PreK and Nap...

Hello fellow providers,

I have a 5 year that will be starting school in September and her mother doesn't want her to nap at my house any more because she won't go to sleep at night. I am fine with her not napping but she needs to stay on her cot and do a quiet activity. Her mom feels that she should be able to stay up and watch TV. what do you guys do for this age group and nap time? Thanks!

[Meyou]

I would require her to lie quietly for about 45 minutes and then I would let her watch tv or do quiet things at the table until the other kids wake up. Even my schoolagers are limited to a book and a quiet corner for the first 45 minutes of nap in the summer.

What is appropriate for you is only something you can decide. Mom has no say IMO.

[Blackcat31]

ALL the kids in my program are required to have a rest time. They aren't required to sleep but they do have to lie down quietly for 90 minutes. (Some states have specific requirements about this).

I do not have a TV in my child care so watching a movie wouldn't be an option here and even if I did have a TV, letting one child stay up while the others rested wouldn't go over too well and that is one battle I refuse to get into.

I only provide services to children through Kindergarten age so if the parent is adamant about their child not napping, they have three options; find alternate care or they can pay an additional fee for me to hire an assistant to come into my care and supervise their child while it was rest time or they can come and pick up their child at rest time and return them after rest time is over.

I have not had an issue with this policy ever. There is a good fit for every family out there and if this DCG no longer requires a nap and you provide one for ALL children in your care, then it may be time for the parent to find alternate daycare arrangements.

[cheerfuldom]

I would have her lay down long enough for you to have a lunch break and a little breather. She doesnt have to go to sleep but she does have to be quiet. I would continue doing a 2 hour quiet time for even kids about to go to kinder.

Unless mom is upset enough to where she would pull her out of daycare and you cannot lose the income, in that case, I would do a movie or maybe a combo of one hour nap/then movie. Thats only if this little one will actually sit and watch and stay out of trouble.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

All my regular here-all-the-time kids have a two-hour rest time. I expect them all to sleep. If they don't go to sleep, after 45 min or so they may read books quietly on their mats for the rest of nap time. I do have returning school-aged kids, and for them I do things differently, because they are now out of the habit of nap. (However, I'm very clear that it's not "because they're 5," but "because they don't have nap at their other school, so they are out of the habit." I want to allow for the possibility of older children napping, as I home school.) Those kids are expected to either read or write/draw (in another room) until I get the others to sleep. Then they may choose from quiet activities. They usually do independent art projects or read or play games or do puzzles. I spend 15 minutes reading to them from a chapter book, but the rest of nap time is my break and teacher work time.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

ALL the kids in my program are required to have a rest time. They aren't required to sleep but they do have to lie down quietly for 90 minutes. (Some states have specific requirements about this).

I do not have a TV in my child care so watching a movie wouldn't be an option here and even if I did have a TV, letting one child stay up while the others rested wouldn't go over too well and that is one battle I refuse to get into.

I only provide services to children through Kindergarten age so if the parent is adamant about their child not napping, they have three options; find alternate care or they can pay an additional fee for me to hire an assistant to come into my care and supervise their child while it was rest time or they can come and pick up their child at rest time and return them after rest time is over.

I have not had an issue with this policy ever. There is a good fit for every family out there and if this DCG no longer requires a nap and you provide one for ALL children in your care, then it may be time for the parent to find alternate daycare arrangements.

I agree.

If they don't want their child to nap, then we are not the place for them over here.

[originalkat]

I have 4 children who will be in kindergarten this fall. They all are required to be on their cots for nap.

[jojosmommy]

This topic comes up every once and a while. Seems like the trend about this time of year too.

My dck are required to rest. If they fall asleep they need it. I have a policy that I will not wake or force anyone to stay awake here for any reason including making bed time easier at home. All my dcp know good naps here mean good evenings at home, no matter the age.

And TV is not an option here. If they don't nap they read.

[MN Day Mom]

Minnesota actually has a rule regarding this...

9503.0050 Subp. 3. Confinement limitation. A child who has completed a nap or rested quietly for 30 minutes must not be required to remain on a cot or mat or in a crib or bed.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by MN Day Mom

Minnesota actually has a rule regarding this...

9503.0050 Subp. 3. Confinement limitation. A child who has completed a nap or rested quietly for 30 minutes must not be required to remain on a cot or mat or in a crib or bed.

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/?agency=196

9503 Rules are Center rules. 9502 Rules are Family Child Care rules

You are correct though that is a rule for naps but only applies to center care. Family Child Care has no rules for napping other than:

9502.0435 Subp. 11. Bedding. Clean, separate bedding must be provided for each child in care.

Center rules are alot different than FCC rules in MN. Not sure why that is but I noticed this when in college and we had to basically memorize the rules for both.

[MN Day Mom]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/?agency=196

9503 Rules are Center rules. 9502 Rules are Family Child Care rules

You are correct though that is a rule for naps but only applies to center care. Family Child Care has no rules for napping other than:

9502.0435 Subp. 11. Bedding. Clean, separate bedding must be provided for each child in care.

Center rules are alot different than FCC rules in MN. Not sure why that is but I noticed this when in college and we had to basically memorize the rules for both.

Thanks for the clarification

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by MN Day Mom

Thanks for the clarification

I don't know about you but I would have complete and utter chaos if my kiddos were allowed to get up after resting for only 30 minutes...

I have a couple kiddos who move and toss and turn for 30 minutes before they fall asleep and they are under 3! I couldn't imagine letting them get up and not have a nap just because 30 minutes have passed.

I think that is one of the reasons I haven't made the jump yet to become licensed as a center and kinda like the gray areas FCC rules have.

[MrsB]

I'm with some of you. If a child can't rest for a minimum of 2 hours whether its because parents or whatever reason, then they have outgrown my daycare. They are not required to sleep but we dont do TV.

[e.j.]

I have the older kids rest until the younger kids who still need their naps fall asleep. If the older kids are still awake by then, I will turn an educational show on for them to watch quietly while resting on their mats. Any noise, they know the tv goes off and stays off until the younger kids are awake.

I tell the parents of older kids what my policy is. I also tell them that if their child falls asleep before the younger ones do, I will not wake them up.

[Kaddidle Care]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hello fellow providers,

I have a 5 year that will be starting school in September and her mother doesn't want her to nap at my house any more because she won't go to sleep at night. I am fine with her not napping but she needs to stay on her cot and do a quiet activity. Her mom feels that she should be able to stay up and watch TV. what do you guys do for this age group and nap time? Thanks!

Your house, your rules. You can check regulation - in the Center children are required to "rest" for 30 minutes, laying down on their cot.

Bending the rules for one becomes contagious and I wouldn't allow the child TV because the others will start whining "Not Fair!" and they will be right!

If the child is aging out of your program then it's just that. Don't bend or they will walk all over you.