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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>To Nap Or Not To Nap This Is The Question?
daycare 01:17 PM 06-16-2011
So I have a 4.5 year old DCB who will be leaving in the fall to FULL day kinder..
My current policy is that all kids nap.
In preperation for school, I am wondering if I should start reducing the amount of naps until he is no longer napping? I want to make sure that the child is ready for school and able to stay awake in calss. If I decide to do this, I will wait until about three weeks before school starts.
Other info:
this child arrives at 615am most mornings and is here until 6pm most days. He is very very high strung and currently naps for almost 3.5 hours each day he is here. I belive that the child is ADHD, but im not a doctor, so I know I cant really have a say...IMO he is...
My current policy is that all kids nap.
In preperation for school, I am wondering if I should start reducing the amount of naps until he is no longer napping? I want to make sure that the child is ready for school and able to stay awake in calss. If I decide to do this, I will wait until about three weeks before school starts.
Other info:
this child arrives at 615am most mornings and is here until 6pm most days. He is very very high strung and currently naps for almost 3.5 hours each day he is here. I belive that the child is ADHD, but im not a doctor, so I know I cant really have a say...IMO he is...
Unregistered 01:19 PM 06-16-2011
At my sons school, they still had nap/quiet time after lunch...they'd bring in a towel to lay on. I don't know if your school system will do the same, but it's very possible he'll still have down time!
countrymom 01:19 PM 06-16-2011
let him nap, its not your problem what happens when he leaves for kindy. I have one like this too, but some days he naps or he just lays and has quiet time.
Live and Learn 01:26 PM 06-16-2011
NAP!
daysofelijah 01:26 PM 06-16-2011
Let him nap. The kindergarteners here still have a nap/rest time the first half of the year at school.
momma2girls 01:33 PM 06-16-2011
NAP!! Our Kindergartners here still have a naptime.
Crystal 01:37 PM 06-16-2011
I stop napping them the summer before they enter kindy. IMO MOST children are ready to be done with naps by 4.5 - 5 years anyway. I like to make sure they are used to staying awake for longer periods of time prior to kindy so that they are able to stay fully focused during the school day. Kindy's don't nap at school here.
daycare 01:46 PM 06-16-2011
Originally Posted by Crystal:
I stop napping them the summer before they enter kindy. IMO MOST children are ready to be done with naps by 4.5 - 5 years anyway. I like to make sure they are used to staying awake for longer periods of time prior to kindy so that they are able to stay fully focused during the school day. Kindy's don't nap at school here.
you are also in CA right? I know that they dont nap here......I stop napping them the summer before they enter kindy. IMO MOST children are ready to be done with naps by 4.5 - 5 years anyway. I like to make sure they are used to staying awake for longer periods of time prior to kindy so that they are able to stay fully focused during the school day. Kindy's don't nap at school here.
I am on the fence about it...... I agree with the others, but I teach a preschool program here and in my contract it states that I will prepare them for kindy to the best of my ability. I feel that if I let him nap, knowing that he wont get to, then I am not helping him.
My other though is that I might lose my mind if this kid were to NOT nap. like I said I know in my heart of hearts taht this child is ADHD and if I do allow for him to stay up I am going to have my work really cut out. But it will only be for about 3 weeks.....
sharlan 01:49 PM 06-16-2011
If he falls asleep, he needs a nap. Come school time, he will adjust on his own.
Meyou 02:25 PM 06-16-2011
Originally Posted by sharlan:
If he falls asleep, he needs a nap. Come school time, he will adjust on his own.
^^This^^ If he falls asleep, he needs a nap. Come school time, he will adjust on his own.
newtodaycare22 02:34 PM 06-16-2011
As a former kindergarten teacher...
I think it would be great to "ween him off" a nap. I know that having a kid who does not nap can be annoying (I have one rising kindergartner as well), but you really would be setting him up to have problems. In my district there is no down time for kindergartners. Last year, as a kindergarten teacher, I had a few kids who came from a napping daycare and they were a mess every afternoon for the first month of school. It was no fun for the kids and certainly no fun for the teacher.
They only napped an hour or two (I looked into this, because it was such an issue), so I cannot imagine a kid who is used to 3.5 hours of nap.
I think you have a pretty good plan. Gradually give him less of a nap. I am doing this over the summer with my 5 year old daycare kid. For the month of June, instead of sleeping for 2 hours, she is reading/doing quiet activities for the first 30 minutes, sleeping the rest. For the month of July, she's doing quiet stuff for an hour, sleeping for the other hour. In August, I'm doing to just (hopefully) cut out the nap all together. Even if she needs to sleep a half hour, at least the "sleeping stage" has been adjusted to later in the day because in the fall, school will be over with by that time (3pm).
I hope that helps give you some insight.
I think it would be great to "ween him off" a nap. I know that having a kid who does not nap can be annoying (I have one rising kindergartner as well), but you really would be setting him up to have problems. In my district there is no down time for kindergartners. Last year, as a kindergarten teacher, I had a few kids who came from a napping daycare and they were a mess every afternoon for the first month of school. It was no fun for the kids and certainly no fun for the teacher.
They only napped an hour or two (I looked into this, because it was such an issue), so I cannot imagine a kid who is used to 3.5 hours of nap. I think you have a pretty good plan. Gradually give him less of a nap. I am doing this over the summer with my 5 year old daycare kid. For the month of June, instead of sleeping for 2 hours, she is reading/doing quiet activities for the first 30 minutes, sleeping the rest. For the month of July, she's doing quiet stuff for an hour, sleeping for the other hour. In August, I'm doing to just (hopefully) cut out the nap all together. Even if she needs to sleep a half hour, at least the "sleeping stage" has been adjusted to later in the day because in the fall, school will be over with by that time (3pm).
I hope that helps give you some insight.
daycare 02:39 PM 06-16-2011
Originally Posted by newtodaycare22:
As a former kindergarten teacher...
I think it would be great to "ween him off" a nap. I know that having a kid who does not nap can be annoying (I have one rising kindergartner as well), but you really would be setting him up to have problems. In my district there is no down time for kindergartners. Last year, as a kindergarten teacher, I had a few kids who came from a napping daycare and they were a mess every afternoon for the first month of school. It was no fun for the kids and certainly no fun for the teacher. They only napped an hour or two (I looked into this, because it was such an issue), so I cannot imagine a kid who is used to 3.5 hours of nap.
I think you have a pretty good plan. Gradually give him less of a nap. I am doing this over the summer with my 5 year old daycare kid. For the month of June, instead of sleeping for 2 hours, she is reading/doing quiet activities for the first 30 minutes, sleeping the rest. For the month of July, she's doing quiet stuff for an hour, sleeping for the other hour. In August, I'm doing to just (hopefully) cut out the nap all together. Even if she needs to sleep a half hour, at least the "sleeping stage" has been adjusted to later in the day because in the fall, school will be over with by that time (3pm).
I hope that helps give you some insight.
thanks so much for taking the time to respond with this answer. This was my thought that if i don't do something about it, I won't be helping him. yes it will suck, but it will only be for three weeks. The child will be gone with his father for most of July, so I won't have a chance to work with them then.As a former kindergarten teacher...
I think it would be great to "ween him off" a nap. I know that having a kid who does not nap can be annoying (I have one rising kindergartner as well), but you really would be setting him up to have problems. In my district there is no down time for kindergartners. Last year, as a kindergarten teacher, I had a few kids who came from a napping daycare and they were a mess every afternoon for the first month of school. It was no fun for the kids and certainly no fun for the teacher.
They only napped an hour or two (I looked into this, because it was such an issue), so I cannot imagine a kid who is used to 3.5 hours of nap. I think you have a pretty good plan. Gradually give him less of a nap. I am doing this over the summer with my 5 year old daycare kid. For the month of June, instead of sleeping for 2 hours, she is reading/doing quiet activities for the first 30 minutes, sleeping the rest. For the month of July, she's doing quiet stuff for an hour, sleeping for the other hour. In August, I'm doing to just (hopefully) cut out the nap all together. Even if she needs to sleep a half hour, at least the "sleeping stage" has been adjusted to later in the day because in the fall, school will be over with by that time (3pm).
I hope that helps give you some insight.
I will go ahead and stick with my plan of weening him off..
thanks again
newtodaycare22 10:42 AM 06-17-2011
You are very welcome!
jojosmommy 11:55 AM 06-17-2011
I say nap. Did mom/dad bring up the issue of napping or not? They probably arent even thinking about it. Tell them to start putting him to bed 30-1 hour earlier in the couple weeks before school starts. His body will adjust. No sense torturing him and you all summer just to try and prep him for what will come in the fall regardless. Many kids are tired at and after school right when school starts even if they havent napped for years.
dEHmom 12:10 PM 06-17-2011
i know in kindergarten here, it's full days every second day.
they have "quiet" or nap time where each kid has to lay on a towel at a certain point.
I would also just like to point out, that once he starts kindergarten, his own body clock will adjust. He'll sleep better at night and get himself out of the nap. I know lots of kinders and grade 1's go home from school and nap until supper as well.
they have "quiet" or nap time where each kid has to lay on a towel at a certain point.
I would also just like to point out, that once he starts kindergarten, his own body clock will adjust. He'll sleep better at night and get himself out of the nap. I know lots of kinders and grade 1's go home from school and nap until supper as well.
squareone 01:56 PM 06-17-2011
Whether he falls asleep or not, he would still be required to rest quietly on a cot/mat here at naptime. Not sure of the ages of the other children in your care, but consider how letting one child stay up will affect the entire group. Give him a few books and puzzles and place his nap mat away from the other kids so they won't see him. He can play quietly on his mat and read. If he falls asleep, then he needs the nap. If he stays awake then give him more books.
Your house your rules so YOU decide whether you want him to nap or not. If you ask for the parents input, you might be stuck doing the opposite of what you really want to do.
Your house your rules so YOU decide whether you want him to nap or not. If you ask for the parents input, you might be stuck doing the opposite of what you really want to do.
daycare 02:09 PM 06-17-2011
The parents have not mentioned a word about it. I have been thinking about this situation, because I am prepping the child. To start school in the fall.
California has made many changes to the kindergarten rules and no naps are offered here, as well as kinder is full day.
This child will be in my care up until the day he starts school.
I want to set him up for success, regardless of what the parents ask me I want what's best for the child.
My sister used to teach kinder and I recall her complaining about the kids having a really hard time staying awake the first few months of school.
So I thought I would ask what others do with their kinder ready program regarding sleep
California has made many changes to the kindergarten rules and no naps are offered here, as well as kinder is full day.
This child will be in my care up until the day he starts school.
I want to set him up for success, regardless of what the parents ask me I want what's best for the child.
My sister used to teach kinder and I recall her complaining about the kids having a really hard time staying awake the first few months of school.
So I thought I would ask what others do with their kinder ready program regarding sleep