How to get multiple kids to nap

1169 Views 5 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Mere, Apr 4, 2006

neomia

Discussion Starter · Apr 2, 2006

Hi Moms,

I have an 18 month old who usually nurses to sleep at naptime. I am thinking of taking in some daycare kids for some extra money, but I have no clue how I would get them all to nap. Heck, I have no clue how I would get just mine to nap! With two, I might be able to lay down with both of them, but what if it is 3 or 4? Any ideas? TIA!

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Justmee

· #2 · Apr 2, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by neomia
Hi Moms,

I have an 18 month old who usually nurses to sleep at naptime. I am thinking of taking in some daycare kids for some extra money, but I have no clue how I would get them all to nap. Heck, I have no clue how I would get just mine to nap! With two, I might be able to lay down with both of them, but what if it is 3 or 4? Any ideas? TIA!

Well it depends how old the babies are. If they are younger, they will probably take a bottle to sleep. I would put the younger ones to sleep and then put your dc to sleep. Most people I know who do in home daycare have a room with portable crib(s) set up where they put the day care children to sleep.

HTH

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USAmma

· #3 · Apr 3, 2006

Most kids have their own schedules and it's inborn, and hard to change that. I am not sure how they get daycare kids to nap at the same time, but I think it's better to listen to the cues and needs of each baby and let them nap when they are ready. I have two kids, ages 2 and 5. Both still nap but they hardly ever nap at the same time. It's tough on me but they are happier that way. Besides, I get to spend one on one time with each of them while the other naps.

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dillonandmarasmom

· #4 · Apr 3, 2006

I watch several kids aged 7.5 mos. to 3 years old. They are all pretty AP'd and I continue that practice with them in my home.
If one of them is showing signs of being tired, I suggest a story time or other quiet time where we all go to the bedroom and get in a cozy spot to read, have EBM or just lie down.
So, usually I end up with a couple of them actually sleeping, and the others (including my own) wandering in and out of hte room, but quietly so. The key has been to stay calm and keep soothing tones in my words so the sleepy kids don't get re-revved up

.
Occasionally, nobody but the babe sleeps, and moms are pretty understanding. They actually appreciate that their child is not put in to a crib/playpen and left to 'rest' or whine.

HTH!

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Stephanie L.

· #5 · Apr 3, 2006

Here I put them down for their naps in seperate rooms when possible, the easiest first. (That is, the one who is almost asleep during lunch!)

When they have to sleep together in the same room everyone goes to their mat at the same time and hears a lullabye while waiting for their diaper change. They are 2 year-olds and have had to work their naptimes to coincide with each others' naps over time. In seperate rooms this is easier. My 12 MO still takes 2 naps and unfortunately, the naps are before and after the others' naps! She just goes into the Ergo on my back at naptime and falls right asleep.

This all took me a while to figure out. But the key was consistancy. We always go to sleep at exactly the same time every day at "Stepti's" house. This makes everything MUCH more smoothe. My 3 1/2 YO doesn't nap at all anymore so that is when she can quietly watch a video so the others can rest.

After the children get used to the routine and familiar with each other this becomes a breeze.

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Mere

· #6 · Apr 4, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephanie L.
But the key was consistancy. We always go to sleep at exactly the same time every day at "Stepti's" house. This makes everything MUCH more smoothe.

What Stephanie described is pretty much how it works at ds' daycare. They have a loose routine, but the kids are familiar with it and fall right into it. Kids are not forced to abide by the routine, but its pretty amazing - they see the other kids doing it so they seem to fall right into the routine too without complaint.

They get the kids to sleep by patting them on the back, so I'm not sure how you'd work that!

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