How Would You Respond

Hi!
I am a licensed home daycare provider.
This doesn't seem unreasonable to me except that you don't know what time naptime is. I have a sheet that the children bring home each day with naps on it(as well as meals, etc.) We nap at my home daycare at 1:00. I wake my son at 3 or 3:15 each day so he will go to bed at night, but both of my daycare families say to let their kids sleep--and they often sleep until 3:30 or 4. Maybe the provider just doesn't know that you would like him to be up earlier. I hope you have a good relationship with them so you can discuss the schedule. Just keep in mind when you bring it up that you will need to compromise and come up with a solution that is good for the provider and all the kids :)

Good Luck!
L.

I also run a home daycare and don't find this so unusual. Sometimes in the summer, the children like to go outside longer after lunch and naptime gets pushed a little later. If this is something that bothers you, you need to discuss it with your provider. I am fairly certain that she would wake your child earlier, if she knows that it is your preference. Daycare providers work very hard and most try to be very accommadating. You need to COMMUNICATE with your provider. She cannot read your mind! Good luck.

Hi C.,

I run a home daycare too. It seems a bit late, but not out of the realm of possibility. My kids generally nap from 1-3pm and I wake them if they are not up by 3:15pm. We usually have snack between 3:30-4pm. I have my own 3yr old included in the daycare and of course she follows the same schedule. She goes to bed between 8-9pm, so I don't think your daughter wanting to go to bed close to 9pm is unusual. My daughter gets up about 6:30am. Although, I try to keep the same schedule every day, sometimes things get pushed back. Especially in the summer, when we are outdoors enjoying the beautiful weather, sprinkler, park....etc. At times, our naps have got pushed back to 1:30p and then I let the kids sleep a bit longer because they are exhausted. I'm just trying to say that you can't totally blame the provider for your daughter wanting a later bedtime, that is normal. What you absolutely should do is speak to the provider. I would expect my parents to come to me with any concerns, no matter how small. After all, I am taking care of their child. I will always try to accommodate a parent's request, but I will also let them know when I can't do something because I have to take all the kids into consideration when making decisions. I think you are assuming too much, without having the facts. You seem to be very irritated by this, which makes me think there are other issues here and it is snowballing. Bottom line, talk to the provider in a non-confrontational manner and get her side of things. Figure out a solution for everyone.

I think the timeline is fine. Our 3 year old typically goes down @ 1-1:30 & sleeps until 3-3:30, sometimes longer depending on what's been going on that day. He still goes to bed at 8 no problems. If he's not tired, he'll lay in bed & 'read' or play with his cars, but he's in bed. I don't think 9 is too late for her (maybe), but it'd be too late for me to have my unwind time, which is why we stick to 8! I would talk to your daycare person. If there are a lot of kids on the same schedule, it may not be feasible or her to change, but if it's just your daughter on that schedule, you can request that she be put down a little earlier & woken up (if she handles being woken up well) if you want.

It seems late to me, too, but a lot of parents keep their kids up late on these sunny summer nights. My kids are older now and it's not unusual for half the neighborhood kids to be up at twilight still running around and playing.

What I did when my son was staying up too late a few years ago was ask the DCP to please wake him after an hour and let him play quietly or with the older kids who didn't nap. Good luck!

It doesn't sound that terribly strange, but I suppose it depends on what else is going on. My son goes to daycare but when he is not at daycare, he often naps from 12:30 until 3:45 or so yet still goes down for bed at 7:00 at night (and sleep til about 6:00 or so).

What time do they go down for their afternoon nap? Are they doing some sort of activity or having lunch later that would scoot the nap to a later start time? I'd just try to get a general idea of the overall schedule to determine what's going on.

I don't find this unusual at all or actually the bedtime either. I've had children, worked with children for many years and that seems fairly standard. Maybe she can skip your child's snack when you are picking her up. Some parents have also requested that the child be woken up earlier. However that disrupts the other children, but I suppose you could try. It could also be your child's sleepy time. Weekends are a hard indicator at home because people do all sorts of things on the weekend. I'd say look for another daycare but state law requires naps.

As a home D. provider I find this highly unusual. Most D. providers will set a daily schedule which they should provide to parent. Typically children nap for about 2 hours daily and most of the parents request that I wake the kids if they nap longer than this. Snack time at 4pm is ridiculous especially if the child is supposed to eat dinner shortly after.
I would ask the provider to wake your daughter at a reasonable time and ask her what time your daughter goes down. I offer my parents a daily sheet where I write down all that info so they have it for a record.

Hope you find a solution.

I also am a childcare provider and have been doing it for approx 16 years. I don't find it unusual for a child to nap till 4, my usual time to put children down is 12:30 and most children sleep for almost 3 hours. If they are tired I let them sleep until they get up, I don't disrupt there nap.

Hi! My name is K. and I've been doing home chidcare for 12 years! I have some children take naps 11:00-1:00 and 2:00-4:00, so that naptime doesn't seem wierd to me. The school age kids that do not take nap eat snack at 3:15 and then the children napping til 4 eat snack at 4:15. I think the problem is your provider not listening to what you do and don't want. If you asked her to give her an earlier nap and she doesn't I think you should move her. I listen to what my parents want, and that is my job! If you really love your sitter you should make it clear what time you want your daughter to take her nap. If she does not follow what you want than you will find someone who will.

The late afternoon nap, may be a summertime thing....out playing longer and pooped. Going to bed later, may be a combo of extended daylight and the late afternoon nap. If you are concerned about timing, tell your childcare provider that you think its too late to take a nap at that time. Ask other parents if its an issue with them also. I am sure the homecare will be glad to adjust their routine to make their clients happy.