Need Help Getting 3 Kids on a "Schedule"

I agree they're too old for a morning nap. But for afternoon nap, what I did with my kids was force them to lay down for quiet time with me while I'd feed the baby.

My kids were not big nappers at all. I think boys just aren't built that way. But I had great success in making them lay on either side of me so that they wouldn't be tempted to hit, poke, talk to each other. I'd make the close their eyes and listen to soft music for a minimum of 30 to 45 minutes. Often, they would fall asleep, and then I'd escape and leave them on the bed, while I'd get a break and get some things taken care of.

If they didn't fall asleep or were particularly restless, I'd allow them to pick a book or two and quietly read in their rooms (apart from each other)while laying on their beds with their blinds drawn. Sometimes they would fall asleep.

I agree, lots of opportunities to burn off the excess energy is really important, as is a good lunch. Plan nap/rest time, right after lunch, but not heavy playtime. Digestion helps make for a sleepy kid. Playtime can sometimes up their adreneline too much, and then they're not able to come down enough to sleep. Plan heavy playtime for before lunch, and you should have success in getting them to relax.

As for schedules, try to get cleaned up and tidy the house before the older children wake up in the morning. Put together a circuit of activities for them to do every day...sort of like prek or k...so every morning they do the same activities at the same time. That way, if you can't be there right away, they'll know what they should be doing.

Good luck.
N.

You should get a sleep book. It sounds like the naptimes are off a bit. At that age the older two should be on one nap a day not two. And that nap should start anywhere from 12:30-1:00. They should be going to be then around 7:00-8:00. We use the book Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West. It even has info on your youngest and what you can expect from him with napping. It will take awhile for the youngest to get on a two a day nap schedule. Hope that helps some.

Ok, this is what I would do. I use to work at a inhome daycare and this is how we did it.

If the kids are waking up between 6-8am I'd try this............

After about 13-15mos. old cut the morning nap completely out! They are both to old for a morning nap if you are having problems getting rid of the morning nap try this. Say your son falls asleep in the morning let him catnap get 30min. and every few days just let him get less and less of a catnap just don't let him take a full nap. By doing this he'll adjust his body and be fully ready for afternoon nap later in the day.

Make sure they get outside... rain,snow,shine doesn't matter they need to get fresh air and run around even if only for 10min. They have to burn off that access energy. If they don't they won't take a good afternoon nap. We use to send out our wildest kids with a umbrella and tell them to run around the perimeter of the yard if we had to just because they would be so wound up and have outside time right before lunch.

Have a art project or some sort of activity planned each day.

Have lunch at a set time everyday.

After lunch have cartoons or clean up time while you clean up, then have the boys have story time read them a book and start settling down. Have them take their afternoon nap between 1-3pm daily.

3pm wake them up, or let them out of nap time and have a snack and enjoy your afternoon.

Squeeze the baby's feedings etc into your schedule wherever you can. Just concentrate on the older boys and nap time being between 1-3 most daycares out there have that set time for nap. They DONOT need a morning nap.

Try something like this:

11am- outside time, go for a walk, something physical

12pm- eat lunch, clean up, read story and relax

1pm- NAP TIME! Mom's break time or time for baby

Hi E.,
You might want to try your older kids on just one longer afternoon nap! I would try to get the 2 & 3 year old down around 12:00 and hopefully they would nap for 2-3 hours. Then they can go down a little earlier in the evening. Most kids are down to just one nap by now and it should help them get ready for preschool etc...

Good luck
M.