Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Wow- as a parent of a 3 year old researching online whether or not I should request that our daycare shorten a nap, this is an extremely discouraging and judgmental post to come across from a daycare employee. Your assumptions about their parenting and the child's behavior at home seem unfounded. Do you live at home with them? I would agree that 2 years old is perhaps a little young to start shortening naps- but there is plenty of evidence out there that 3-4 year olds begin cutting out naps- that should be done gradually. The daycare my child goes to is willing to work with us, as they should. We pay them a lot of money. I understand it probably makes more work for the employees and shortens their downtime. Maybe you should consider a job that is less stressful?
Nobody can make a child sleep. It isn't possible without medical intervention. If they are still asleep, they will be allowed to finish out naptime. I would be wary of any program that woke sleeping children as that does not meet their basic needs. Naptimes are based on actual science for the
majority of children with the amount of physical activity during our daily schedule. Since we work in
group care, this is how we meet
all the
children's needs. If a child wakes on their own they are allowed to read and play quietly until the other children finish their naps.
If preschoolers are fighting an early bedtime at home (as most do, it is age-appropriate behavior), parents should consider adding more exercise after dinner to burn energy from calories consumed or pushing bedtime back to 8 pm as those things are also proven and won't disturb other children's health and growth.
Also, OP was venting to her co-workers. This is our water cooler.