Realistic expectations of nursery

[eatriskier]

My DD (2.10) has been going to nursery for 2 days a week for nearly 2 years now. We are really happy with them, and she loves it there. But we're hitting an issue.

DD quite often will not take a nap during her time there, and she's not able to cope with it. The fall out on days after nursery when she hasn't slept can be horrific. Its naughtiness and tantruming on a constant level. This only happens on days when she hasn't slept at nursery. Of course it pops up on other days, but not all day long.

We want to have chat with nursery over it, but we want to be realistic too. We know they can't change things up just to suit DD. And also we know that they can't have her disturbing the other kids. But we need to come up with something so they can encourage her to sleep.

Has anyone got any ideas or is this something that we're just going to have to ride out?

[Meglet]

I assume the staff have tried, in vain, to get her to settle down? At the DC's nursery they would rub backs to try and keep them calm and get them to drop off.

But I know that around that age both my DC's gradually stopped having nursery naps, despite still having them at home (DS had them until he was 4.6). The staff tried to keep their nursery naps going but it was futile and the dc's weren't having it. I think there's too much going on at nursery and they know they could be having fun with the big kids instead of sleeping. I suspect it's something you'll all have to adjust to. Can they let her skip naps but make sure she has quiet time in the book corner instead?

[thereinmadnesslies]

Could you ask if your DD can go to a room with younger children for naps? We did this for DS. He moved up to the 3-4 room where the children didn't nap, but he still needed a nap so we asked that he went back to the 2-3 room at nap time where all the children slept.

[Deliaskis]

DD is 2.9 and to be honest I think she's approaching the age where she is starting to drop her nap. She doesn't nap at all at Nanna's (2 days a week), and does always nap without fail the two days at nursery, but it's then hit and miss on the weekend when we're all together and also on the day she is with G'ma.

She used to nap without fail every day but she's moving away from that. Thankfully nursery still have quite a good nap routine with her, but she moves to the next room on Monday and I suspect the naps might disappear then too.

I would say that I would push it more with your nursery if your DD had been younger, but at this stage, I suspect it might be the beginning of the end for naps!

DD's nursery have offered to take her back to toddlers for naps if she wants them, but I think the element of choice might be the pitfall!

D

[eatriskier]

Thanks for all the responses.

As far as I know they encourage her to lie down even if she isn't sleeping, but I'm not sure for how long. Not all the kids nap so I know she would rather not sleep.

She's been a complete state for most of this morning despite having a good sleep last night. She's been napping for just over an hour now, after totally melting down and was asleep pretty much as soon as I closed the bedroom door. When she does nap at nursery it may only be for 40mins, but the next day she doesn't get like this. I've always been happy to let her lead with naps, but she normally still wants one though she's never been the type of child to lie down and sleep - she needs to be asked.

I think we'll ask them what they're doing first with her, and maybe see if another room is an option.

[Hermione123]

No advice except to say dd stopped napping at nursery at 2 and a half and they tried a lot to get her to nap but nothing worked. I had to pick her up earlier as a result as she gets so tired and overall I agree her behaviour is worse. If they won't nap though there weren't really any other options, I'm thinking it will get better with age.