend) in his room for a couple hours and be fine with that.

I don't know what your weather is like, but my suggestion would be that any non-nappers (and that included all school agers and a few younger than that-this girl, presumably) be seperated from the nappers. My first choice would be that a staff member be outside with them, and maybe do some quieter teacher-led activities, and then maybe take blankets out and lay under a tree. Watching the leaves blow in the trees, the clouds roll by, etc.

Or, how about a seperate room for the older kids with a movie? If you stay on your mat and are quiet, you get to watch the movie. If you get up or make a lot of noise, you get moved to the hall? Is there a quiet area like a hallway that she could be moved to and still be supervised? Being in the movie room is a privilege for "big kids". So, if you want that privilege, you need to show me that you can behave like a "big kid".

This little girl does sound a little out of control, overall. How does she sleep at home? Does attention motivate her to "do bad?" If so, the old catch-her-being-good is essential. I have also found with my defiant 3 1/2 yo here that she needs LOTS of love. Sitting on the lap, extra hugs, pats on the hair, smiles accross the room. The more she gets, the sweeter she is.

Those are my thoughts. I don't know if any of it can help...
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