Do 4-5 yr olds need naps at a daycare thats open 630-6?

Question

I currently work at a daycare that is open from 630-6. Some of my kids believe it or not, are there that long. I have 4-5 yr olds. I have 2 afternoon kindergarteners in my class b/c they take morning kindergarten classes in public school. I treat my class just like a regular class and do all the educational activities required etc... My director came to me today and told me that they do not need naps anymore. I have one child that does not sleep and is very disruptive. He bangs on the walls and claps his hands loudly. Even when he is given quiet activities, he is not quiet. All the other 16 kids sleep for at least an hr to an hr and a half. Most of their parents ask me to ensure they do sleep. There is only a 45 minute mandatory quiet time and then they can read books/get up. How do I convince her that if they do not get a rest period that they are going to be miserable which is going to cause more probs in the afternoon? I have to add that she sends 3-4 yr olds in my room b/c they

do not sleep for their own teachers. However I have no where to send this one child.

I wanted to add, I think she is doing this because she wants to take the cots out of my room and give them to the younger kids instead of buying new ones.

Answer 1

I also work at a day care that is open from 7 am to 6 pm.. and it is usually the first kids that come in the morning are the last kids to leave at night...

it sounds to me like you have no support in your classroom. I totally understand about the distruptice at rest time. At my center, if you have totally disruptive kids ( 3,4 and 5's) then you always have the open to sending them down to the directors office, or having the director come down and do what ever she needs to get them to sleep. I totally understand about the lack of the nap and the issues that it causes in the afternoon. This is the age, where the kids are growing so much and need to sleep... You should not have them take a nap for a few days, bring your director in the classroom for a short time, our you could talk to some of your parents about how they are acting at home.. If they are being "horrible" at home, then i am willing to bet that u will get some parent support behind u, and in order to keep the parents happy(which is the main sorce of income, then they need to change the policy back to what it was before. Also, if she is worried about how long the kids are sleeping, then she could change the policy to quiet time on there cots for 1 and a half hours.. The kids being able to get up and walk around during quiet time would drive me nuts.

You should ask your director why she changed the policy.
Good luck with that.

I think if our kids didnt sleep ( all 20 of them) for even a short time, i would not work there anymore..

Answer 2

That's sounds like a daycare I wouldn't want my son in...He is 3 and fights naps but needs them; he has been diagnosed with Sensory Integration Dysfunction but we are thinking ADHD is also factor in his case (he isn't fighting the nap because he doesn't want to sleep but because he just can't seem to relax). We have tried larger daycares and are now using a home daycare for that reason (working wonderfully for him by the way). So back to your question, not all 4-5 year olds will nap but rest time is important for all kids and they should be able to remain quiet and read a book if they are typically developing kids. The kid that you are mentioning who is disruptive no matter what needs to be evaluated but that's my opinion (having a son like that myself) and probably your opinion too which means nothing to the parents in most cases. I will say that my son is one of the 3-4 year olds that your director would send to your class for not napping and that would make for a horrible afternoon and him falling asleep at 5:30pm and waking up at 4:30am (not a good thing for you or the parents). I hate to say this because it happened with my son and it's hard to take as a parent...but the kid who can't nap or at least quietly read a book or do an activity needs to be removed from the daycare center all together and the parents need to find a care facility that can work with them. Honestly, if the kid needs to nap and won't or can't, it's not working for them or you and they need something you can't offer...one-on-one, with 10-20 kids you can't offer one-on-one and some kids need it. I understand where you are coming from and I don't have a clear cut answer for you but I have experience with this and know that some kids can't function in a typical daycare situation and need to be in smaller, quieter and less stimulating environments to nap. I hope my answer can at least offer some insight into your situation.

Answer 3

What the heck is wrong with that lady, those kids need a nap. Sleeping helps them to grow and function better, and give you your sanity back for awhile. Im thinking if the kids is disruptive then maybe there are some problems. He could be ADHD or some other issues. Do a little research of your own. Yes, kids are going to be kids, but if this is a serious problem. Im almost certain there maybe some biological issues going that maybe the parents dont even know about. Signed a mother of Twins.

Answer 4

I think I would personally be upset with the daycare. I have never heard of a daycare "making" kids take a nap, especially a 2 hour nap. My son is 3 and no longer takes naps, and no one can make him take one. At my daycare the smaller kids nap and the older kids have quiet time for an hour, so they get to lay down and watch a movie, and then she does crafts with them while the younger ones finish their naps. I would question a daycare that makes kids nap for 2 hours, seems a Little lazy to me, cause it gives them a nice 2 hour break! But if you don't know what to do, tell your daughter she doesn't have to sleep, she can just lay there for 2 hours. Even that doesn't seem right though.

Answer 5

Absolutely! A nap after lunch, is healthy for the child to wind down and regroup after being awake since 6:30am. If they don't get a nap in the early to mid afternoon, then when they get home, they most likely will fall asleep very early for bedtime and then wake up in the middle of the night and I guarentee you that most parents are not going to be happy. The one child that is disruptive should be sent, during nap time, to another room where the other children are awake for that hour so he isn't allowed to keep the other kids from getting their nap. Your director is wrong and if she hears from some unhappy parents, she may just change her mind.

Answer 6

Most children would require a nap. The problem is that there are hyperactive children that can not just go to sleep. They usually have to run themselves down before they can fall asleep. It is not actually their fault that they can not sleep. I have two children. My first would fall asleep at the drop of a hat. The second had to wear himself completely out before he could fall asleep. He suffers for ADHD. When he took his meds, however, he slept too much.

It is so hard to handle a room full of children that are each different in habits and how they react to things. My suggestion is that you let the ones that want to fall asleep sit on one side of the room, and they will usually sleep through anything. The others, sit on the other side of the room. If the sleepy ones complain, there is always ear plugs.

Another thought is to allow them to watch a video. There are some children's videos available that do not last too long. Hyperactive children will usually sit quiet for a movie that is made for children, because they are designed for short attention spans. Just keep the volume down for the children that want to sleep. Don't ever expect a hyperactive child to occupy himself by reading. They need more excitement. There attention span is very short.

You could also try rewards for the children that remain quiet.

Hope I helped!

Answer 7

I would tell her that the majority of the childrens' parents have specifically requested that their children take naps during the day. If this director has a grain of sense, she'll realize that the parents of these children are her bread and butter. If parents aren't happy with their children's care, they'll unenroll them and take them to a different center--simple as that. If this director wants to lose money, let her continue with her ridiculous policies. Parents know better than anyone else what their children need. If Sue Smith says that her daughter Kelly needs a nap, then Kelly should have a nap!

As for the little boy who is disruptive during nap time--talk with his parents and tell them how he's acting.

Answer 8

It really depends on the child, at our school we have some that nap and the ones who dont have quiet activity time in another room, but yes some still need their naps, I would express the concerns to the parents and get them to back you up with confronting the director, or maybe just go to the owner

Answer 9

this question depends on the specific child. some children are giving up naps during this time. as long as the child(ren) remain quiet and rest, there shouldn't be a problem. some schools address the situation by giving the non-napping children quiet things to do while resting. if this doesn't work, the child may need to be told -with parents present- the consequences of his behavior.

Answer 10

Some kids still take naps, some don't. My daughter gave up naps when she was three. But if the majority of the kids in your class sleep and the parents want them to, then they still need it. Tell your supervisor that the parents want this. If she has any business sense at all, she'll realize that she has to cater to their needs.