Naps
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Anonymous
| My DH and I want to cut our kids naps down to one a day startig at 2pm. Our nanny insist that they still need two and I think she has been putting them down in the mornings as well as afternoon. Despite usbtelling her not to. They are still sttn. And they are happy. One hand nbd right? but the other hand she isn't listening to us and not sure how big of a deal that is? |
Anonymous
| Op doesn't say how old the kids are.... |
Anonymous
| 17 months old b/g twins. And a 4 year old - doesn't nao |
Anonymous
|
Your nanny should do as you ask. But you should also take into consideration her thoughts on whether/why two naps still make sense.
My twins took two naps a day until they were probably 2 1/2 or so. The went to one nap and only just now are dropping that at 4 yrs old. So I think you're in the gray zone developmentally in terms of overall sleep/nap patterns but if they are sleeping during the standard nap times, and continuing to go to bed and sleep well on their usual schedule then why do you want them to drop to 1? |
Anonymous
| Talk to her, maybe they are grumpy with just one nap, BUT the nanny should listen to you, you are the mom. |
Anonymous
| Nanny here. How much experience with kids dropping naps does your nanny have? Has she tried it with your twins and then realized that they are too grumpy (possibly leading to meltdowns due to lack of sleep)? Many parents seem to feel that dropping a nap is the best way to help kids sttn, but most nannies know that sttn is developmental, and sleep begets sleep. I've worked with several parents who wanted their kids to learn to sttn or keep sttn, and they tried to eliminate a nap to do so, and it usually backfires. When kids get too tired, they're harder to put to bed, they fight sleeping, but when their schedule continues and they are tired but not feeling sleep-deprived, bedtime can be a breeze. I wish you luck, but I would recommend talking to your nanny. What harm could 2 naps possibly do for 17 month old twins? |
Anonymous
Yes and no. I'm a nanny. My job is to take care of my charge's best interests *not* make my bosses lives easier. Parents frequently want things that make kids miserable, because those things make the parents' lives easier. A nanny has the dubious honor of being the mediator and helping the parents see that the kids' needs take priority, especially when the parent isn't home. |
Anonymous
|
OP, can you specify in general why you only want them to take one nap if they are sleeping all night long? Just wondering....
Sure you are giving her specific instructions NOT for them to have more than one nap per day, however maybe during the day they tend to get a bit cranky in the morning and rub their eyes. If that is the case, as your nanny, it would be tough for me to intentionally keep them awake knowing deep down it wasn't healthy. |
Anonymous
|
We think she wants them napping all day to not deal with them or to rest.
We don't ask her to do anything except look after them. No laundry or cooking. We leave meals in fridge, etc. We want them cutting down to one nap in preparation for preschool at 18mths they will start a half day program. Which out nanny knows about. They will come home after lunch and nap. This is Also thebage our oldest went to 1 nap. All of our kids have been sttn since 3 months. No issue there. |
Anonymous
| If you seriously think she doesn't want to deal with them, why do you want to deal with her? |
Anonymous
This makes zero sense. A child who doesn't need a nap won't sleep. If the child needs sleep and they're put down for a nap, they will sleep. If your kids are sleeping all day there is something wrong with them, and they need to see a pediatrician immediately. If they are taking two naps during the day, and naptime + overnight equals 13-14 hours, they're healthy and sleeping well, be glad. Is there a reason they have to start a preschool program at 18 months? If they don't drop the nap until 19-24 months, what is the harm? Just because an older child went to one nap at 15-17 months doesn't mean that twins should (if they were preemie at all, 2 naps might continue a little longer). |
Anonymous
| 17 mos is past the average for dropping to one nap which weissbluth says is 15 mos. one of mine did at 15 mos and another at 12 mos. a 2 pm nap is prob too late though when making the transition. I'd start at 11:30 and try to push by 15 mins every few days |
Anonymous
|
Op here they do the 2-5 nap on the winds non problem for the past 6 weeks. They still sleep 8-8
I really don't want to bring it up with her again. But looks like I'll have to |
Anonymous
Well said. Decent nannies do what's best for the children. |
Anonymous
Just get an obedient babysitter. This nanny is done with you. |