Teacher - Summer Break, Daycare, and Naps

ECT2012 · May 2013

I'll be off this summer and home. Our daycare requires that we pay for two mornings a week, which we will gladly use for some Mommy time. I also think it's good for J to continue to go over the summer for consistency - hopefully it won't be a complete shock when she returns full time in the fall.

My question is this - do you think it would be worth it to pay for two full days instead of half days so that she can continue to take her afternoon nap at daycare? I realize that napping at day care is a learned skill (took J time to figure out how to do it!) and I just wonder if she will start refusing naps in the fall.

The price difference really isn't all that much. I'm really not even sure what I would do with all of that time to myself, but if it's in any way better for her to keep that consistency and help her transition back to full time day care in the fall, then we will do it.

Any thoughts? Am I over thinking? Probably.

MNgirl326 · May 2013

Its really a personal preference. Naps don't usually occur until after lunch so around 12:30 or so. So as long as you pick up your child before that time, its not like you would be interrupting the class when you pick up.

As for napping at home vs napping at school- this will be the 3rd summer that LO is home with me and then going back to school in the fall. He has never had a problem transitioning back with naps. He is usually so tired at daycare by all the things to do and all the kids to play with he never has any trouble.

It really depends on you- do you want to have a couple half days to yourself or a couple of full days. Either way, your LO will be fine and will adapt to the change as long as you keep a consistent schedule with daycare and their nap times.

jennbean79 · May 2013

I agree with pp. This will be DS's 3rd summer home with DH, and he's never had any trouble transitioning back in the fall.

dragon_chica · May 2013

I would totally do it. Last summer I had my parents watch DS twice a week, full days, and sometimes that didn't feel long enough! By the time I ran some errands, maybe do some housework it would be past lunchtime. During those days I would try to schedule lunches with friends I normally can't see during the school year or even go have lunch with DH.

dizzycooks · May 2013

Personal opinion and preference, but half the point of me teaching is so DD and I have the summer to ourselves. I wouldn't send her to daycare anymore than I 'have to' and even then that just grates on me. I would pay the fee and keep her home with me unless I have some appointment or planning time that I need to go to. I wouldn't worry about naps. Like PP said, your child will be so tired when they get back in the daycare routine, naps likely won't be a problem.

Virgo17 · May 2013

I think LO would adjust fine to half days or full days. If you have to send her two mornings a week minimum and pay the fee, then I would do it and not feel guilty. That could be the time for you to schedule any appointments or run errands so that your time with her is better spent.

waTracy · May 2013

Question: Why do you have to pay over the summer if you are off? With DD, they know she's off and they just have us pay our yearly registration fee in June to make sure her spot is saved when the school year starts. I've never sent her during the summer.

That being said, I'd pick up mid-day and have nap at home. Lunch and nap at home would help keep consistency perhaps? DD knows after lunch it's nap time.

KL777 · May 2013

I would do the two half days.

dglvrk2 · May 2013

I would do two full days. I'm a teacher as well. I plan on keeping DD in daycare two full days as well as a morning this summer. However, I do a modified day - drop her of an hour later and usually pick her up 30 minutes to an hour earlier.

This keeps LOs in the daily rutine of daycare. It also gives you more time to get stuff done that you need (or WANT!!!) to do :-) One PP mentioned that she's amazed at where time goes when she's by herself; that she does a few errands and all of a sudden it's lunch. This is how I feel too.

Also, if you take the full days up front, you can always cancel one here and there. I foresee doing this for special events etc this summer.

skibunny59 · May 2013

dizzykates:
Personal opinion and preference, but half the point of me teaching is so DD and I have the summer to ourselves. I wouldn't send her to daycare anymore than I 'have to' and even then that just grates on me. I would pay the fee and keep her home with me unless I have some appointment or planning time that I need to go to. I wouldn't worry about naps. Like PP said, your child will be so tired when they get back in the daycare routine, naps likely won't be a problem.

All of this. I am counting the days until I am off for the summer so that I can spend it with DD.

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