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Childminder and sleep cues - worrying over nothing?

5 replies

SharkSkinThing · 22/06/2011 13:27

This is going to seem like a ludicrous question in a few weeks time, I'm sure, but it's concerning me, so I want to get it sorted whilst I can. So, help!

DS will be going to a childminder at the end of July when he turns one, and I go back to work.

When he goes down for his afternoon nap, we have a little cuddle, a few sips of milk from his cup, and then I switch on his lullaby thingy for five minutes, and bingo, he's out like a light.

But - should I wean him off this? So that when he goes to her he just has the bare minimum? He never has it at night (or at any other time). Or should I get one for the childminder?!

Feel free to (verbally) kick me up the arse for being so PFB...

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lukewarmmama · 22/06/2011 13:30

Its not silly, don't worry!

They get used to going to sleep in the different settings quite easily, ime. Explain to your CM your way, then she can use that to keep it as similar as possible. If its still a problem after a week or so, then you can think about getting a lullaby thing for the CM as well.

Don't change what you do at home though, unless you wanted to anyway.

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SharkSkinThing · 22/06/2011 18:21

Thanks so much - I don't want to change it, not really, it's so simple (finally!). I may just lose the milk/change it to water - he barely has any anyway, and it'll be better if she can literally put him straight down, I think!

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lukewarmmama · 22/06/2011 19:34

Lots will also depend on if she has other mindees and how demanding they are - she won't be able to give him a massively long cuddle if she's got two other under 3s creating merry hell downstairs!

Mine have been going to an excellent CM for 3 years now. DD1 was only used to sleeping in cots in totally blacked out rooms, a long cuddle etc etc when she started. Within a week she was happily taking her short afternoon nap in the buggy in the front room of the CMs.

I suspect that a lot of the routines we do before putting them down to sleep are as much to do with our superstition of not wanting to change what has worked in the past (because its been hell getting anything to work), rather than what our DCs actually care about. Sometimes not, of course, but I know I've stopped doing things and been really nervous about it, and my DC has just gone .

The first few days might not go to plan, but it should settle down quite quickly, and any good experienced CM will be able to cope with settling them in well. Good luck with the return to work!

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SharkSkinThing · 22/06/2011 20:54

That's so kind of you to say all of that, Lukewarm, I really appreciate it.

The superstition thing is so, so true! DP is also going to having DS for the first three weeks, so I'm also wanting things to be as plain and simple for him (not because he's an idiot, but because I don't want him to panic!!).

x

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lukewarmmama · 23/06/2011 09:42

Sounds like good practice for your DP - always good getting them to appreciate what it is you do!

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