Help with my toddler...PLEASE!?

Question

My 20 month old is climbing out of her play pen. This is causing a huge problem because that's what she naps in at the sitters everyday. Since she's been climbing out the sitter will no longer give her naps at all because she could climb out and get into danger. I don't get home with her until 4pm everyday which is WAY to late to nap, and if I do try to let her nap it isn't nearly long enough and she wakes up more crabby then when I put her down... so now I have a rediculously crabby little girl all night everynight. Is there any suggestion to keep her in that playpen so that my sitter isn't afraid to put her down for a nap??

Answer 1

If she is climbing out, it sounds like she is ready for a toddler bed/nap mat.  Start trying to get her to nap on a mat on home on the weekends.  It's simply a matter of getting her to stick to her sleep routine and understand that the nap mat is the place to rest.

I also suggest that you work more closely with your daycare provider on what he/she suggests. She might simply be distracted by other older children playing.  Maybe she can move the playpen into another room if it is truly distractions.

Answer 2

If you are paying this sitter, there is no reason she shouldnt put her down for a nap.  You really need to talk to the sitter about this and your daughter.  She's old enough to know how to obey and you need to have consequences for climbing out.  

If your sitter won't have her nap at least have her watch a movie quietly in the dark for a few hours, or read books in bed.

hope that wasnt too harsh!  goodluck!

Answer 3

Is she climbing out when she's done napping or as a way to refuse napping?  Isn't the sitter there to watch your child?  If she's climbing out, the sitter should be there to be sure she doesn't get into danger.  If the sitter isn't in that room, she should have a monitor so she knows.  

2nd reaction - i'd consider trying to transition her to a nap space like a cot or small pad on the floor.  

Answer 4

could she nap in a stroller with a harness?

the sitter should be watching her, not leaving her to get out!

does the sitter have other kids?

where do they sleep?

you could try a bunny rabbit alarm clock

when bunny is asleep, his eyes shut and ears flop down.

when he wakes up, he open his eyes and puts his ears up.

all visual, so small kids can understand

tell her she can yell for the sitter to get her up, when bunny wakes

Answer 5

Try and transition her to a big girl bed. You may need to look for a new sitter(hard, I know) because the current one doesn't seem to want to work with the changing needs of your toddler. Her house should be toddler proofed anyways, so there shouldn't be too much danger available when she's getting out. What time does she go to bed for the night, and get up the next day? Try lengthening that, or putting her to bed earlier. My brat is 20 months too, and takes up to a 2 hour nap everyday(although sometimes we don't nap at all if we're on the go), and she's in bed at 730 or 8 pm. It depends on when she gets cranky, lol. She seems to be learning that if she's cranky, she goes to bed, so she just cuddles up with us and sits still trying not to draw attention so she can stay up later, lol. There are crib nets out there, but those can be dangerous and hard to get through in an emergency, plus a lot of bright toddlers easily learn how to defeat it. My friend used to turn her playpen upsidedown onto her toddler and put weight on it,  I think that's a bit cruel and unusual, but it worked for her, lol. Good luck!  

Answer 6

The main problem is your sitter, not your daughter or her playpen.