How to institute quiet time
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| Looks like kid is dropping the nap, sadly. She’s almost 4. How do we institute quiet time? We set her up w a yoto and told her she could come out when her hatch changes color (half an hour) but would love other tips! |
Anonymous
Does she have independent play skills? To me, teaching the ability to entertain oneself, and be creative, is a big part of quiet time, so I wouldn't use a yoto for this. But that depends on your goal in instituting quiet time. I'd also start with a time period where you think she will be successful, and then build on that success. Maybe that's 30 minutes, some kids it might need to be shorter. |
Anonymous
| Why do you need them to have quiet time? Not being a jerk just trying to understand the goal. 30 mins seems like its developmentally appropriate for one quiet time sitting for that age. |
Anonymous
|
Books
Stickers Coloring Give them a goal- Larla can you look through this book and then draw Mommy your fave scene? |
Anonymous
OP here. That’s a good question! I guess for all of us to have a time to chill. She was a great napper until now so we savored 1.5-2 hours to workout, nap ourselves, take a shower, or read since we’ve always done an activity out of the house in the morning. Husband and I are introverts. I don’t want to get unto the habit of watching tv every weekend during this time. Good to know you think 30 min is reasonable. She’s our only kid so def still figuring things out! |
Anonymous
Good suggestions. Thanks! |
Anonymous
| I don’t give activities for quiet time. My stated purpose (and I tell my daughter this) is so the baby can nap and mom can rest. She can do whatever she likes as long as it’s quiet and she’s but bothering anyone. Usually she does pretend play with stuffed animals and/or trucks or colors or recites her favorite books to herself. If she’s particularly against it on a given day, it usually means she actually needs a nap and I should definitely insist. |
Anonymous
|
We do quiet time for 90 minutes— same length as her nap used to be. She can do whatever she wants in her room for that period as long as she’s relatively quiet. She usually reads books, plays with her radio, draws/does sticks, and every now and then actually falls asleep (usually when she’s not feeling well).
It was an easy transition from nap time; she was thrilled that she was now allowed to do whatever she wants instead of try to sleep. And we’ve kept our sanity. |
Anonymous
| We did an hour of quiet time to earn an hour of screen time on the weekends for many years—especially when my oldest wasn’t napping anymore and the younger two still napped. It was his main source of screen time, so I didn’t feel too bad about it. And it was shockingly easy to drop that screen time once we got to a new phase of life. |
Anonymous
|
I used to play a CD in DDs room and told her she could come out when it stopped playing. I think it was about 45 mins.
I think any longer then that is too much for an average 3yo to play quietly and independently. |
Anonymous
| Ours kids all transitioned from nap to quiet time after lunch. It was usually for an hour. They went to their rooms and had quiet play. We rotated some books and toys. |
Anonymous
With mine. I told them they didn't have to go to sleep but had time quiet and, frequently, they fell asleep. I had a kitchen timer that I used which wasn't so loud that it would wake them if they did fall asleep. |
Anonymous
| We never dropped the afternoon nap - and we nap for a bit even if she does not. Instead, we renamed it as “nap time or quiet time”. She is free to read a book or play quietly in her room. Some days she will nap, other days she will read. Less commonly, she plays with toys. |
Anonymous
so you dont end up killing your kid or your partner. |