would this bug you (re: daycare)?

erbear

Caroline has napped like crap since she started daycare 2.5 weeks ago. The afternoon lady is a twit. Older grandma type lady who doesn't seem to have picked up any new caretaker tips since 1960. She has never once gotten Caroline down for a later nap; despite my telling her how we do it, she insists on trying to rock her to sleep. Whenever I've asked them about her sleep (she's napping, on average, twice for 20-40 minutes, and she's there 7:30-4:30), it seems like they think I want her on a SCHEDULE with no flexibility, which isn't true. I just want her rested...

It sucks, because we get home at 4:45 and she immediately goes to a nap that lasts until 6:15, then she's in bed around 7:30. I don't get to see her And she's TIRED.

So today, I went to get her around 4:30 and she was asleep, but in a swing, sitting upright (not reclined), head slumped forward. It looked...dangerous...but my kid's not a swing sleeper. It took me back a little.

Am I overreacting? Why the eff can't they just sing her song, turn on the damn seahorse and put her in the crib?!

AimeeL85

Yes, it would definitely bug me. It doesn't sound like they know or appreciate how important it is for a baby to get normal naps during the day.

I would bring DS into daycare right before his morning nap, he'd be ready to drop when we got in there. I'd tell them he was ready to sleep and then every day they would ignore me and drag him outside with the older kids. He wasn't getting the sleep he needed at all and it was affecting a lot.

I'm not sure the best way to approach it but I think it's something that definitely needs to be addressed. If she did fall asleep in the swing (probably from overtiredness) they could have at least tried to move her to her crib.

trombagn

yes that would bug me

kendra223

Definetly not overreacting. They need to do it as you tell them too. They need to notice when she's getting sleepy... which is not a hard task and then they need to follow your instructions on how to get her to sleep as you know best. If they did try to follow your instructions and it didn't work, then they need to let you know.

 I would go to someone who is in charge.

ladiebugg1

That would bother me. I told daycare I didn't want them to rock E to sleep anymore and they have basically ignored me making it so much more difficult to get him to sleep at home without rocking

CupcakeKaper

I would be bothered, BUT...to play devil's advocate, when it is a day care that has several kids, sometimes they have to do what works best for them because there are so many kids.  Not to say they should ignore your instructions - heck, yours sound easier!! - but maybe they just need to do it the way that works best for the center and the workers in it.  Maybe?  

mrsseguin

I'd be annoyed.  Can you bring it to the attention to the director and tell them what's going on?  Don't they have some sort of schedule they follow for naps and such?  It's so much easier to just put her in a crib and do it like you do then trying to rock her...

Wufroggy79

It would bug me. IMO babies this old shouldn't be napping in a swing anymore. It shouldnt be that difficult for them to get her into a nap routine.

Doodle2011

Your way doesn't sound that hard, I would bring it up again, and let them know what is going on at home and maybe how it differs from what happens on the weekends when you get her to nap your way.  FWIW my kid doesn't nap at daycare either.  MAYBE two 15-20 minute naps.  It sucks, and I hate it for her, but with a 1:6 ratio, which is the state max and what we can afford to pay for, I can't really fault them for not having the bandwidth to do what I do at home, which is to pick up her tired cues and then lay down with her for 5 minutes of snuggling then move her to the crib when she falls asleep.  But my kid has NEVER been a napper since the beginning.  She will fall asleep on her own at night without the cuddling, but unless we are in the car (takes a beautiful nap in a moving car!) it's weak sauce.

mamabtobe

New York has a regulation that babies must sleep on a flat surface (ie crib). Check your state's childcare regulations and see if you have something similiar. Then you can use that as leverage

themissizz

The way she was positioned in the swing is the only thing that would bother me.

A daycare worker cannot force your kid to sleep. The environment in daycare isn't the same as the environment at home. The same things aren't necessarily going to work.

Give it a few weeks, as she adjusts to the environment, she'll most likely start napping more.

liladelphia215

themissizz:

The way she was positioned in the swing is the only thing that would bother me.

A daycare worker cannot force your kid to sleep. The environment in daycare isn't the same as the environment at home. The same things aren't necessarily going to work.

Give it a few weeks, as she adjusts to the environment, she'll most likely start napping more.

This exactly, especially if they put her in the swing with the intention of her taking a nap, and not just to occupy her and she happened to fall asleep. I wouldn't necessarily worry about the position this time, my LO sleeps in the weirdest ways sometimes, especially in the stroller or the carseat. I look at her and think it has to be painful, but she always wakes up fine. If I slept that way, I'd be in pain for days! 

catycate

It irritates me when I walk in and Sully is in a swing sleeping.

He also takes 3 20 minute naps there. I wish he would sleep more, but daycare can't really let babies fuss in cribs, so they  try to get them to sleep before putting them down. She will learn to sleep in 2 different environments. As far as night sleeping, he doesn't take that 4:45-6:15 nap- and goes to be around 7:45.

 

Bluescarf

I'm not sure if it's just my state but It is against daycare policy to let a child sleep in anything but a crib in a daycare setting. It is dangerous, and a bit neglectful.

ksyknelvr73

That would bother me a LOT. In fact, I've been in the same place as you. They weren't putting DS down for an afternoon nap at all so he wanted to go to sleep as soon as I picked him up. I was spending at MOST an hour with him each day thanks to that. I politely requested in a FIRM way that he be put down for an afternoon nap, and they seem to be listening.

FWIW, your LO might nap really crappy for a little while at daycare. DS did - he would sleep for about an hour at home and then maybe 20-30 minutes at daycare. Definitely not enough. He's getting used to it though and taking better naps finally there.