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Hi,
My son (4.5y) goes to a daycare center for ages 0-12. The center has nap time from 12-2pm. He started off napping pretty much every day (at age 3) and continuously gravitated to napping less and less. Now I feel lucky if he naps 1 day a week.
His teacher says that they don't expect everyone to nap, but they expect everyone to have a rest period where they lay on their mat. I am in constant communication with his teacher since he's has some days of disturbing others during nap time.
His teacher has told him that he doesn't have to sleep but he has to be quiet and still. I told her that the trick we use with him at home is "pretend you're asleep" and that I would prefer her to tell him that, especially if he is being a distraction, she can take away his privilege to quietly rest and he will now need to be still/eyes closed. I prefer that he sleeps, but I know you can't force someone to sleep if they are not tired. She has been using this "trick" the past week and it seems to have made an impact on his behavior during nap time (no reports of him being a disturbance), but he is still not sleeping. She tells me he will lay there for over an hour with his eyes shut and he's just not falling asleep.
He has a consequence if he does not fall asleep during nap time (no leap frog game). It's a big deal to him right now because his cousin just passed the game to him and he has only got to play with it one day so far.
I just want to get some input from people who are more experienced with kids/napping/sleeping. He has incredible difficulty falling asleep at night, too. I talk to his pediatrician about it and he is absolutely not concerned at all (although I'm considering a second opinion). I don't know if it's bad parenting on my part or if he's just a totally bad sleeper. I thought it was normal up until he was around 2 and his sleeping habits have not gotten any better.
I just feel bad that he is laying there for 2 hours, he says that he can "play with his hands" but he is not given a book or coloring page or anything to do while the other kids nap. Is that normal? At what point do you just decide a kid has outgrown napping and give him something else to do--at least for the second hour of nap time? :confused:
My son (4.5y) goes to a daycare center for ages 0-12. The center has nap time from 12-2pm. He started off napping pretty much every day (at age 3) and continuously gravitated to napping less and less. Now I feel lucky if he naps 1 day a week.
His teacher says that they don't expect everyone to nap, but they expect everyone to have a rest period where they lay on their mat. I am in constant communication with his teacher since he's has some days of disturbing others during nap time.
His teacher has told him that he doesn't have to sleep but he has to be quiet and still. I told her that the trick we use with him at home is "pretend you're asleep" and that I would prefer her to tell him that, especially if he is being a distraction, she can take away his privilege to quietly rest and he will now need to be still/eyes closed. I prefer that he sleeps, but I know you can't force someone to sleep if they are not tired. She has been using this "trick" the past week and it seems to have made an impact on his behavior during nap time (no reports of him being a disturbance), but he is still not sleeping. She tells me he will lay there for over an hour with his eyes shut and he's just not falling asleep.
He has a consequence if he does not fall asleep during nap time (no leap frog game). It's a big deal to him right now because his cousin just passed the game to him and he has only got to play with it one day so far.
I just want to get some input from people who are more experienced with kids/napping/sleeping. He has incredible difficulty falling asleep at night, too. I talk to his pediatrician about it and he is absolutely not concerned at all (although I'm considering a second opinion). I don't know if it's bad parenting on my part or if he's just a totally bad sleeper. I thought it was normal up until he was around 2 and his sleeping habits have not gotten any better.
I just feel bad that he is laying there for 2 hours, he says that he can "play with his hands" but he is not given a book or coloring page or anything to do while the other kids nap. Is that normal? At what point do you just decide a kid has outgrown napping and give him something else to do--at least for the second hour of nap time? :confused:
I wish I could be more help, but my only real advice is to find a program that fits you, so it may take some research, but I hope you can find something that works! Best wishes!
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