I am going to be starting my daughter 3 days a week at a daycare center. At the center, naptime is pretty much from 12-2. However, my daughter is still on a 2 nap schedule with her long nap (1.5 hours) in the morning at 9:30 and then another short nap (30 min) around 1:30 or so. Now that she is starting at the center and will be napping with the other kids at noon, should I shift her schedule to the same on days she is home with me? Or, do I let her have her two naps on on 'home' days? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you to all of the great moms and caregivers who responded with great advice. I am going to work on shifting her over to the center's schedule, but I am going to let her be the guide, so if she needs a 2 nap day here and there or an earlier naptime, that will work too... Thanks again!
Hi,
It seems to me it's easier to have her on the same schedule every day. It just makes life easier.
E.
yes. I made sure my daughter, who was 14 months at the time, was on the same schedule as the daycare. I really prefer having one longer nap anyway. Consisteny and routine are really important.
I started giving my daughter 1 nap at 18 months (based on recommendations by some of the baby sites out there) and you're on that cusp, so I would go ahead and try the one nap a day and see how she does. Since she's going to be doing that at daycare, then keeping her on the same schedule at home will help to keep her sleeping schedules regulated. Since she only sleeps 30 minutes in the afternoon, one nap a day will probably be okay. Good luck.
Hi H.!
I also have a similar situation. My daughter goes to a home daycare and their nap times are right after lunch. My daughter still takes two naps, one around 9:30 and another power nap around 2:00/3:00. I have not tried to change her schedule because I know she will grow out of the two naps and eventually we will switch her to one after lunch. My little girl loves her sleep and she needs all she can get. Hopefully your center will accommodate your little girls schedule.
When my kids were that little, I found that keeping them on the same basic schedule as the daycare provider was less stressful on everyone involved. When the nap schedule is drastically different, it'll be a battle the first day back to daycare, then another battle the first day back home. It stresses the kid out as well as whoever is working the nap schedule. However, you may find that your daughter is able to fall right into the new nap schedule since all of the kids are on it.
I would go to one nap a day everyday. She is at the age to make the switch and you might as well make it consistent across the board.
As a daycare provider and a parent I find it helpful that kids are on the same schedule all the time no matter where they are. I provide in home care and I keep track of the kids schedule each day so the parents can try and follow it when they are at home also. Otherwise I find it difficult to get them back on my schedule when they return on Monday!
Hello!
Our daughter had her own schedule at that age over the weekend. There was no wanting on our side, at times she would even ask to nap around 9:30 or grab a blanket and make a bed where-ever. The schedule at center seemed to work for her during the week, and then we let her sleep as needed at home. Eventually this has now shifted for the weekend nap schedule to be similar to the center schedule, but it is still a little earlier.
I think in the end it will be what works for you and her. If you try to force her to stay up, she will be just cranky and not easily entertained.
Hope this helps!
D.
I would suggest being consistent with what the daycare is doing. It really doesn't take long for them to adjust to the new schedule.
When she is at home, you could always play it by ear. If she seems to be tired earlier in the day, go ahead and put her down. I still have some of my daycare children get really tired at about 10:00 and I lay them down for an early nap. It is really not fun dealing with a sleepy, cranky toddler. Play it by ear at home, but at first try to stay consistent and see how it goes.
I would probably switch my daughter to 1 nap schedule just like the daycare. Many kids do that around your daughter's age anyways. So it was about to happen sometime soon anyways most likely, so now you have a reason to do it sooner. My son switched from 2 to 1 naps at 15 months when he seemed to sleep for shorter and shorter periods in the morning (kind of like your daughter's short afternoon nap). So that's what I personally would be doing, just to make things consistent and plus it just seems easy and less complicated. I love that my daughter is on one nap now (she's 13 months and she just stopped falling asleep for one of her naps on her own) because I have more freedom to go out in the morning now and actually do fun things with my kids or run errands instead of feeling stuck at home. I have a 3 year old, so we need to get out of the house sometimes. But whatever you decide to do, your daughter will adjust and be fine.
