DCP Asking to Cut Nap Almost in Half...

[Boymom]

It's only 7:45 and I already have a question!

Ok so I have a 9 month old that takes about 1hr-1:15 nap in the morning and about a 2 hour nap in the afternoon. Dcm just asked if I can shorten the naps because he woke up in the middle of the night ONE night. She wants me to shorten the nap in the morning almost in half. What would you say? Should I just try it and see if it works? And it's not that I'm being lazy LOL, dcb is just so tired in the mornings. And I actually wake him up at 10. He would sleep longer if I let him.

[lovemykidstoo]

I have had people with a baby under a year old ask before to shorten naps and my response has always been, I do not wake a sleeping infant. Infants sleep on demand.

[Blackcat31]

It's only 7:45 and I already have a question!

Ok so I have a 9 month old that takes about 1hr-1:15 nap in the morning and about a 2 hour nap in the afternoon. Dcm just asked if I can shorten the naps because he woke up in the middle of the night ONE night. She wants me to shorten the nap in the morning almost in half. What would you say? Should I just try it and see if it works? And it's not that I'm being lazy LOL, dcb is just so tired in the mornings. And I actually wake him up at 10. He would sleep longer if I let him.

How many days a week and hours per day is he in care?

[Boymom]

How many days a week and hours per day is he in care?

He's here every day from 7:30-5:30

[lovemykidstoo]

He's here every day from 7:30-5:30

Classic 50 hour a week family that picks up at 5:30, drives home, dinner, bath and put baby to bed and gets upset that the child gets up once in the night. I would not wake the baby up. No way.

[Crazy8]

I wouldn't do it, I would tell them at 9 months old a baby sleeps when they are tired still and that the naps they are taking are very typical for that age. Maybe they tried to put baby to sleep too early one evening or maybe baby had a bad dream or a wet diaper or any other reason that they woke up ONE night.
When I got the request I would have asked what time baby went to sleep that one night, if they said 8pm I would say well why don't you try putting them to sleep at 9pm for a while and see if that helps.

[JackandJill]

Ahh, that's so frustrating! Did you let her no that you are already limiting nap time, as you said he could sleep longer than he already does?

My youngest did not consistently sleep through the night until he was 17 months. I would remind her that its not completely unusual for small children to wake up here and there in the middle of the night.

[Boymom]

Ahh, that's so frustrating! Did you let her no that you are already limiting nap time, as you said he could sleep longer than he already does?

My youngest did not consistently sleep through the night until he was 17 months. I would remind her that its not completely unusual for small children to wake up here and there in the middle of the night.

I did tell her that I wake him up at 10 already and she said she still wants the nap cut in half. I was like ooookkkkk! And I also told her that my own baby still wakes up a couple of times and he hardly takes a nap because he is such a light sleeper! Her baby could have had gas or something and it woke him up! This is the second parent that has done this to me.

[Boymom]

I wouldn't do it, I would tell them at 9 months old a baby sleeps when they are tired still and that the naps they are taking are very typical for that age. Maybe they tried to put baby to sleep too early one evening or maybe baby had a bad dream or a wet diaper or any other reason that they woke up ONE night.
When I got the request I would have asked what time baby went to sleep that one night, if they said 8pm I would say well why don't you try putting them to sleep at 9pm for a while and see if that helps.

I seriously wish I would have thought to ask her that LOL! I would love to see the look on her face when I ask her to keep her baby up longer hahahahaha!

[racemom]

Nope, wouldn't do it. I probably wouldn't tell mom I didn't, just smile and nod if she mentions it again. Baby needs his sleep, mom needs to think you are doing what she wants, you need a happy baby! You need to do what works for your group.

Edited to add: or shorten afternoon nap so she gets crabby baby instead of you!

[Leigh]

The child needs at least that much sleep during the day at that age. I'd just say no. If it continues to be a problem, then I'd tell them to start a later bedtime. I do think, as already mentioned, that they are probably putting the kid to bed too early if waking is a problem.

[Blackcat31]

Ask mom to put him to bed an hour later than normal FIRST and if after a month or so you can revisit the subject.

I ALWAYS require parents to adjust times/schedules on their end before asking me to adjust anything.

They are ONE family with ONE child that age, I am a GROUP provider with multiple children in one age group so it only seems fair and logical for the family to adjust times/schedules on their end before expecting their GROUP provider to accommodate INDIVIDUAL requests.

[JackandJill]

Can I just say, I hate when daycare gets the blame for the parent's schedule being interrupted or inconvenienced. Not sure when parental responsibility became a thing of the past God forbid the parents have to take care of their own children!!

End of rant.

[Boymom]

Thank you all! I just wanted to make sure I wasn't letting him sleep too much! He's only 9 months, not 4 years old!!! Parents crack me up. Plus, when he sleeps in the morning, that's when I do circle time, songs, abc's etc.

I want to tell this family, either your baby sleeps (like he needs to) or your older kid won't be able to learn as much (since I will have to cut learning time short (since their baby is pretty high maintenance.) And this is the family that is concerned that their other child is skipping his numbers. Ugh.

My older son went to 2 in-home daycares and 1 center. (The only reason we left the home daycares is because we moved.) We NEVER tried to micro-manage our daycare providers!!!!

[Snowmom]

I have had people with a baby under a year old ask before to shorten naps and my response has always been, I do not wake a sleeping infant. Infants sleep on demand.

That would be my response as well.