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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Nap Time =(
DaycareMom 11:22 AM 03-06-2013
Hi!

I am wishing to get advice about nap time.

I care for my own children (2 yo boy and 4 yo girl), plus 3 other (3 yo girl, 3 yo boy, and 4 month old).

My children each have their own rooms with bunk beds. Boys in one room, girls in the other, and baby is in my room.

The problem is, the kids are always talking and playing during nap. It gets very frustrating since this is the only time I have all day to eat, clean and whatever else needs to be done.

I am constantly going in telling them to be quiet. The only time they all will nap is if everyone is separated - but I don't have enough rooms for that.

How do you get kids to be quiet and sleep at nap - without sitting there and watching them the whole time?

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.
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melilley 11:30 AM 03-06-2013
Hi! I have a 6 mo (mine), 7 mo old, 18 mo. old and a 2 1/2 year old. The 6 mo. old has a pnp in my room and sleeps as needed, the 18 mo. old has a pnp (parental request) or sometimes uses a cot and the 2 1/2 year old uses a cot, both in my sons room. I put the 18 mo. old in the pnp first and he falls asleep quickly by himself. Then the 2 1/2 year old goes on his cot when the 18 mo. old is sleeping and he too falls asleep quickly. Then my own child sleeps either in his crib or since he is mine, in the family room. I tried to put the 18 mo old and 2 1/2 year old to sleep at the same time, but it was too difficult, they would talk and laugh and not sleep! Things are definitely better since I have them going to sleep at the different times. I would stick it out and sit in there with them and rub/pat backs, but I can't leave the two babies in the family room or playroom by themselves.
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HomeMADE 11:35 AM 03-06-2013
I actually sleep everyone except the 10 mo or 12 mo in the daycare room on cots. There is a largeish doorway from the daycare room/old formal living room dining room, to the family room and kitchen. I turn on lullaby's on the speakers from pandora and I start my clean up, lunch, family dinner, ect.

Our Nap time is from 1pm - 3pm, it usually takes them about 10 to 15 minutes to get quiet and or go to sleep.

For me it takes about 3 days for a new DCK to get the hang of it but if I can not hear or see them they will try to stay up. Which makes for a bad 2nd half of the day. So it is worth getting them in a routine.
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NeedaVaca 11:47 AM 03-06-2013
I think I'm a lucky one...I line all my pnp & mats in one row in my daycare room with enough space that they can't reach each other, turn on soft music, turn down the lights, say "night night, sweet dreams, no talking" and that's it-they all go to sleep and they are out for 2 1/2 to 3 hrs!
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rmc20021 12:08 PM 03-06-2013
I have all my dck's in one room as well, and I stay with them and tell them to close their eyes...usually within 5 minutes they are all out and I can go about my business with what I want to do.

If you leave kids those ages (more than one in a room/area) unattended to go to sleep, it most likely won't happen. None of mine are as young as yours though so I would separate them each into different rooms/areas as possible and they will probably fall asleep quicker.
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Oneluckymom 12:33 PM 03-06-2013
I agree that leaving them unattended is probably the issue. I would recommend them being in one room and supervising until they are asleep. It may take a few days for the new adjustment but it should work out better.
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DaycareMom 02:13 PM 03-06-2013
I guess I was looking for advice on how to NOT sit and stare at them lay down.

I did do that for awhile and it worked at first. They would fall asleep within 20 mins.

Now that they are used to that, they take at least an hour to fall asleep if they sleep at all.

It is just becoming overwhelmingly frustrating to not have a break during the day - and it seems like such a waste to sit and watch them do nothing.

=(
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NeedaVaca 02:33 PM 03-06-2013
I don't sit with my DCK's and the ages range from 12 mth, 18 mth, 2 and 3 yr. I'm not sure what the secret is, maybe they know I mean business lol. I have been really lucky with good nappers! I do have a video monitor in the room so they all know I can still see/hear them
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Scout 04:34 PM 03-06-2013
i have my 20 mo ds and 2 yo dcg in his bedroom. She is still in a pnp because she likes it and he in his crib. I put him in about 10 minutes before her since he falls asleep easier. I once put them in at the same time and he was standing up and they were having a good ol time! Spacing it out a bit helps these two.

In my living room I have two 3 yo boys and 4 yo ds on cots. I make the room dark and they pick a movie and I turn the volume down real low so they have to be quiet to hear(thanks to another member's idea) and usually the 3 yo's will fall asleep...ds once in a blue moon. He has really gotten better at being quiet though while on his cot or he goes and plays elsewhere quietly while they sleep.
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LittleD 08:58 PM 03-06-2013
Find out who the ring leaders are and lay them down first. When they fall asleep, get the others in. Thats what I've done for groups of 2-3 in one room
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Little Star75 11:07 PM 03-06-2013
I have a 21-month olds dcb, 4-yr old boy and his sister who is 2.5-yrs old and at first I always had my 13-yr old daughter stay in the room with them. Just recently they started sleeping alone, I put lullaby music and turn on speakers so I may hear them when they wake up. At first they were having trouble being alone but now they do great. I just tell them that if they stay quiet i will give them an incentive. So far It has worked for me, by the time they wake up they have forgotten about the incentive.
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boysx5 03:43 AM 03-07-2013
I nap all mine in the same room as well I put a movie on and off to sleep they go for at least two hours.
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CedarCreek 06:15 AM 03-07-2013
I have found that I have to lay mine down in a certain order for them to not be laying beside their friend that they make mischief with.

It goes:

Oldest dcg who takes forever to fall asleep
Youngest dcb who falls asleep quickly
Oldest dcb who falls asleep better by his brother
2 year old dcb who falls asleep first
My ds who falls asleep last and plays with oldest dcg the most.
Youngest dcg sleeps in a pack n play because she will wander around

Eta: if everyone is laying in this order, they will nap for 2 1/2 hours without me staring at them. I also play music.
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DaycareMom 09:02 AM 03-11-2013
None of my kids would go to sleep thinking that the others were up and they were missing out on something.

I guess I am stuck wasting my "break" by watching them - unless someone else has some advice

Thank you all for your input.
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JLH 09:22 AM 03-11-2013
I put my twins (just turned 3 last Friday) in their own bedroom for nap. This is where they ALWAYS sleep and they are very used to it with it being their own room with their own toddler beds. They know what they are expected to do when put to bed and they don't usually mess around. All of the daycare kids sleep in our playroom, on mats or in playpens, depending on age. I also put the kids in the same spots every single time so they are comfortable with that being their nap spot. When we used to have infants, they went to sleep in my 10 year olds room or in my room.

I think the problem may be that you are moving the kids around. Try keeping them in the same exact nap spot every single day.
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DaycareMom 10:23 AM 03-11-2013
Nope. My kids both sleep on the top bunk - for night and nap time. DCG sleeps on bottom in my daughter's room and DCB sleeps on bottom in my son's room. They are all in the same nap spot everyday.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 10:44 AM 03-11-2013
Put one of the two DCK's in the living room and one in the kitchen.
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Play Care 11:21 AM 03-11-2013
Originally Posted by DaycareMom:
None of my kids would go to sleep thinking that the others were up and they were missing out on something.

I guess I am stuck wasting my "break" by watching them - unless someone else has some advice

Thank you all for your input.
Have you tried incentives for those who are laying quietly with eyes closed? I do this with my older 3's and 4's since they have mostly outgrown napping. They love earning different things each day. Stickers, pom poms, and even the occasional Hershey's Kiss.

Do the kids have loveys(blankets, paci's, stuffed toy)? In my house only kids who are resting quietly get loveys - and I take them away from kids who are not sleeping.

Are they getting enough outdoor/large motor time? I literally try to run their legs off in the AM, so I know they are tired.

I know you said you don't have the space, but I would try to use non bedrooms (dens, family room, guest room, etc.) to separate the kids permantly. I know some nap kids in one room, but I never had good luck with that. And a simple "we need to sleep during nap time so we need to be in different rooms."

I would not hesitate to move children to another room, and speak firmly to those who feel they "can't" rest if someone isn't with them (really, that speaks more to who they think is in charge then anything else)

And based on the last question - How do the children behave for you otherwise? Are they generally good listeners who follow directions? Or are they testing in other areas as well?

As for your last sentence, at the risk of offending, there is no such thing as a guarenteed break in this business. Can there be down time? Sure, but we are still responsible for ensuring the safety and well being of the children in our care - even during nap time. I understand the frustration, I really do. But I've learned not to wait until nap time to try to get things done, and take advantage of downtime I do get. I do hope you find something that will work for your group so you can have some down time.
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CedarCreek 11:36 AM 03-11-2013
We all gave advice.

You just sound like you aren't willing to take any of it.

Hope you figure something out.
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Blackcat31 12:16 PM 03-11-2013
Originally Posted by Play Care:
Have you tried incentives for those who are laying quietly with eyes closed? I do this with my older 3's and 4's since they have mostly outgrown napping. They love earning different things each day. Stickers, pom poms, and even the occasional Hershey's Kiss.

Do the kids have loveys(blankets, paci's, stuffed toy)? In my house only kids who are resting quietly get loveys - and I take them away from kids who are not sleeping.

Are they getting enough outdoor/large motor time? I literally try to run their legs off in the AM, so I know they are tired.

I know you said you don't have the space, but I would try to use non bedrooms (dens, family room, guest room, etc.) to separate the kids permantly. I know some nap kids in one room, but I never had good luck with that. And a simple "we need to sleep during nap time so we need to be in different rooms."

I would not hesitate to move children to another room, and speak firmly to those who feel they "can't" rest if someone isn't with them (really, that speaks more to who they think is in charge then anything else)

And based on the last question - How do the children behave for you otherwise? Are they generally good listeners who follow directions? Or are they testing in other areas as well?

As for your last sentence, at the risk of offending, there is no such thing as a guarenteed break in this business. Can there be down time? Sure, but we are still responsible for ensuring the safety and well being of the children in our care - even during nap time. I understand the frustration, I really do. But I've learned not to wait until nap time to try to get things done, and take advantage of downtime I do get. I do hope you find something that will work for your group so you can have some down time.
This is exactly what I would have said!
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Scout 12:43 PM 03-11-2013
Originally Posted by CedarCreek:
We all gave advice.

You just sound like you aren't willing to take any of it.

Hope you figure something out.
This is a bit harsh, IMO. She is just asking for help. I don't think you needed to give this response.
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DaycareMom 01:25 PM 03-11-2013
Originally Posted by Scout:
This is a bit harsh, IMO. She is just asking for help. I don't think you needed to give this response.
Originally Posted by CedarCreek:
We all gave advice.

You just sound like you aren't willing to take any of it.

Hope you figure something out.
Ummmm wow! Yeah I would agree. A bit harsh!

If you have don't have any advice or something helpful, there was no need to comment.


PlayCare and BlackCat - Thank you for your additional advice. You are correct, there is no such thing as a break. lol. I will try the incentive thing and see how that goes. Thank you so much for everyone who gave advice!
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CedarCreek 02:00 PM 03-11-2013
You are shooting down everything anyone tells you. So to me that sounds like you aren't concerned with taking the advice.

Harsh? Trust me, that wasn't harsh.
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 03:59 PM 03-11-2013
All of my kid lets nap in he same room except the baby (pnp in the front room with closing door)
I separate them with items, parts of the play yard. So toy box, shelf, 3sections of play yard separate them. Each on their own cot. I lay them down in a certain order. I have gone as far as when I have the twins here I leave on secure in the high chair where I can see him and rock his brother, the easy to sleep one first. Two minutes he is asleep and I lay him down. Then I take care of brother who is a little harder to settle. If I take them both back, one runs and keeps the others up. I think it is analyzing your kids. I stay in the playroom until they are all asleep, otherwise one may wake another. Once they are asleep I do schoolwork with my son. taking that time to settle them is so worth it. If I try to skip that it doesn't work and I have chaos.
A break... Yes, naptime can be a break but it takes the effort in the beginning to train them and some days a good naptime just isn't in the cards...
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