View Single Post
Unregistered 08:16 AM 09-13-2011
"Why is nap-time always looked at as torture to the children and just an excuse for providers to get rid of the children?

If a three-year-old gets up at 6 am, they are going to be out of their mind with sleep by 1 pm after talking, playing, going outside, eating and being in such an intense environment (other 3 year olds) for 6 hours. To not give that child a chance to rest is cruel. And if other children are up playing and talking, that child will find it hard to nap, plus they will try to push past their sleepiness to stay up because they don't want to "miss out". The result is a crying, irritable mess come 4 pm."

AGREE 110%

I personally don't care if a child naps or doesn't. I do care when they don't nap and cry, throw fits, ect the rest of the day. I often have parents tell me to wake their child up after X amount of time. I did that for a while until I'm carrying a non stop crying 35 pound two year old for 6 hours or a little 13 month that decides to pass out right on the floor.

I've found that limiting their nap times to under an hour never helps a child sleep through the night, sleep in any later, ect. They may crash on the way home and sleep until 3 in the morning though. Then the next morning I hear how "Billy the 15 months old" has up sense 3 and please try to keep him up all day today so that we can have a good night sleep tonight. I almost call it abuse to try to keep "Billy" from sleeping that day. So now today "Billy" sleeps off and on in my arms, because I'm not suppose to lay him down. He really doesn't get a good rest because he hears my voice constantly along with the noise from the others, he his being jerked around while I'm trying to cook, help with arts and crafts, ect.

I have found children 3 and under 3 need at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Children approaching 4 and older may do ok with out a nap one day, but it shows the next day and they do need a nap. Only on occation will a child admit they need a nap. I you ask they are bound to say they aren't sleepy.

I have long quit waking up sleeping children. New families understand, where the old one did have to get use to there child not crashing for the night at 6. Every one is much happier, and in the end once the children were on a routine nap schedule their night sleeping improved.
Reply