New Here with Napping Question :)

[broncomom1973]

Hi, I am new to this forum. I desperately need some help with a napping issue. I have been doing daycare for 1-1/2 years and am so excited to have found this forum today. As of today, I am dealing with an issue with my own 22 month old son. He climbed out of his pack n play during naptime. He slept in my room in a pack n play with a sound machine on to drown out any noise that might wake him. Now, I have to bring him out into my "play area" which is completely open. My whole main floor is an open floor plan with a fireplace in the center. My 3 year old daughter does not nap, she watches TV on the other side of the fireplace during naptime. I dont know how to transition my son from a dark quiet room to my "play area". Today, I brought another pack n play in and put him in it and constantly told him to go night night. He finally cried himself to sleep after 1 hour. I dont know if I should put him in the pack n play in the same spot for a few days and then try to force him to stay on a nap mat after he gets used to sleeping out here with the other kids. He is very head strong and it is NOT going to be easy to even get him to lie down on a nap mat. What advice do you all have for transitioning toddlers from a pack n play to a nap mat. In the state I live in, you are not supposed to have children over the age of 18 months in a pack n play anyway, and I will be transitioning another little boy after I am done with my own son. H E L P!!

[Michael]

Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum!

[MyAngels]

When I transition the little ones into the main "nap room" I always talk to the bigger kids first and explain to them that they need to help the little one learn "the ways of nap" so to speak. I always start by using a pnp for the first few days (so they can't get up and run around), then transition to a cot. The bigger kids encourage the little one to lie quietly until they fall asleep. If they are having an especially hard time I will sit next to them and stroke their back until they fall asleep. It doesn't usually take more than a few days for them to get the hang of it. Good luck!

[SilverSabre25]

Good topic; I have a few I'm going to need to transition soon. After I figure out some nap mat/cots for everyone, that is.

[Live and Learn]

I think you need a pack and play with taller sides!