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Original poster

Parent has asked for 2 year old to have no sleep during 11 hour day with me

88 replies

childminder90210 · 08/10/2012 13:17

Title says it all really parent has asked for 2 year old child not to have a sleep during the day as npt sleeping well at night, but child is with me for 11 hours and I feel its a bit unrealistic but unsure how to deal with this as n
ever been asked this before. My response so far has been well all i can do is try. Have you ever had this before and how did you deal with it as I feel its a little unfair to expect a child to go over 11 hours without a sleep at that age when its quite busy some days here too. Any thoughts or experiences welcome thanks

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Original poster
childminder90210 · 08/10/2012 13:47

Thanks for all your replies I just felt it was a really hard situation, child is 2 years 2 months so only just 2 and its a long and usually busy day, and feel if stopping him sleeping makes him grumpy and irritable thats unfair on the other children in my care and my own children too

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Brandnewbrighttomorrow · 08/10/2012 13:47

Babies & small children sleep in 40-45 min cycles, they then have a vulnerable period for waking so if you make some noise at that point they're likely to wake - but only from a light sleep, not from deep dream sleep, which is when they are more likely to get disoriented and stroppy ime! The later the nap is the bigger the impact on bedtime I have found.

SamSmalaidh · 08/10/2012 13:44

I'm pretty sure Ofsted's line is that you are required to provide space and time for a child to sleep if they want to.

Brandnewbrighttomorrow · 08/10/2012 13:43

My two year old can cope without a sleep now but only if she has a proper rest - i've just picked her up from nursery and we're watching a film now. My eldest dropped her daytime sleep before she turned 2 but dc2 carried on until he was 4. i think you've said the right thing, that you'll try - if the child does sleep i'd restrict it to 45 mins and try and make it as early as possible.

Original poster
childminder90210 · 08/10/2012 13:43

I just dont feel right about waking a sleeping child it doesnt seem fair to me

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choceyes · 08/10/2012 13:42

Depends whether the child is just turned 2 or nearly 3. I have a 2.1 month old and she definitely needs her day time nap (about 1.5hrs) and goes to sleep at night at about 7.30/8pm.
My DS, now nearly 4yrs, only dropped his day time nap at 3.5yrs. If he was at nursery all day then I always told staff to give him nap if he wanted it (he would make it pretty clear if he didn't) so he wasn't too tired on pick up and it means me and DH can spend more time with him in the evening.

Trying to make a 2yr old stay up for that long, if they are too tired, is cruel.

mustbetimetochange · 08/10/2012 13:42

my 2 year old doesn't nap

Original poster
childminder90210 · 08/10/2012 13:41

His usual routine with me is a nap before 11am for 30-60 mins depending on him, so in theory he should be tired at bedtime, I dont know how I will keep him awake tbh as I have school run in the afternoon which is a 25 min walk each way so quite tricky for him not to fall asleep in the buggy, thanks for your replies

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ArthurShappey · 08/10/2012 13:40

My DS dropped naps at 2. When I am home , he is awake for a full 12 hour day and goes to bed well and sleeps well. At nursery he has a 30-60 minute power nap after lunch and he is a bit of a nightmare at bedtime if I'm honest.

So I think the parent has a point. What about trying to just reduce his nap making it a maximum 30 minutes?

wishiwasonholiday · 08/10/2012 13:35

My own 2 year old doesn't have a nap and if he does he'd up til 11pm so I think it's reasonable. We are busy all day cos I'm a cm, if we go to softplay or somewhere amd hes totally exhausted sometimes he naps on the way home but most days he doesn't.

SoldeInvierno · 08/10/2012 13:30

Poor child. I think that sounds really cruel. He's too young to be awake all day without a little nap at least.

wedoNOTdomistyping · 08/10/2012 13:29

I think this is a very common request from parents of 2 year olds. A lot of children drop their naps between the ages of 2 and 3.

However, whether it is reasonable depends on whether the child can cope or not.

I think you said the right thing saying you would give it a try. If the child copes then great. If not then suggest to the parent they have one short nap, maybe 45 minutes, and see how it goes with their sleep at night.

If the child still can't cope then do you drive? Maybe you could arrange a trip out so they could doze for 20 minutes in the car. They would fall asleep in the car if they were really child and no reasonable parent would insist you had to stay in or keep their child awake in the car.

bowerbird · 08/10/2012 13:23

I think that's an unreasonable request for a 2 year old and you should be clear about that with the parents. Besides, what are you supposed to do to keep the poor child awake? Poke them with a stick?