Nap Issues - 14 mo

[craftymissbeth]

I've looked through past posts, but didn't see much that had to do with my situation.

I have a 14 mo dcg who has been with me since mid September. It's been 4 months and naps are exactly how they were in the beginning... horrible. She's draining every once of energy I have.

Our routine is this:
9-10 morning nap
12:30ish - 3 afternoon nap

I change all of their diapers, clean them up from lunch, put them in their beds, turn on the music, turn out lights, shut blinds & curtains.

Dcg screams the second input her in the pnp. She doesn't cry; she screams as though she's being harmed. Honestly, it's the most annoying sound I've ever heard. I'm sure my teeth are just about flat from grinding them. This scream is the 'it's an emergency. I'm dying. Help me now' scream... but she's perfectly fine. I've tried patting her back or shhhing, but that just fuels it more. She wakes up at the tiniest sound. One day I snuck into the kitchen (she's in a room alone down a small hallway from the kitchen) to grab a receipt. The crinkling of the receipt woke her up! And the second she wakes up it's back to screaming. She screams for maybe 5-10 minutes then falls asleep. 30-45 minutes later it's screaming again.

Dcm showed up Monday morning and told me that dcg had trouble sleeping Sunday night and would probably be tired early. Ok, that's fine.

But last week she said they are cutting out her morning nap at home. She said it's too difficult to make sure she's home to PUT DCG IN HER SWING TO NAP. Are you kidding me? Dcg is about the size of a 9 mo, but she's 14 mo and sleeps in a swing at home!!! My face was like she said "well, it's not on. We just put her in the swing because she likes to feel enclosed". I told her that I would never tell her to change the way they parent, but that the sleeping in the swing is obviously causing issues here and that after 4 months she should definitely have adapted by now.

Idk what to do. She said they'd stop. I think maybe they did and now dcg is caught in a circle of being so tired she can't nap.

Any advice? Sorry that was so long... I've been holding it in for 4 months

[SilverSabre25]

I would try a sleep sack, honestly. if she wants to feel enclosed, then that should help.

[craftymissbeth]

Originally Posted by SilverSabre25

I would try a sleep sack, honestly. if she wants to feel enclosed, then that should help.

Good idea. I'll try that for her nap this afternoon.

[littleblossoms]

I am facing the same situation. Sleep sap will work as this is what I am doing today and for half hour now he is sleeping

[CraftyMom]

I drives me nuts when parents don't disclose all the necessary information, it's the same as lying to me. They probably didn't tell you because they know it's wrong and you won't do it there, but by not telling you it's causing you to pull your hair out!
I have a baby, 5 months, that supposedly sleeps great at home, despite trying every trick in the book nothing had gotten her to sleep more than 20 minutes at a time here. Swaddling worked great, but I was just using a blanket and she would wiggle out of it and wake up. I have a "swaddle me" sack that I've started using and it did the trick! It's a bit small for her so I'll be buying a new one, but it worked! An hour nap for the last two weeks, thank goodness!

[craftymissbeth]

I stuck her in a woombie. She hated it at first, slept for 30 minutes and is now screaming. I have a sleep sack, but she still stands up in it and it's the same as it is without it.

Is this something you would put a child on probation for?

[CraftyMom]

Originally Posted by craftymissbeth

I stuck her in a woombie. She hated it at first, slept for 30 minutes and is now screaming. I have a sleep sack, but she still stands up in it and it's the same as it is without it.

Is this something you would put a child on probation for?

Is she keeping the other kids awake at nap? Then yes
Is it getting to be too much for you after trying all possible solutions? Then yes
Are you starting to regret her being there because you know what the day will be like? Then yes
Are the parents ignoring your shared concerns? Then yes

This type of thing can make a day miserable and maybe telling the parents that if things don't change soon she won't be able to come anymore might make them see more clearly. Of course not every child is the perfect sleeper, but it sounds like there are things that can be done on the parents' end to help you out and they aren't cooperating.

[Cradle2crayons]

Originally Posted by CraftyMom

Is she keeping the other kids awake at nap? Then yes
Is it getting to be too much for you after trying all possible solutions? Then yes
Are you starting to regret her being there because you know what the day will be like? Then yes
Are the parents ignoring your shared concerns? Then yes

This type of thing can make a day miserable and maybe telling the parents that if things don't change soon she won't be able to come anymore. Of course not every child is the perfect sleeper, but it sounds like there are things that can be done on the parents' end to help you out and they aren't cooperating.

This is one of those situations that if the parents aren't on the same page.lol makes group care nearly impossible....

Sometimes parents ignore our concerns because they are at the end of their rope and are doing what's easier for THEM even though in the longtime re mite harder for the child and us providers..

In a situation like this, it's time for a come to Jesus meeting with the parents. Draft up a plan of action and if things don't improve... Term citing mal adjustment to group care... It is what it is...

[craftymissbeth]

Idk what do do anymore. She's screaming as I type. It's the worst I have ever heard in my life.

I don't want to term, but maybe she's better off somewhere else

[CraftyMom]

Originally Posted by craftymissbeth

Idk what do do anymore. She's screaming as I type. It's the worst I have ever heard in my life.

I don't want to term, but maybe she's better off somewhere else

I'm sure you've done your best, a person can only take so much