How Long Should 4 Year Old Nap

[Meyou]

My 7 year old goes to bed at 7:30pm most nights. She still needs 12 hours sleep or she's a miserable cranky mess. I rarely let her stay up past 8pm even in the summer. The last fireworks she watched she was up until 10:30 and was a hysterical heap of tears on the floor by the time we got home because I made her hold my hand after she kept dawdling behind us.

[AmandasFCC]

The difference is those kids are in school all day and not expected to nap.

A child that's been in daycare all day, where a rest period is usually enforced, does not need to be in bed at 7am. My dd3 naps about 1.5-2 hours day and goes to bed between 8-8:30. We close the door and she closes her eyes and that's her until 6:30-7am. If she wasn't napping, she'd be in bed earlier, but because she's still happy and not requiring rest at 7, why on earth would I cut my day with her short? And I'm WITH her all day long

[Unregistered]

An analogy..

Imagine having a birthday party for 8 children under the age of 5 at your house, with no other parents there to help you. Now do that for 10-11 hours a day, 5 days a week. Make sure to plenty of meals and activites! Oh, and no one has had a nap? arrrggggg!!!!

[SilverSabre25]

I am shocked at how many daycare owners are up past 1am on weekdays on this thread. People are usually worn out when they spend day in and out with kids. Makes me wonder what your "secrets" are to being able to stay up so late & face a bunch of kids the following morning before parents have to be at work. My cousin runs her own in-home daycare. If you e-mail her at anytime of the day, she'll respond within minutes. Makes me wonder what people are paying her for other than to standby like a correctional officer with a bunch of inmates.

keep in mind that we have members from all across the U.S and Canada--even Alaska, I believe. Your 1 AM might be their 10 PM...they might be up with a restless wakey infant, have insomnia, or not have to get up at 6 AM the next day. Also..you were up at 12:30 so what gives??

[Unregistered]

My son is 4 1/2 and is being forced to take naps by his daycare. He hasn't slept before 10:00 since preschool let out a month ago - and yes, he has a regular bedtime, he just cant sleep and is crying in his bed. There is no reason for a 4 year old child to take a nap other than the laziness of the daytime caretaker. My boy walked into daycare this morning (and many mornings before ) proclaiming that he wanted to sleep at night not in the day but once again his wish was not honored. I guess thats what minimum wage gets you.

[jen]

My son is 4 1/2 and is being forced to take naps by his daycare. He hasn't slept before 10:00 since preschool let out a month ago - and yes, he has a regular bedtime, he just cant sleep and is crying in his bed. There is no reason for a 4 year old child to take a nap other than the laziness of the daytime caretaker. My boy walked into daycare this morning (and many mornings before ) proclaiming that he wanted to sleep at night not in the day but once again his wish was not honored. I guess thats what minimum wage gets you.

Well, since YOU are his parent and his daycare situation is clearly not working for him, what are YOU doing to fix it?

If the current provider doesn't offer the services you need, shouldn't you be looking for one that does? What does wage have to do with it? This is simply about what services ARE offered, versus which ones ARE NOT offered.

As his parent, why don't you set about "honoring" his wishes? Or, is that too much work? Much easier to complain than to fix, I suppose.

[nannyde]

My son is 4 1/2 and is being forced to take naps by his daycare. He hasn't slept before 10:00 since preschool let out a month ago - and yes, he has a regular bedtime, he just cant sleep and is crying in his bed. There is no reason for a 4 year old child to take a nap other than the laziness of the daytime caretaker. My boy walked into daycare this morning (and many mornings before ) proclaiming that he wanted to sleep at night not in the day but once again his wish was not honored. I guess thats what minimum wage gets you.

This is SO sad.

Why would you take your child somewhere where they are FORCING him to do something HE doesn't want to do and YOU don't want him to do? Why are you allowing him around a minimum wage employee who is lazy? Why would you take him back many mornings and stand there and LISTEN to him say the words that he doesn't want to sleep during the day and then LEAVE........ HIM....... THERE? You KNOW his wishes are not being honored and you walk away?

He needs a PARENT to make sure his wishes are HONORED and he is not FORCED to do something he doesn't want and clearly doesn't need. YOU have to make sure that happens.... YOU

[AnneCordelia]

My son is 4 1/2 and is being forced to take naps by his daycare. He hasn't slept before 10:00 since preschool let out a month ago - and yes, he has a regular bedtime, he just cant sleep and is crying in his bed. There is no reason for a 4 year old child to take a nap other than the laziness of the daytime caretaker. My boy walked into daycare this morning (and many mornings before ) proclaiming that he wanted to sleep at night not in the day but once again his wish was not honored. I guess thats what minimum wage gets you.

If it's so important to you that his caretaker honour his wishes then you need to find him a caretaker who will. This is not on them...you were the one who dropped him off there.

My own children go to bed between 7:30-8pm. We just recently moved my 8yo's bedtime to 8pm. They like their sleep.

[MommyMuffin]

I am a little sad by the comments from some parents on this thread. There are great providers and not so great providers. Just as there are great people in your (parents) line of work and not so great people.

We are all human. Most of use work our butts off trying to make sure we provide a great enviroment and we even use whatever little income is left over to put twoards toys, equiptment, and whatever we think your child will like.

It is your choice who you leave your child with. Like Nannyde said.

We are hard working citizens too. We try to please every parent in the ways we can.

I guess I just wanted to say, I am working just like you. I like my job and I try very hard to do it well, just as I am sure you do to. So to read the things you wrote makes me very sad for the future daycare providers. Parents are setting up expectations that no ONE human can live up to. There is usually only ONE of us...all day long. And we still put on a happy smile for you after a long hard day. And its amazing that we still find joy in our job when parents constently fight our program and put us down.

[Unregistered]

Curious...

My son is 4 1/2 and is being forced to take naps by his daycare. He hasn't slept before 10:00 since preschool let out a month ago - and yes, he has a regular bedtime, he just cant sleep and is crying in his bed. There is no reason for a 4 year old child to take a nap other than the laziness of the daytime caretaker. My boy walked into daycare this morning (and many mornings before ) proclaiming that he wanted to sleep at night not in the day but once again his wish was not honored. I guess thats what minimum wage gets you.

If you have an issue with your son's childcare provider, then you need to address it. You are keeping your child in a daycare setting that you aren't comfortable with. Why is it the provider's job to "honor" your son's wishes in relation to naptime? What about the wishes of the other children in her care? I guess that their wishes aren't as important as your son's.

Of course he's proclaiming that he doesn't want to nap. Not many kids start their day looking forward to nap. Some kids are determined to get out of naptime and will cry about how much they don't like naptime. What are the rest time requirements for the state that you live in? She may have a required rest time for children that are under the age of 6.

I don't force my daycare kids to sleep but we do have a rest time. Within five minutes of laying down, they are all sleeping. You may not think that a 4 year old doesn't need a nap but if a 4 year old falls asleep, then that's a pretty clear sign to me that the child is tired.

What if a 4 year old child who doesn't have naptime is loud and is not able to do quiet activities while the other kids sleep? It seems pretty unfair to the other kids.

Have you considered a nanny? You might need one in order to have your child's "wishes" honored.

[Blackcat31]

I am shocked at how many daycare owners are up past 1am on weekdays on this thread. People are usually worn out when they spend day in and out with kids. Makes me wonder what your "secrets" are to being able to stay up so late & face a bunch of kids the following morning before parents have to be at work. My cousin runs her own in-home daycare. If you e-mail her at anytime of the day, she'll respond within minutes. Makes me wonder what people are paying her for other than to standby like a correctional officer with a bunch of inmates.

I am up every evening very late. I get up every morning before the sun does. 7 days a week.
I have never napped in my adult life.
I do not smoke, drink alcohol, do drugs or take any other kind of product that helps keep me awake and/or alert.
I am simply one of those people who requires very little sleep.
I am NEVER cranky or moody. (I have no idea why...I just feel happy and joyful to be alive everyday.)
I am always smiling and laughing with those around me....especially my daycare kids.

I hate when people lump others together in a group and make such stupid assumptions and stereotypes.
Just like all the parents and the children we encounter are vastly unique, so is every childcare provider.


I'll be sure to check and see if you have a response around 1:00 a.m. tonight.

[harperluu]

I have a 4 year old who has to lay on a mat for 1 and a half hours at her preschool/day care center. She can't get her little body to rest/sleep. The teachers reward the resting sleeping children with stickers. So every day my daughter comes home crying thinking she did something wrong because she gets no reward. Every child is different. To force a 4 year old to lay on a mat for that long doing nothing is bizarre to me. Could someone please post the Maryland state regulation that says child care workers must force a child to lay on a mat for 2 hours.

I think I read that regulation at one point and it states that a child care center must offer a nap area and a rest period but it is up to the child if he/she wants to nap or rest. I understand the need for quiet time but please this is crazy the way you think you can force children to sleep or sit still on a mat when their bodies are not able to do so.
Stop and really think about the power struggle you are creating. The feeling of shame you are creating in these children when you are telling them to do this and if they don't something is wrong with them.
You are interrupting the regulation all wrong. This regulation was to support and understand the needs of the child not to give the care giver a break.

Read and reread the regulation with each individual child in mind. Then please, please listen to the parents who knows more about their own child then the person in government that wrote a regulation that is being misused.

This is what I have to say about this. I don't disagree with you, however, there are also lots of children in this group setting that DO nap and need the full rest time. If your child's individual needs don't work at this center or in group child care, then find a place where their needs are being met. I expect the children who are getting stickers are getting them for laying quietly and respecting the other children's right to nap. Your child's needs don't come before the needs of the group. Not in group care, not in this setting. Sure, we want what's best for the kids, but if you're looking for individualized care you need to hire a nanny or babysitter that can provide the kind of one-on-one care you're looking for.

What about the parent that has a 4 year old and says, my child is only sleeping an hour because another child is allowed to be up and playing during rest. She's crabby and is not enjoying her evening soccer practice because she isn't resting long enough. The needs of the group will always win out in group child care. If the majority of the group needs to rest for 2.5 hours, then all the children will rest quietly for 2.5 hours.

If your child has outgrown nap time, then it is up to you to find care that suits her individual needs rather than criticize the care being provided to a group of children that seem to be well suited to this naptime rule.

[harperluu]

I am shocked at how many daycare owners are up past 1am on weekdays on this thread. People are usually worn out when they spend day in and out with kids. Makes me wonder what your "secrets" are to being able to stay up so late & face a bunch of kids the following morning before parents have to be at work. My cousin runs her own in-home daycare. If you e-mail her at anytime of the day, she'll respond within minutes. Makes me wonder what people are paying her for other than to standby like a correctional officer with a bunch of inmates.

I wonder what YOUR secrets are that you have to post on here as an unregistered guest.

[Zoe]

I just have to say that I LOVE the tag for this post......"the post that would not end". :::::::::: Amen!

[Kaddidle Care]

My son is 4 1/2 and is being forced to take naps by his daycare. He hasn't slept before 10:00 since preschool let out a month ago - and yes, he has a regular bedtime, he just cant sleep and is crying in his bed. There is no reason for a 4 year old child to take a nap other than the laziness of the daytime caretaker. My boy walked into daycare this morning (and many mornings before ) proclaiming that he wanted to sleep at night not in the day but once again his wish was not honored. I guess thats what minimum wage gets you.

Seriously? Careful about all that looking down your nose - you just might trip.

I find it so ironic that someone thinks so little of the person they are putting in charge of their most precious gift. Sad indeed.