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My son is 4 and hasn't napped since he was 2. THe daycare he is in had a policy that all children must lay on their mats for 2 hours each day whether or not they sleep. They will not even let him sit up on his mat. This is causing a lot of problems. He is reprimanded constantly because he doesn't sleep. I've asked that they allow him to get up and play quietly but they will not agree. Turns out that's when their teachers get break time and they consider napping kids to be "out of ratio" thereby allowing them To have less teachers on duty during that time. Is this the norm in most places? He is starting to become very sad b/c of this and I think I will need to put him somewhere else. Today the teacher threw away his goody bag (someone brought them in for all the kids) because he would not lay down the full two hours on his mat. For reference he is 4 hrs old. Also, I have observed that many of he other kids are not sleeping either during nap. Should the center not provide another area for kids who don't fall asleep to play quietly?
Many years ago I was a preschool teacher in a daycare. We also had a 2 hr. naptime for the kids. They each had a cot and if they couldn't sleep they were expected to at least lay there quietly. That was quite the challenge for some of those kids, but that was their rule. They even had the older 5 and 6 yr. olds laying down in the other room.
Can you switch him into a preschool program or something? He's four; most four-year-olds don't nap, at least not for two hours! It sounds like a necessary evil if you're using a daycare center. Maybe another option is family daycare in someone's home? Since they're not likely to change the rule for you and your son is being affected, I'd look into where else he could go rather than how to get around the everyone-sleeps-for-two-hours rule. Good luck!
My son's pediatrician wrote a letter to the day care center stating that it was "medically inappropriate" and for my 3 year old son to have naps. My son had serious sleeping issues and night terrors and even a brief nap exacerbated the problems. The day care put him with the kindergarten age kids (who did not nap) during that time (if I remember correctly).
Even if your day care can't do that many day care centers would allow non-sleeping children to look at books or do puzzles or another very quiet activity if they stayed on their mat.
that's pathetic...next thing you know they'll be making your 4 year old out to be the problem (not them)...I can't even imagine what one of my grandchildren would do if they were forced to lay prone for 2 hours each day against their will..(all hell would break loose I'm sure).why not just put a strait jacket on the child...the workers getting constantly angry at your child because he won't play their stupid little game is going to leave the poor little fellow with a complex...I'd get him out of there pronto.
My son is 4 and hasn't napped since he was 2. THe daycare he is in had a policy that all children must lay on their mats for 2 hours each day whether or not they sleep. They will not even let him sit up on his mat. This is causing a lot of problems. He is reprimanded constantly because he doesn't sleep. I've asked that they allow him to get up and play quietly but they will not agree. Turns out that's when their teachers get break time and they consider napping kids to be "out of ratio" thereby allowing them To have less teachers on duty during that time. Is this the norm in most places? He is starting to become very sad b/c of this and I think I will need to put him somewhere else. Today theteacher threw away his goody bag (someone brought them in for all the kids) because he would not lay down the full two hours on his mat. For reference he is 4 hrs old. Also, I have observed that many of he other kids are not sleeping either during nap. Should the center not provide another area for kids who don't fall asleep to play quietly?
That was inappropriate to throw away his possessions. Be sure to discuss that with the teacher and if you are not satisfied with her answers go to the director.
Does the state consider "napping children" to count less than "real children" in regards to the number of teachers on duty? That hardly seems likely.
My son is 4 and hasn't napped since he was 2. THe daycare he is in had a policy that all children must lay on their mats for 2 hours each day whether or not they sleep. They will not even let him sit up on his mat. This is causing a lot of problems. He is reprimanded constantly because he doesn't sleep. I've asked that they allow him to get up and play quietly but they will not agree. Turns out that's when their teachers get break time and they consider napping kids to be "out of ratio" thereby allowing them To have less teachers on duty during that time. Is this the norm in most places? He is starting to become very sad b/c of this and I think I will need to put him somewhere else. Today the teacher threw away his goody bag (someone brought them in for all the kids) because he would not lay down the full two hours on his mat. For reference he is 4 hrs old. Also, I have observed that many of he other kids are not sleeping either during nap. Should the center not provide another area for kids who don't fall asleep to play quietly?
4 is too old for a 2 hour nap, or even a nap at all. None of the daycares around me do anything like that. It sounds like you are paying for 2 hours when they are not working. Honestly, I'd have had my kid out of there and demanded a refund by now, or I'd be blasting them in internet reviews. It sounds horrible and I feel sorry for your child. I say get him out now and find someplace better. For my 4 year old boy, 2 hours immobile would be nothing less than torture. Not to mention unhealthy - kids that age need to be active, burning calories, etc., not sedentary.
My day care also has two-hour rest period. I believe this is extremely common in full-time day cares. It's not that the teachers aren't working, but it's their break time/planning period.
That said, that sounds sort of crazy that they won't allow him to sit up on his mat and look at books or play very quietly with a game or puzzle. My 3.5-year-old only naps once or twice a week. I'm fairly sure he has to remain on his mat, mainly because the mats are scattered around the classroom, so there is no way he can walk around and play at the room stations without disturbing other kids. I would be really upset that he couldn't sit on his mat, but I can understand the need for him to be quiet and stay in one place. If they can't be more flexible, I would start looking elsewhere.
For the record, I know a 4.5-year-old who still takes two-hour solid naps at day care and will remind his parents on the weekend that he needs to take his nap. It's pretty funny. LOL
ETA: I agree that preschools won't have the nap rule, but most preschools also aren't full day care, so I'm not sure what your needs are.
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