My son, who is almost three, started preschool this past summer. In the 6 months he has attended this school, his nighttime sleep routine has been destroyed.

We start the nighttime routine at 7 pm with getting jammies on, turning down the lights and perhaps watching a quiet show or doing some other relaxing, quiet activity. at 7:30 pm we brush teeth and wash up. Then its reading time and lights out by 8 pm. What happens next is a battle, with Kieran doing everything he can to stay awake and fight sleep. Last night he did not fall asleep until 9:45 pm. We still have to rock him to sleep because no matter what we did when he was younger, he did developed the ability to self-soothe, just like his older brother...but, i digress.

the preschool schedule is this. open at 7 am. Children can bring their breakfast and eat at school from 7 am to 8 am. 8 am to 9:30 is play time. 9:30 to 10 is wind down and get ready to learn time. 10 am to 1130: is education time. 11:30 am to 12 pm is lunch...nap time is supposed to be 12 pm to 2 pm, however, what happens is this: the children lay down at noon, but the director/teachers do not start their "clock" for nap time until the last fidgety child settles down. What tis means is when I pick up my son at 4 pm, he has to be woken up so he can come home. all the other children remain laying down until who knows when. The have my son laying down for over 4 hours. its no wonder he doesn't sleep!

The director feels she is operating within the scope of the law, but I feel it is bordering on abuse/neglect by failing to recognize how this effects the kid's sleep schedule at night, and its also taking advantage of the parents by charging them $175 a week for 1.5 hours of educating, 2-4 hours of play time depending on when they arrive/leave, and a whole lot of sleep/quiet time. I feel she is ripping off the parents and harming the children.

Unfortunately, all of the schools in the area that will take a child who is not completely potty trained are full, so we are stuck until there is an opening. If I were to report the director for this problem, who would I report to, and where would I go to do it? it is not fair to my son to start his nighttime sleep by getting in trouble, nor is it fair to start his day grumpy because he did not get the rest he needs.

On weekends, he has free napping...we do not put him down for a nap. If he is tired, he sleeps and we let him sleep as long as he needs. There are rarely problems getting him to sleep wen he does not go down for a scheduled nap at home on the weekends...

( sorry for the novel, lol)

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