Forced Transition to One Nap?

K.,
I am a working mother of 2 and have had both in daycare. I have found that transitioning each of my girls to one nap was much easier when facilitated by daycare. I just went through that transition with my 17M old. There seem to be more distractions for them at daycare and the whining and crankiness that were seen at home seemed just reserved for me. However, on the weekends, she still takes 2 naps at times. I have found that going to 1 nap a day was not the easiest of transitions for either one of my girls.

Good luck!

The vast majority of kids go down to one nap at or near 15 months if they are sleeping well through the night and all. So he may be closer to going down to one longer nap instead of the two shorter naps anyway. If it were my boy, I'd wait until he starts so he continues to get the good rest he needs now. It will likely be an adjustment to sleep in the same room as other kids anyway. When he starts, he may be distracted by all that's going on anyway in the morning. The baby room is not real conducive to sleep for a 15 month old because there is constant activity as the kids take naps, eat, etc. at different times. For the two hour nap in the toddler room, lights are darkened, usually classical/sleepy music is playing and such to drown out stimulants. So he may adjust to the one nap better than you think. A lot of kids adjust really well within a week or two. That said, I do home day care now (after previously being a teacher at Chesterbrook Academy day care preschool) and one of the kids is 18 months and still needs that short nap in the morning along with the afternoon nap. I give her the nap early so she still sleeps a good long rest in the afternoon with everyone else when the house is quiet to work toward that one long afternoon nap. She also doesn't sleep real well at night, so I think that's why she still needs the 2 naps at 18 months. Her morning one is down to 30 minutes though. Hope this helps with your decisions. Best wishes to you both with the transition!

Hi!
Please don't look at it as being forced. Daycares have to have a schedule and routine. There are a lot of little people to take care of--not just 1 like when at home with you.
I think you need to have a positive attitude about trying the one nap as everyone else does and if it does not work after a full 2 weeks of trying THEN look for an alternative. Most children are ready for 1 nap at this age especially since his total of naps is only 2 hours. I do home daycare and my son and the boy I watch both transitioned at 12 months old. The other mom was worried but it turned out he was ready to switch and she wasn't!! After a few days they both slept 12-2or3(sometimes later) and they still do(now 19 months old). She even did 2 naps at home and I did one here and he was fine with both. At daycare they are so busy and occupied it is not hard for them to stay up and play and then will probably crash for a long nap. Please don't stress about it! Sometimes we make it worse with all the worrying. Children are adaptable--give it a good try and then look for an alternative if it is not successful.
Good Luck!
L.

I think he'll blend in eventually, if not right away. He'll be so busy checking out his new surroundings, I don't think he'll miss it. He'll definitely be ready for the 12:30 nap, though, and sleep quite well.

Just my .02,
M.

Hi,

Sorry, no time to read the other replies... I worked in a toddler room at a day care for several years. Here's my suggestion: Just leave his schedule as he is comfortable at home. When he gets to the center, just ask them that if he gets tired in the morning they let him rest on a cot. When I had a child that needed a morning nap, we'd just let them nap and eventually they'd realize everyone else is still up having fun and give up their morning nap when they were ready. If they say he can't nap in the morning... then obviously you need to find a new, more kid friendly day care :)

I'd echo someone else's comment that it isn't a forced transition. It'll come naturally, hopefully, to him once he gets there. Peer pressure is good for some things. There are some kids in my daughter's pre-school who don't take their full nap, but must stay on their cots during quiet time. Providers are usually good at accommodating as long as it's reasonable. And remember the transition alone may be tough, so go easy on yourself, him, and your new providers. Good luck!

K.,

I would suggest that you stop in and talk to the teachers in the Toddler room and/or the director of the center and see what they recommend. I know at our center, the lines of communication are very open and they are willing to work with whatever in regard to our son. Personally, I'd be uncomfortable if they "force" the one nap on your son...the transistion to the center will be hard enough on him. Eventually, maybe they would work into the one nap, but at first it may be stressful.

Again, I'd call and talk your concerns over with the director and the teachers.

Good luck.

T.

Hi K.-

I had to deal with this a few months ago and ended up moving my daughter to an in-home daycare from a center because they weren't willing to accomodate the 2 naps/day ordeal. So she would only get one nap a day and was totally miserable. I think a lot of little ones up to 2 yr still take 2 naps a day and genuinely need them. If they make the infant room available for his naps, I'd totally go for it and have them do that. Not all kids take a full 2 hr nap in the afternoon anyway, so they handle them when they wake early by doing quiet activities usually. My daughter cried constantly at daycare from being overtired, was miserable by the time I picked her up and overall it ended up being a bad situation. Like your son, she gets really tired and cranky by 9-10am and she is 15 months also. One of the reasons I moved her daycare was this very reason. Back to the 2 naps and she's doing great.

Good luck!
D.

Actually tell the daycare worker in person and in writing that he is going to sleep twice a day. He will eventually fall out of that pattern once he is used to his new surrounding and friends.
I was a certified teacher and I always ran with the personal policy that if a child falls asleep put him or her on a cot and let them sleep, they obviously need it.
It will save alot of frustration with the care giver if they are given the heads up first about his sleep scedule. It prevents alot of "misconceptions" as to why the child is sleeping all the time, like you "party" too much at night and the kid is not sleeping properly because of the noise. beleive me other people can dream up alot of senarios and beleive them and it makes you look bad even if they have no foundation. Good luck
Jen