At What Age Do Your DCKs Stop Taking Morning Naps?
 

I have a dcb who is 14 months. He arrives at 7:15 and goes down at 9:30. He sleeps until 11:00. He then plays, eats lunch, plays some more and goes back down at 1:30. He is up at 3:00 and then Mom picks up at 4:45.

Yesterday she was looking over his daily report and she gave sort of a "tisk,tisk" and said, "Man, he's still taking those morning naps, huh? I guess wherever we end up going is going to be the end of that." (I'm closing my DC on Friday)

I was sort of puzzled. I said, "It shouldn't be a problem wherever you go that he still takes a morning nap. By 9:30 he is really cranky and he WANTS a nap."

She just replied that her nephews are around his age and they don't take morning naps.....

In my head I'm thinking, well those are your NEPHEWS not your SON.:rolleyes: But I just ended up repeating that he needs it and she mentioned that on the weekends he doesn't get a morning nap.

I'm not changing anything about his routine for our last days together. I was just wondering at what age your dcks stop taking their morning naps. I didn't think he was too old at all to not need them.

I let parents know that kids may not take morning naps on the weekends bc they are allowed to sleep in. Parents don't realize that if they wake their child in the wee hours of the morning that they still may be tired. I have had a parent question morning nap before and I let them know that they can drop off later after the child wakes on their own and then I would try to skip it.

Usually at around 12-14 months I transition the kids to the "toddler" schedule. They stop taking 2 naps and go down to one. Usually in the beginning, they are really tired by nap, but before long they get into the routine.

Before opening my fcc, I worked in a couple of centers and usually when the kids were 12 months and were walking, they moved to the toddler room and went down to 1 nap. Honestly, most kids did great.

i base it on each individual child. Some children needs those morning naps for a long time! others grow out of them very quickly. Every child is different.

I have a boy who's 22mos and just recently gave up his AM nap but I could probably lay him down at 9:30-10 and he would sleep but then his afternoon nap is thrown off. The other 2 (both 2) take an afternoon nap so it's easier for me to transition him to 1 longer nap so they all sleep at the same time which is amazing. Plus he's going to Jr preschool next month and they nap at 12 so it's better for him to get used to that. But at 14 mos he definitely needed 2 naps! Every child is different but they all need at least one nap here!

Between 15 & 18m.

(correction below. I read it wrong)

Sometimes by age 4, but normally we quit or taper off sometime during the summer before Kindergarten.

The general "rule" for me is the summer before they go to Kindergarten. But that depends A LOT on the kid. I've had some who just didn't NEED the sleep at age 4. On the opposite end, I had one boy who went to AM Kinder, and napped an hour when he got back here. He was just one of those kids who needed a little extra. I go by the kid's need.

Disclaimer: No, the kids DO NOT get a say in whether or not they nap. And neither does the parent. It's MY call. Period. Some just don't benefit from it at about age 4. They lay there wide awake. So yeah, depends on the kid is my answer lol.

ETA:

Oh my goodness.... you said MORNING naps!! My bad. Guess I should read the whole thing before I respond!!!

Ok, so I'd go by the kid's need on that too. Gosh, it's been awhile since I had one that young, but in my almost 20 years of daycare, I'd say about 18 months was my average for transitioning to one nap a day. That being said, I probably had some who did it at 15 months, and some at like 22 months. Just depends. I'm shocked this mom wouldn't think hers needed one at age 14 months. Is it her first kid?

depends on the child and what time they arrive at my house:) Usually between 10 months and 18 months. If they are here early I do a morning nap 8- 9:30 range but generally not later than 9:30. Around that year mark they are generally to one nap. But I put down between 11:30 and 12.

It definitely depends on the child, but I usually stop at around 15-18 months.
I have a 14 mo old and he still gets a morning nap too!

Originally Posted by Lucy:
Sometimes by age 4, but normally we quit or taper off sometime during the summer before Kindergarten.

The general "rule" for me is the summer before they go to Kindergarten. But that depends A LOT on the kid. I've had some who just didn't NEED the sleep at age 4. On the opposite end, I had one boy who went to AM Kinder, and napped an hour when he got back here. He was just one of those kids who needed a little extra. I go by the kid's need.

Disclaimer: No, the kids DO NOT get a say in whether or not they nap. And neither does the parent. It's MY call. Period. Some just don't benefit from it at about age 4. They lay there wide awake. So yeah, depends on the kid is my answer lol.

I think your answer here is to when do kids stop taking naps. I do think you're correct btw.

BUT OP was talking about just the am nap....not naps all together....:ouch:


I think it depends on the child and when they get up for the day. I have a little one that needs an am nap BUT he gets up at 5 am....:eek:
He's almost 16 months.


A dcg that I have naps in the am too...she's 17 months. I'd love to quit the am nap all together.

However, they are all up by 9am at the latest. Maybe 9:30 If they get here late. They get 45 mins to 1 hour and then I wake them. They'd sleep longer but I don't want them to.

I want everyone to lay down by 12 for pm nap. happyface

Originally Posted by LaLa1923:
I think your answer here is to when do kids stop taking naps. I do think you're correct btw.

BUT OP was talking about just the am nap....not naps all together....:ouch:


I think it depends on the child and when they get up for the day. I have a little one that needs an am nap BUT he gets up at 5 am....:eek:
He's almost 16 months.


A dcg that I have naps in the am too...she's 17 months. I'd love to quit the am nap all together.

However, they are all up by 9am at the latest. Maybe 9:30 If they get here late. They get 45 mins to 1 hour and then I wake them. They'd sleep longer but I don't want them to.

I want everyone to lay down by 12 for pm nap. happyface

I did correct my answer. You must have seen it before I posted the edit. Yes, I'm a dork!

Originally Posted by melilley:416693:
Usually at around 12-14 months I transition the kids to the "toddler" schedule. They stop taking 2 naps and go down to one. Usually in the beginning, they are really tired by nap, but before long they get into the routine.

Before opening my fcc, I worked in a couple of centers and usually when the kids were 12 months and were walking, they moved to the toddler room and went down to 1 nap. Honestly, most kids did great.

Same here.

I think my just 12 month olds are transitioning themselves. I put them down for morning naps, but they are just partying in there instead of sleeping lately.

Well, one parties and keeps the other one up, anyway.

As a matter of fact, I had to move the other one back out of the room because of he's in the binky-throwing stage, so today it's a really unhappy party. I am NOT giving it back, and I would have to go through her room to get to him. not happening!

Originally Posted by jenboo:
i base it on each individual child. Some children needs those morning naps for a long time! others grow out of them very quickly. Every child is different.

likethis Today my 18 month old took an AM nap. Yesterday my almost 3 year old did- each child is different and a good provider will do exactly what you are doing and cater to their needs (when it works for everyone involved :) ) Some kids still need an AM nap and as long as it works for the provider- why not?!

Good luck on the closing!

Originally Posted by Lucy:
(correction below. I read it wrong)

Sometimes by age 4, but normally we quit or taper off sometime during the summer before Kindergarten.

The general "rule" for me is the summer before they go to Kindergarten. But that depends A LOT on the kid. I've had some who just didn't NEED the sleep at age 4. On the opposite end, I had one boy who went to AM Kinder, and napped an hour when he got back here. He was just one of those kids who needed a little extra. I go by the kid's need.

Disclaimer: No, the kids DO NOT get a say in whether or not they nap. And neither does the parent. It's MY call. Period. Some just don't benefit from it at about age 4. They lay there wide awake. So yeah, depends on the kid is my answer lol.

ETA:

Oh my goodness.... you said MORNING naps!! My bad. Guess I should read the whole thing before I respond!!!

Ok, so I'd go by the kid's need on that too. Gosh, it's been awhile since I had one that young, but in my almost 20 years of daycare, I'd say about 18 months was my average for transitioning to one nap a day. That being said, I probably had some who did it at 15 months, and some at like 22 months. Just depends. I'm shocked this mom wouldn't think hers needed one at age 14 months. Is it her first kid?

Yes, it is her first child.

Thanks everyone! I was just sort of wondering what everyone else's little ones did. Like I said, I'm not changing anything in our last days but who knows what the next provider will do!

I don't think Mom was taking into consideration that he does not wake up as early on the weekends. Oh well.

I have an 8 mth old that I've transitioned off of 2 naps. He was napping so well for the morning, but refusing to nap in the afternoon while everyone else sleeps. So I took away the morning nap. Problem solved.

By a year old I want everyone on one nap. It's too difficult juggling our schedule if I still have a morning napper.

Originally Posted by CedarCreek:
Yes, it is her first child.

Thanks everyone! I was just sort of wondering what everyone else's little ones did. Like I said, I'm not changing anything in our last days but who knows what the next provider will do!

I don't think Mom was taking into consideration that he does not wake up as early on the weekends. Oh well.

She is also not considering the fact that daycare activities differ greatly than the child's routine at home.

I am waaaay more tired at 5PM on a work day than I am on a weekend day...kwim?

I go by the child. One of the nice things about being a FCC is not having to do something because the child reaches x age, but on the child's needs. When they hit 12-13 months I do start shortening AM nap because I find it helps the transition to one nap - because OH.MYGOD. those few weeks after dropping AM nap completely can be a BEAR! :ouch::lol:

Normally between 15 and 18 months and never in the summer. :)

Usually around age 2. I have them go for a morning nap right when they arrive each day. Everyone up around 845 for second breakfast. They eat first breakfast at home before they come.

Originally Posted by nannyde:
Usually around age 2. I have them go for a morning nap right when they arrive each day. Everyone up around 845 for second breakfast. They eat first breakfast at home before they come.

That reminds me of the hobbits from Lord of the Rings. First breakfast and then second breakfast :lol:

Originally Posted by CedarCreek:
That reminds me of the hobbits from Lord of the Rings. First breakfast and then second breakfast :lol:

Exactly and that's how I explain it to the incoming parents. You do breakfast at home and I do second breakfast. I don't do morning snack so it works perfectly. It stops the problem of parents who get their kids out of bed and straight to car seat. They spend TIME with them before they come. Family breakfast, car ride to my house, and then a lil snooze before they start their day here.

12 mo, because then they are expected to join in with all of the others activities.

I have a 16 mo that still needs one. I have not tried in a while without but, he used to fall asleep at lunch when he started and refused to take one! He gets here at 6:40, naps from 8-9:30. We eat lunch at 11:30-12 and then we relax before nap at 1 with a little tv and our "special snack". He will then nap usually til mom comes at 3:30. I am not going to try to transition him until spring just because of the weather and getting ds on the bus.

I currently have a 17 month and a 16 month the 17 month stopped morning naps at 8 months the 16 months still takes one but it has started getting shorter.

In fact I got her because the center complained the child was cranky all morning but would not let her nap because she was 10 months and needed to get ready to move up to the room of toddlers.


It depends on the child.