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Josiegirl 09:42 AM 07-11-2018

Almost 5 yo still needs naps a few days a week because without them she is a real terror and tries to fall asleep as soon as nap time is over. I'd offer quiet time activities if she would be quiet doing them but she's not. She's up and down and talking and loud and it's endless. So I give her a pillow and blanket with her cot and that's it. She went without a nap yesterday so may need to rest today.

What do you all do with restless 4-5 yos dcks that take so much energy during quiet time? I just want to hold on until school starts up again because I have a feeling there will either be changes coming from dcm or made by myself. Dcg's birthday is coming up and dcm is going to get her a tablet; says I won't hear a peep out of her if she uses that during nap time. I am so on the fence about using that. What do you all think?

Thanks!!
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Blackcat31 12:07 PM 07-11-2018
I'd be super leary of allowing her to have an iPad at daycare and even more apprehensive about allowing it at rest time. Especially since it would seem like a reward for NOT behaving during rest time.

Being 5 yrs old and almost in kindy means she SHOULD be practicing how to use patience and following directions.

One of the biggest things I disagree with when it comes to DAP or NAEYC philosophies is not having the kids "wait" too long in between activities. Transition time activities literally make my eyes roll.... I think kids NEED to learn how to wait. They need to learn how to be patient AND even more importantly they need to know how to 'entertain' themselves while they are waiting.

Stop lights, check out lines, bank/fast food drive-throughs etc all require a little bit of patience and knowing what to do withyourself during these little "breaks" in life makes a HUGE difference in a persons temperament and thus how well they get along with or tolerate others.

Bottom line, I think she needs to learn how to lie still and just be patient. Every nano-second of every day in a child's life doesn't need to be filled with something that distracts or entertains them.

If all else fails, you could try playing audio books on CD while she rests. She can lay still and listen to the story is she requires something to keep her occupied.

It's one thing to have this issue with a 2 or 3 yr old but I cringe every time I read a post about non-listening, wiggly 5 yr old that demands (with words and/or behavior) constant entertaining, redirecting and attention.
For those kids...life is going to be tough.
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Blackcat31 12:09 PM 07-11-2018
A SURE FIRE way to get her to lay still at rest time is make sure she runs/moves/jumps and literally expends all her energy prior to resting. I've been taking all my kiddos outside for just 30 minutes while DH preps lunch.

Normally we go in the morning after snack and again after nap but adding this little 30 minute period just prior to eating and they eat fantastic and are all down and sound asleep before I have the table cleared.
So I know that works great too!
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rosieteddy 12:50 PM 07-11-2018
I am with Blackcat on this.I would hesitate to offer tablet.I would lay her down last and after the required resting time offer books only.I do like the story on cd but only if it played all of nap time.Just hold on until the end of summer.You need a break each day.
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jenboo 01:49 PM 07-11-2018
Books on cd. No way would I give a tablet.
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Jupadia 02:25 PM 07-11-2018
The only child who's get a tablet from me is my own, cause he has his own room and is separated from the dks at nap when he has it. His also the oldest of the group at 5.
I currently have one other non napper who's 4. He is great at staying quite. I give him either books or a magntic earse board. But if not quite he gets those privileges taken and gets nothing. He leaves for Kindergarten in September.
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lovemykidstoo 05:19 AM 07-12-2018
I would not give the tablet either. For sure I wouldn't let the child bring a tablet from home either. I wouldn't want to be responsible for it if it were to get broken. That's why I don't allow any toys from home. Doesn't that fall under "screen" time too? I know we're limited on how much screen time a child gets a day.

That age group really is my least fave. These kids today are so easily bored and feel they need to be "entertained" constantly. I get the brother of one of my dcb's once in a great while in the summer. During nap time he goes from one activity to the next. Literally a 5 minute attention span. Drives me out of my mind. My kids used to do things like color forever at that age.
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Ariana 09:48 AM 07-12-2018
I would use the ipad as the incentive and it is what I do. Every Friday if quiet time has gone well all week they can either watch a movie or play the iPad. They really look forward to it and it really works for me! I only allow educational games (not the carrot on a stick formula games) that I have approved of myself and the parents are obviously cool with it.
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