I have a sweet DCG who is 3.5 and is a real joy. I am friendly with the family but they keep complaining daily that they can't get her to go to bed at night until midnight or 1am. They always ask if she napped during our two hour rest period which she does. I have suggested they wake her up at 7am and bring her here then instead of letting her sleep in until 9:30am daily. I suggested no chocolate before bed including chocolate milk and to talk to the pediatrician about other ideas. I kind of feel like they want me NOT to give her a nap. However I feel that if children fall asleep during rest period it is because their body needs it and have explained that to her parents. IMO it is a power thing!!! I watched her overnight here a few Saturday's ago and she slept from 8:30pm to 8:30am... NO PROBLEM. Does anyone have any other suggestions I should tell the parents?

Note: I have a full toy shelf of quiet toys available during rest period. I have another DCG who is 4 and does not nap.

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I think all of your suggestions are good ones. Maybe also stress the importance of a consistent bedtime routine: bath at 7:00, books at 7:30, lights out at 8:00. Whatever they choose to do, they need to stick with it. It sounds like the little one may be calling the shots at home.

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I hear this issue daily....Here is what I tell the parents.
Is your kid napping on the weekends? Most likely they are not. The kids are skipping weekend naps, staying out later than normal and participating in normal crazy weekend activities to chuckie cheese, grandparents and etc. Or the parents don't think that their child needs a nap and don't nap them......

The parents don't want to have to stop what they are doing and nap the kids so the kids go without the much needed nap. Monday comes and this kid comes in and falls on their face. They sleep their little behind off trying to catch up on all the sleep that the missed over the weekend. I try to keep things consistent and routine so I only let them sleep 20 minutes longer than normal.

I have had so many parents telling me this, that I started telling them that in the end that consistency will pay off throughout the week as well. BUt that I don't expect them to follow my instructions, but to be aware that they will have issues through the week with bed time. yesterday I posted an article about parents not giving their kids enough time to sleep....See if I can find it again....found it here it is..

http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-much...ZnwyMDEyMDIwMg..

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Daycare,

Thanks for the link. I just posted to my daycare private Facebook page! I have two year old little girls and our schedule remains the same including weekends! They get a two hour nap no matter what...sometimes a little later in the day that's all.

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If the dcg falls asleep then I have to believe that it's because she needs the sleep. A nap doesn't have to dictate bedtime for children. It's a matter of consistency and the willingness of the parents to enforce bedtime routines.

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During the interview process I state my strict nap time guidelines. Sometimes I work 14+ hour days and the rest period is my only break. I tell them that if my schedule (snack, meal, rest times) don't coincide with theirs, then this isn't the daycare for them. I have had parents on occasion say that the kids are sleeping too long it is effecting them at home and I just dont believe it. There is lots of articles out there that show that napping is healthy and can improve their night time sleep habits. And if it is a child that doesnt require sleep. Quiet, self soothing, relaxation is very good practice for 4 year olds. Or parents ask not to give them a nap so that they will sleep for them on a road trip. I say "no"! Although I try to be flexible in some areas, rest time is a "non negotiable" for me. I always say they dont have to sleep, but they have to stay quiet, stay on their mat and I will NOT keep them awake.

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Everyone naps here!!

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I don't change my routine for one daycare kid. If parents want them up all day then they can get another daycare to do it. I don't have the nap discussion ever. Kids nap here, end of story.

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Every parent of a 3 year old has some version of this conversation with me. I tell them all that if they fall asleep, they need a nap and a good routine at home will help bedtime.

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I have had this conversation so many times! The parent says they can't get the kid to sleep at night, therefore, they don't want them to nap here or to only sleep for 30-60 minutes. I HATE waking up a sleeping toddler, but have done it to see if there is any affect. The only difference is that they are then super cranky when they leave here and so tired that they fall asleep right after dinner.

With several of the kids I have watched, the kids get WIRED when they are over tired. When they get to that point the struggle is awful. With consistency here, I don't have a problem, which leads me to believe that there isn't any consistency at home. I hate the blame game that goes around with this subject and I have stated to the parents that there will be a "rest time" here and if the kid falls asleep they obviously needed the rest.

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Sleep deprivation is a form of torture practiced since the Dark Ages.Sleep cycles change from time to time it will pass if the bedtime routine is soothing and consistent. Naptime is not negotiable at our center.

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You have no idea what's going on at home for her to be up until 10pm so I would just continue with the nap since she needs it. I have a DCG who naps here every single day and falls asleep within minutes she's soooo tired. she actually gets excited for nap time. She has no consistancy at home, no opportunity for nap on the weekends and no set routine at bedtime not to mention all the crap food she eats there. I just do what I do and it's of no concern to me what's happening at home. Every child in my care has the opportunity to nap, no exceptions.

There was a point where I stopped letting her nap because the mom was so insistant it was ruining her nights. Well it completely backfired and her nights got worse. She was overtired plain and simple and it had nothing to do with naps. In fact the longer she sleeps here for nap the better her nights are at home!!

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