Do You Enforce Nap Time for a 4 Year Old?

[NillaWafers]

I'm new at this obviously, haha. My 5 year old doesn't take naps and I'm fine with him staying up. But my 4yr old dck is now boycotting naps, and I'm not sure what to do with him. He will be going to TK in August so I won't be having him much longer. I do have two three year olds who still need naps and an infant.

Do you just have them lay down for an hour then do quiet activities when they won't nap? Or do you even bother trying. I think CAs nap time laws are only up to 4 anyhow. My major problem is he and my son are best buddies and naturally make a ton of noise if even allowed within sight of each other.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by NillaWafers

I'm new at this obviously, haha. My 5 year old doesn't take naps and I'm fine with him staying up. But my 4yr old dck is now boycotting naps, and I'm not sure what to do with him. He will be going to TK in August so I won't be having him much longer. I do have two three year olds who still need naps and an infant.

Do you just have them lay down for an hour then do quiet activities when they won't nap? Or do you even bother trying. I think CAs nap time laws are only up to 4 anyhow. My major problem is he and my son are best buddies and naturally make a ton of noise if even allowed within sight of each other.

I can't make them sleep but I DO require a rest period for ALL daycare kids.

If your child (general you) no longer requires an afternoon rest time, they have outgrown my program.

I don't and won't keep kids that don't participate in rest time.

I don't offer "quiet time" activities because for some reason they never remember the "quiet" part.

I also do not do TV, movies or anything electronic. I DO play audio books on the CD player and the kids that don't want to sleep can listen to the stories but other than that, there are no options.

I buy audio books from Scholastic and put a dozen or more on a recordable CD. I've also had a DCM read stories outloud on CD. Her child enjoys hearing mom's voice read the stories.

[Play Care]

Yes, all day care kids nap. Period. World without end, Amen.
I allow them some books or quiet toys on their mats. But I have yet to have a non school aged kid be okay at nap time. They usually get bored and think I should entertain them, or they get too loud, etc. I don't have the issues with my SA kids.

When my own kids were in the day care, quiet time was our time. I always sent them to their room until after the dck's were down. Once everyone was settled, we would cuddle, read, watch a cartoon, etc. None of the dck's were ever the wiser and they were very close with one of the dcg's. I knew my time with my own kids in care was coming to an end and I wanted to savor every last minute.

[Thriftylady]

I will give them quiet activities on their mat IF they remain quiet. Once they forget the quiet part, the activities get taken away.

[kitykids3]

ALL my kiddos need to lay down for rest time. If they don't sleep, they can look at books. If they aren't quiet they go back to layind down. Here I believe up to 5 they have to rest for at least 30 mins. I don't give them a choice, really. If they are too old for naps they're too old for being here.

[e.j.]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

I can't make them sleep but I DO require a rest period for ALL daycare kids.

I have allowed older kids to read books, listen to music using earphones or watch educational tv but they have to stay on their cots and be very quiet. If they break the rule, they lose the privilege.

[KSDC]

Up to age 5, everyone lies down for naptime. If they are able to lie quiet and still for 30 minutes without falling asleep, then I let them get up and play quietly in the play room.

Age 5 and up have a 30 minute silent reading time. Then they can play quietly.

It works well for me.

5's at least half hour quiet time with books laying down-then allowed to get up and go into my smaller dc room and do quiet activities...basically table toys, drawing, playdoh, etc.
4's at least one hour.
one, two and three's entire nap time 12:30-2:30

[finsup]

My oldest will be 5 in July and everyone has a "rest" from 12-2:30. You can sleep, or read books. I love the idea of audio books but haven't used them yet because everyone does great at rest time. I'm not messing with it lol.

[kendallina]

They must rest. After about an hour I allow those still awake to read a book if they can stay quiet. Books get put away if they can't stay quiet. It works well for me. No way would I want any of my preschoolers to not have a rest time. Their bodies and minds need it and everyone feels refreshed when it's time to get up.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by KSDC

Age 5 and up have a 30 minute silent reading time. Then they can play quietly.

the required reading period!

[Meeko]

No nap means no more care.
All my kids are in a coma within a few minutes.

[childcaremom]

I used to have quiet time and let older ones stay up. Used to being the operative words. It was a constant reminder to stay quiet, play quietly, etc. If my house was laid out differently, perhaps. But right no, nope. Everyone has rest time.

I enforce rest time. Everyone lies on their cot or in their pack n play. Quietly. I call it 'rest' time so that the children (and their parents) understand that it is downtime for everyone and that a good rest will give them lots of energy to play in the afternoon. Sleep or not.

The only time I will bring in quiet time again is the summer before they start school. Otherwise they lie down with the group.

I do like the idea of books on cots and may bring that option in for my older ones once they start consistently staying up. As it is, my oldest is my best napper. He is out 5 mins into rest time.

I used to let older child stay up (mostly when I used to take school age during their breaks). Most of them weren't bad, but it started turning into no one wanting to nap because the older one didn't. Now everyone naps. I've found the children who are adamant about not sleeping usually sleep the longest. While not bad or loud, I often find the children who don't nap can't occupy themselves. I don't want to spend nap time tethered to one child. I also don't feel bad having them nap, because the big centers do that around here.

[Controlled Chaos]

Everyone naps my 6 year old is the only one up (the rest are 5 and under) but even the 6 year old rests for the first 30 min (looking at books) until the others are asleep.

[Josiegirl]

I am having such a hard time with this one. I have a 5 yo dcg who has always been a hard one to keep quiet, as soon as naps became sporadic with her. So this last week I let her stay in the living room with the 7-8 yos, as long as she remained quiet. She's such a needy one. I give them all cots, the older ones get out their electronics and are fine while the little ones sleep. But her....egads, I give her a stack of quiet things to do and she's good for maybe 20 minutes, then she wants me to color with her, play with her, starts making whiny noises, cannot keep still. And it seems like the younger ones had JUST fallen asleep so I get 0 break. Not sure what to do with this one. But I know if I lay her in the nap room she would cause a major uproar. She just cannot be quiet for more than 20-30 minutes tops.
All the younger ones, 1 1/2 yo-4 yo sleep.

[adnilwis]

So what do you do if a 4 year old dcb refuses to even lay on the cot? I've had him since november and he's maybe napped 10 days on that amount of time. He really can't sit still or be quiet and doesn't really have quiet time at home. It drives me crazy because everyone else naps everyday.

[Controlled Chaos]

A child that didn't lay on a cot would be termed. That's a discipline issue. Child gets up or sits up and they are put right back on the cot. I may sit on a chair near them while I enter Food Program stuff. Redirect. Redirect. Lights off, quiet music on - that means we are laying quietly on our beds. If they know there is NO option they will lay down. I have parents tell me their kids don't nap at home, but they all sleep between 1.5-2.5 hours here because there is no alternative.

[adnilwis]

I'm not licensed or certified so wasnt sure what my options are. I've been pretty lenient with him and letting him play quiet which I'm sure is part of the issue but asking for 15 minutes of quiet time on his cot I don't is asking too much for a 4 year old. The other dcks nap in a separate room off the lower level where I do daycare with music playing so he can hear that music playing the whole time. I sit right near him everyday. I try telling him he can look at books on his bed. I'm just done with the laughing at me and constant NO from him. He'll be in a center come fall doing wrap around care and 4k which requires 30 minutes of rest time so I'm trying to prepare him for that. Not really enjoying it though.

[CityGarden]

I like the way my dd's preschool approached this.

1:15pm -3:00pm nap time, all children must lay down quietly for the first hour.

2:15pm - 3:00pm non-resters: Reading or quiet activity at nap mat, or outdoor choices.

I will say that regardless of age I feel if a child is home all day with me there is a required quiet time. Last summer my dd then 8 still had to read quietly on her bed for an hour each day I would at a minimum enforce that for both your son and the dck.

[Missjaime]

Originally Posted by Play Care

Yes, all day care kids nap. Period. World without end, Amen.
I allow them some books or quiet toys on their mats. But I have yet to have a non school aged kid be okay at nap time. They usually get bored and think I should entertain them, or they get too loud, etc. I don't have the issues with my SA kids.

When my own kids were in the day care, quiet time was our time. I always sent them to their room until after the dck's were down. Once everyone was settled, we would cuddle, read, watch a cartoon, etc. None of the dck's were ever the wiser and they were very close with one of the dcg's. I knew my time with my own kids in care was coming to an end and I wanted to savor every last minute.

This is my favorite - my kids and I also have our own little "quiet time" during the dck's nap time. My 5 and 3 year old don't really nap anymore, so I get to cuddle them, read to them, hang out with just them. I think this is important as the rest of the day my attention is rarely on just them.
That being said, I enforce quiet/nap time for all of them. No matter what they do at home, they all lay down and rest for nap time. I had a 6 year old kindergartener who decided she wanted to rest (I was prepared for her to stay up, as she hadn't napped for years prior). She sleeps longer than the other kids now!

Originally Posted by Play Care

Yes, all day care kids nap. Period. World without end, Amen.
I allow them some books or quiet toys on their mats. But I have yet to have a non school aged kid be okay at nap time. They usually get bored and think I should entertain them, or they get too loud, etc. I don't have the issues with my SA kids.

When my own kids were in the day care, quiet time was our time. I always sent them to their room until after the dck's were down. Once everyone was settled, we would cuddle, read, watch a cartoon, etc. None of the dck's were ever the wiser and they were very close with one of the dcg's. I knew my time with my own kids in care was coming to an end and I wanted to savor every last minute.

I understand this is an ancient thread, but I’m literally appalled by this ^
So, you understood that YOUR “own kids” care was coming to an end, and you wanted to “savor your time with them”, yet you DEMANDED that the dck kids in which you were BEING PAID and ENTRUSTED to CARE FOR essentially leave you alone because you couldn’t be bothered to “entertain them” with the same cuddle or cartoon as you did with your own children??!!
You should not be daycare worker. This is your PROFESSION, not your free time to do what you want. Parents are paying you to WORK, so they can WORK. Don’t you think they’d rather cuddle their kids and watch a show midday??
Really, really sad and scary.

Originally Posted by Missjaime

This is my favorite - my kids and I also have our own little "quiet time" during the dck's nap time. My 5 and 3 year old don't really nap anymore, so I get to cuddle them, read to them, hang out with just them. I think this is important as the rest of the day my attention is rarely on just them.
That being said, I enforce quiet/nap time for all of them. No matter what they do at home, they all lay down and rest for nap time. I had a 6 year old kindergartener who decided she wanted to rest (I was prepared for her to stay up, as she hadn't napped for years prior). She sleeps longer than the other kids now!

I will repeat myself ^THIS IS OUTRIGHT APPALLING^^
You’re “attention is rarely on your ‘own’ kids” BECAUSE YOU ARE RUNNING A BUSINESS AND PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL CARE FOR OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN. Do you you know who else’s “attention is rarely ink their own kids” in the MIDDLE OF THE DAY?! Um, the PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN WHO ARE LITERALLY WORKING IN ORDER TO PAY YOU TO PROVIDE CARE.
These posts have only scared me to NOT trust a daycare facility.
Shameful, actually.

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by RepCO

These posts have only scared me to NOT trust a daycare facility.
Shameful, actually.

If you can't understand why a childcare provider, working in her own home 50-60 hours per week, wants to spend a little one on one time with her own child during the day, then you really should just stay home with your own.

[daisymay]

Originally Posted by RepCO

I will repeat myself ^THIS IS OUTRIGHT APPALLING^^
You’re “attention is rarely on your ‘own’ kids” BECAUSE YOU ARE RUNNING A BUSINESS AND PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL CARE FOR OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN. Do you you know who else’s “attention is rarely ink their own kids” in the MIDDLE OF THE DAY?! Um, the PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN WHO ARE LITERALLY WORKING IN ORDER TO PAY YOU TO PROVIDE CARE.
These posts have only scared me to NOT trust a daycare facility.
Shameful, actually.

Please do update us when you open your own home daycare. I would love to learn from your wise ways once you get some experience.

[Snowmom]

Originally Posted by RepCO

I understand this is an ancient thread, but I’m literally appalled by this ^
So, you understood that YOUR “own kids” care was coming to an end, and you wanted to “savor your time with them”, yet you DEMANDED that the dck kids in which you were BEING PAID and ENTRUSTED to CARE FOR essentially leave you alone because you couldn’t be bothered to “entertain them” with the same cuddle or cartoon as you did with your own children??!!
You should not be daycare worker. This is your PROFESSION, not your free time to do what you want. Parents are paying you to WORK, so they can WORK. Don’t you think they’d rather cuddle their kids and watch a show midday??
Really, really sad and scary.

Yea, I mean, how they dare they expect any break during a 10-12 hour work day in a family daycare?

Your $150 a week should have them groveling at your feet to be grateful for the opportunity to entertain your child 50+ hours a week.
Why, they should certainly just ignore their own kids during the required nap time that's outlined in the contract, so they can pay 100% attention to your child.
That's really what $3/hour should pay for, right?

[littlefriends]

"Don’t you think they’d rather cuddle their kids and watch a show midday??"

Sadly no, no I do not. I have seen the exact opposite actually. Too many times to count. It's usually these parents berating the provider for not doing enough special for their little angel while at the same time dropping them off at daycare so they can go boating with the older siblings (that are easier and need little attention) and not have to deal with the little one that is going to require attention and care.

[AmyKidsCo]

Licensing requires 30 min rest for all children under 5. After the 30 min they can have books or other quiet toys.

I require all kids to have down time, both for me and them. I find if they don’t have alone time they are way crankier in the afternoon. We alot 3 hours for naps/quiet time. It usually takes 40 minutes to get the little ones asleep, and the quiet time kids are expected to be silent during that time (in another room). After an hour, they are offered a change of activities (they start with some books and a puzzle, and get some toys if they were quiet. After 2.5 hours they move to sensory activities or 30min screen time.

[CeriBear]

I don’t require them to sleep but all the children are required to have a rest time as per licensing. This year I am lucky because all my class naps for at least part of the time. Those who awaken early are allowed to look at a book on their cots until the lights go on. I never try and force a child to sleep as this usually becomes a battle and makes things worse. As long as they are lying quietly and resting I don’t force sleep.

[LK5kids]

I require kids to lay down until the summer before kindergarten. The two 5’s I had this school year would lay down 1/2 hour to an hour after the other kids. They played very quietly with table activities for me.

They went to public 4K three full days a week and they laid down an hour there. Kindergarten even has a 20 min. rest time.

[flying_babyb]

You will lay down and rest for a half hour at our center, even the school agers(oldest is 7) (and theres a few that still nap). our center dont have a cut off time so I have parents dropping off at 1030, 11. Those kids still must lay down, though most days we dump them on the other staff by 1230 so our staff can get in breaks.