Early Wakers...

[WImom]

Those of you with sleeping and playing all in the same room, what do you do with early wakers?

Right now I use my personal living room for them to play with naptime Boxes. Once we remodel our kitchen/living room this spring I don't want dc kids in those rooms anymore.

So what are some ideas that work for you for the early wakers to not wake up the other kids in the room. I also have one that doesn't nap everyday but she's pretty good at staying quiet.

[beachgrl]

I only have two kids right now and the toddler is the one who wakes earlier so I usually bring him into the living room to play quietly while the other guy finishes his nap...he is really good about being quiet so no issues so far..should get interesting in a couple weeks and months when my newbies start though.

[tweedledeedum]

Mine all stay on their mats for at least 2 hrs. If they wake up (rare) they lay quietly until two hours has passed. Then, they lay and look at books until the others are all up (within a half hour usually).

[Ariana]

I have a 3 year old who naps off and on. I usually will get her to complete some writing activities or look at books quietly. She's very good at this so I don't have any issues.

[daycare]

The only time I had a non napper, this was before I knew better () I had him sit at the eating table and gave him puzzles, art, color books. Basically anything he could do quietly. I don't offer TV time, so TV was not an option for them.

Even though I still offered those things, I constantly found myself having to remind little johnny, please keep your voice down, don't bang the puzzles down, it's quiet time. It made me miserable having to say it a billion times and I am sure he was miserable hearing it. It created an environment I didn't like. So when he went off to kinder, I said to myself, NO nap, no stay....

[momofsix]

We're all in one room at nap-time (per regs).

I guess my kids just grow up with it, so that's what they're used to

I try to place the kids down based on when they usually wake up-so the ones that wake up earlier sleep towards one side of the room, longer sleepers towards the other. When the first ones wake up they know (from the time they start on cots instead of pnps) that they may get up and play quietly. They may get paper and markers, play-dough, books...really whatever they want as long as it's not too loud. The late sleepers can actually sleep through almost anything, they sleep through parents coming and picking up kids, lights being turned back on...when they're ready to get up they will, and not a moment before!

My non-nappers (ages 5+) are allowed to bring their sleeping bags to the book area, if they're tired they'll sleep, if not they need to at least be quiet and read books until everyone else is asleep. They can play quietly with no problems at all and don't "bother" me or stop me from getting my stuff done.

I have kids that start as babies though, so it's what they know

[Unregistered]

This is very good question one I've wondered myself. I also have nappers in same room where they play. I have one 2 year old who is always waking up after +ne and half hrs while others sleep for about 2 hrs. I don't know what to do with her . She doesn't know how to be quiet and when I tell her its quiet time she thinks its funny and is evven louder. I'm interested in any suggestions also!