HELP?! Preschool/day care naptime nightmare?

Question

I just started working at a really nice day care center last week.

I really like it so far. I've had experience with children and I always thought of myself as being good with kids. I always had successful communication with kids of the preschool age when I was at a different day care/preschool, which was actually a child development class and we had hands on experience with preschool aged children.

But now, these new kids don't even acknowledge me during the two hour long nap time. I have almost no trouble with these kids during the day, but nap time is h**l. Other than nap time, we have fun together.

What I really want to know is- how can I get these kids to listen to me?

I must add that I am only working with the kids I'm talking about for a short period of time; I'm only assisting the head teacher until the other head teacher comes back from vacation. But I still want to learn how I can get these kids to listen to me and do what they are supposed to do at nap time.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Beat the h**l out of them.

J/K.

Since they are not your own kids to discipline, it's hard to make a kid do anything these days, but you could either try threatening them...as in "If we don't get our nap in, then we won't get to go outside..." or "if we don't all go to sleep, we are not going to read stories" etc.

Or, you could ask another daycare teacher how she copes with ones who won't listen at nap-time.

Try turning the lights off, and playing some relaxing music. Make rest-time fun by giving them flashlights with colored saran wrap secure over them, and have them shine the lights onto the ceiling. Then take them away after 5 minutes and tell them after they wake up they get to have them again.

Also, two hours is quite a long time for a nap...especially if the parents already make sure their child has 10-12 hours at night, some kids at that age are done with naps. If they refuse to sleep then you need to make sure they know that it's quiet time..but 2 hours is pretty long.

Answer 2

Nap time is often a hardship at a center :-)  It's not just you.  

As you are not the head teacher...you can only ask for suggestions and maybe give a few.  Consider what they do just before naptime.  I find that in most centers...lunch is just before naptime...and it's CRAZY at lunch.  I found that when I had a quietening ritual/routine/activity before nap time makes a big difference...NO TV!!!  This makes their brain wired.  At one place it was nice because the "lunch" room was different than the napping room so the children had to go through a set of doors before entering in...I encouraged the staff in the lunch room to read a quiet book while sending them into the bathroom a few at a time.  We had a signal that when the first 5 or so were settled then the next 5 would go.  This always worked better then all the children getting on their mats at once.  I always stood at the entrance way with good night ritual.  A side note...the people who often had the hardest getting the children to nap are those that played the RADIO at nap time.  HELLO!  I suggest instrumental, very quiet, no words, and slow.  There are specific cds out there for nap time. Check  your local library.  

How are the mats layed out?  Are there a couple/three children who "lead" the ruckus?  I suggest you separate them and try to get them to sleep first.  I find that sometimes they need to be on separate sides of the room...between children who have no problem falling asleep.  Sometimes I found that if the others generally didn't have problem falling asleep without back rubbing then I put the 2 kids who caused the most "problem" right next to each other and sat between them.  Sometimes I found that if I had a "special" spot for someone who doesn't listen to my warnings (be specific about your warnings/expectations) then they had to go lay on the special cot...which was usually by itself separated by shelving units.  I usually only had to use that a few times before the child learned his listen.  They would prefer, deep down, to have their back rubbed and positive attention from the teacher.

Someone suggested treasure box...candy.  I look down at candy but you may like to do a sticker for those that don't give you a problem.  I found that when I stuck a sticker on their hand before they woke up was very exciting for them.  Consider other ways of "rewards" besides food/candy.  Maybe if they get 4 out of 5 stickers a week they can choose from a treasure box...oriental trading has a great selection of treasure box items for pretty cheap.  

Continue to be soft spoken and firm.  

Good luck!

Answer 3

well. set up a little gift treasure box. for u, make sure its cheap, for them, make sure its something cool, wacky, and fun.and everytime u say who ever is going to to dis that rite u will get a trip to the treasure thin(and make sure there is lots of candy insdie). be nice and make them want it.