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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Confession - I Feel So Horrible!
Logged out for privacy 12:05 PM 05-31-2012
During nap time today, I was sitting on the sofa (upright) reading, and I dozed off. For about 25 minutes. This has never happened to me before. I feel like a terrible and unprofessional provider.
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B Lou 12:10 PM 05-31-2012
you obviously are very tired. Don't beat yourself up over it. Remember the weekend is almost here.
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beachgrl 12:19 PM 05-31-2012
I try to give myself a list of things to do during nap time becuase if I sit down or try to read..i get so sleepy and end up having to get moving and doing stuff, so hard when its all quiet in the house lol
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Breezy 12:26 PM 05-31-2012
Aw, it happens! It is scary and makes ya feel really bad but it does happen. Don't beat yourself up too hard.
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sharlan 12:31 PM 05-31-2012
I so wanted a nap today. I spent the night at my daughter's last night, pet sitting. The neighbor's dog barked ALL night long, so no sleep for me.

Instead, I folded 3 loads of laundry and cleaned my bathroom while the baby slept. My dh had taken the 5 yo to his preschool end of year party.
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mema 12:34 PM 05-31-2012
Ok. I wasn't going to reply. I'm not one for confrontation, but heck, the mood is going around.

No, it is NOT ok. I think this has been gone over many times recently.

These kids need someone to be awake at all times. Even the slightest doze could result in tragedy. It is not your own children. These little peeps belong to someone else and trust you to care for them and be awake at all times.

Find something to do to stay awake. I've had many sleepless nights lately, but I make sure to do things that will not allow me to sleep between the hours of 7a-5p. If that means I need to drink caffeine, exercise, splash cold water on my face, do the dishes, sweep the floor 80 times, whatever it takes.

If something happened because I fell asleep I would feel absolutely horrible. Depending on what it was, I don't know how I'd live with myself.

It is someone else's life on the line. You need to stay awake.
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countrymom 12:49 PM 05-31-2012
I found that the new crystal light energy works awesome. There are days that I'm so tired that I drink it before 1pm and then I'm fine.
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sharlan 12:55 PM 05-31-2012
Originally Posted by sharlan:
I so wanted a nap today. I spent the night at my daughter's last night, pet sitting. The neighbor's dog barked ALL night long, so no sleep for me.

Instead, I folded 3 loads of laundry and cleaned my bathroom while the baby slept. My dh had taken the 5 yo to his preschool end of year party.
*Let me add, I NEVER sleep when the babies are here. I will nap if the older ones are here and my dh is here to supervise.
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Creek 01:11 PM 05-31-2012
I definately have those days that I am just so tired during nap time and don't know how I'm going to make it another minute. I force myself to get up and do something. Today was laundry. I can't even sit on the couch and fold cause I think I'd still fall asleep. I have to be standing!

Hopefully you get some much needed rest this evening, because it's not cool to sleep during the day like that. Hang in there!
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Heidi 01:25 PM 05-31-2012
While I would not suggest anyone purposely laying down to take a nap, I do remember similar stuff happening to me once or twice when I was preggers many years ago.

Our state regs say a licensed provider must be awake at ALL times.
A certified provider may sleep when the children sleep. So, if one takes children overnight, it is not expected that you stay awake all night. Also, certified means fewer children.

I know this has been talked about here, and I certainly would not make a habit of it, but it happened! There are many things far worse you could do in your life. Falling asleep for 20 minutes doesn't rank up there in my mind.
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Heidi 01:26 PM 05-31-2012
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I found that the new crystal light energy works awesome. There are days that I'm so tired that I drink it before 1pm and then I'm fine.
ingredients? eckkk....
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Bookworm 02:09 PM 05-31-2012
5 hour energy taken no earlier than 9:30am usually helps me on sleepy days.
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DaycareProvider 02:16 PM 05-31-2012
I've recently started taking vitamin B12, seems to help me stay super energized throughout the day. Try it, you might like it.
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Country Kids 02:21 PM 05-31-2012
Please, please, please don't flame me for asking this but.......if we can sleep when the children are sleeping why then can't we sleep/nap when they are napping. Isn't it the same thing??? They are still sleeping.

I have horrible tiredness and its a medical mystery to all the doctors I've been to. They can't find the cause of it but I can fall asleep for hours at the drop of a hat if i'm not careful. Years ago, before I was even married I actually fell asleep while going over some work things with a higher up person!!! I was in a very comfy chair and jsut fell asleep. They just let me sleep and I actually kept the job! Believe me I was very embarressed when I woke up but its really hard for me sometimes. I have to constently be moving/keep my mind busy or I will fall asleep
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kathiemarie 02:22 PM 05-31-2012
I chew gum. You can't fall asleep with gum in yor mouth. OP don't beat yourself up. It happens.
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Kaddidle Care 02:41 PM 05-31-2012
And now you know what not to do when it's nap time. It happened, it wasn't intentional and we all learn from our mistakes.

Hey - I used to nap when my baby napped. I didn't know it was a crime.
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Unregistered 04:56 PM 05-31-2012
I'm not going to go lay down for a nap because I know it's against regulations, but I too would like to know why you can sleep at night when children are sleeping, but not during the day. During the day your body isn't going to go into as deep a sleep as you go into at night when you have several hours (compared to maybe one or two at nap time). Plus, if the doors are locked, children all sleeping, you're in the same room... I can understand babies and needing to check on them really often and all that, but if you have older children, I just don't understand the difference. Like if they had my group. Children currently are all 3 1/2 to 5 yrs old. Once they're asleep, they're out for at least an hour. If they wake up early, they KNOW to stay on their cots, and don't even try getting up early. One of them might try waking the others up, but if she made enough noise to wake another child up, she would definitely make enough noise for the provider. I also realize that providers who could go into a deep sleep during a nap time shouldn't go to sleep. But if they know their body, and that they are a light sleeper anyway, and would wake up at the least noise or anything out of the ordinary??
Anyway, OP, legally you shouldn't go to sleep purposely because of regulations (and I don't know how deep a sleeper you even are), but it happened one time, you feel awful about it, you know you shouldn't have, but you didn't MEAN to. Believe it or not, even childcare providers are not perfect all the time, although we sure try our best to be Just be glad it was that instead of something really dangerous and that nothing happend while you were asleep.
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jokalima 08:30 PM 05-31-2012
Well it has not happen to me, I clean up lunch mess and kitchen during that time, when i'm done a make some coffee and lunch for myself, sit and watch tv or use computer, do laundry, sometimes clean the house and that way don't have to worry about cleaning during weekends and that gives me family time, something that I was lacking when i left all the cleaning for the weekend.
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saved4always 05:39 AM 06-01-2012
It happened and you cannot undo it so don't beat yourself up about it. Nothing bad happened and really it was not likely that something bad would happen. It is against the rules though and there is always that small chance that a child could be in danger if you are sleeping, so you now know that reading a book at nap will put you to sleep; so you can find other activities that are more active. I personally used to do my excercise bike, read, or log onto this site at naptime. Always with a cup of coffee at my elbow to keep the sleepiness away. I, too, get sleepy if I get too comfy and have my book to read.
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