I have two 4 yo boys in my care. Every day during naptime one or both have to get up to use the bathroom. I've always said if you have to go, just go! but be quiet/respectful of friends etc. (you all know those reminders ) But as time is going on here, it's starting to get annoying. I notice that they don't go(hold it) all morning and then have to really go during nap. And even though I encourage/insist they use the bathroom before laying down, I know there are times they say they do, but don't. I did curtail the multiple trips per kid, but that every day trip has just gotten to be habit. There are times where I'll be checking on the babies (in a separate room) and I come back and the child is just standing in the hall. Of course they say they have to use the bathroom but I know they've just been standing there for a couple of minutes.

I would not mind so much if I didn't feel that they were using the bathoom as a "get out of jail free" card. In addition, when both boys go back into the nap room, they often walk loudly or fall to their mats loudly in an attempt to wake others. Do your older dc kids do this? What are your nap time bathroom rules (if any)? Would you just let it go and try not to make a big deal out of it?

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I insist each child goes to the bathroom before they lie down for naps. I haven't had that problem, but I do have one 4 yo dcb who makes as much noise as possible when he wakes up...yawning very loudly, moaning loudly etc. You can tell he's doing it on purpose to wake the others...

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I had two 4 y/o boys who did the same thing (go figure). We had discussed several times that they needed to quietly get up for the restroom and quietly go back when they were done, but they kept disrupting the others. The way I eventually solved it was by moving their nap cots to a separate room for a couple of days. They didn't like being away from the other kids and since I've moved them back they are very quiet when they do get up and don't get up as often. Apparently it lost it's allure .

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I have everyone go before laying down. I also make it clear from the beginning(when they start at my daycare) that under MOST circumstances there is no reason to have to get up to go in the middle of nap. At this point, I would let them know that they are not being respectful of the rules and are trying to disturb others so you expect them to go before laying down and they can go again when they wake up...unless its an emergency...and emergencies don't happen EVERY day.

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We do potty, then we each pick a story to read, sing our sleepy song and tuck in song. Afterwards IF anyone is awake, I ask if they need 'one last' bathroom break. They KNOW they can get up if it's an emergency, but I have only had one kid 'abuse' the privledge, and that was ds/at age 4 when he was outgrowing naps.

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I had one that didn't nap and tried to use the "have to go to the bathroom" at nap during the time she had to rest. I knew she didn't have to go since she had just went before nap. I started telling her that the time in the bathroom does not count for her rest time and the longer she was in the bathroom the longer she's be on her nap mat. It stopped shortly after that.

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Thanks! I'm always reluctant to set a nap time bathroom rule because I don't want kids having accidents or feeling like they have to lay there having to go badly if needed. But these boys clearly are abusing it.

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I FOLLOW the 4.5-year-old in my care who tried this for 1.5 weeks straight. I learned that he enjoyed taking a nice leisurely stroll (I quietly followed before making it obvious to see WHAT he was doing). Since I follow him, it is all business now and not as enjoyable for him. He stopped doing this.

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LOVE both of these ideas! I will use them if necessary.

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I just went through this! Long story short, his parents told him he was allowed 1 potty break during nap and that's all.

(Long story below, if you're interested...)
My 4 yo was peeing on his nap mat almost every day despite staying dry all night, every night. Finally his parents and I strongly stressed that he COULD come downstairs to go potty during nap. (I think he was afraid I'd be upset with him.)

Then he started coming down every 20 minutes. He wasn't disruptive except the children who didn't fall asleep right away stayed awake to watch him, and he disrupted me from whatever I was working on.

I talked to his parents - if he could stay dry all night and could go 3-4 hours in the morning without peeing, he really didn't NEED to pee every 20 minutes during nap. They agreed, and when he started having major meltdowns because he was so overtired they told him he was only allowed 1 potty break at nap. That's all he's taken since then.

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I always find we have some issues with kids not going during naptime shortly after they have trained. I always thought they were scared because it's so quiet and no one is "around" I usually have to reassure them repeatedly that if they *need* to go they can. And then once they do, they don't stop!

Then, there is the "I'll show you!" accidents - One day my 4 yo had already had his "one" time, then pooped his pants on his mat. The way he told me "you said I could only go once and I had to poop" made it clear it was on purpose He tends to rule the roost at home, so not much of a surprise.

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At the FCC I used to work at they would have the preschoolers use the bathroom every morning right before preschool time (did that before nap time too) and there was always a few kids (one girl in particular) that would have to use the bathroom about 5 minutes into preschool-espesually because this would distract the preschool techer because she needs to . We eventually told them that while during the rest of the day they were free to use the bathroom as needed during preschool and nap time they need to wait (nap time maybe not if it was closer to the end or they are close to the bathroom).

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