to think there’s something a bit sad about toddlers napping so easily at nursery?

[TawnyHabenero]

Feral wild beasts at home that say NOOOO NEVER to naps.

Compliant little submissive creatures at nursery who will just lay down on a mat and go to sleep.

Is it just me or does it feel a bit sad, like they’re out of their comfort zone/inhibited at nursery that they just lie down and comply?

Or they’re just rascals with their parents and secretly they love to nap

My son loves the rountine of nursery and now school. The assistant used to love him as he reminded her that they needed snack time as he’d already be sitting down for it.

Mine used to go to sleep as soon as he arrived at Nursery. Because he hated it and was sad and wanted it to be over sooner. I didn't keep him there for long.

The cook at our tiny nursery had a child who went there. She would eat everything at nursery, but at home she would not always eat the same food cooked to the same recipe by the same person.

They're more stimulated at nursery than home, so that knackers them out a bit. I do think it's mainly copying the others and it not being a parent trying to get them to nap. My baby is 11 months and an absolute shit napper at home or buggy or car. She's been at nursery for 3 weeks and I feel a bit validated that they haven't yet got her to nap in a cot, only a buggy. I'm sure they will soon though. My older dd was also a shit napper at home but pretty soon napping like a champion at nursery. Magic.

They copy their peers

However my child has never slept past half 6 at home but if he has a sleepover at nanas he can't go past 8am 🤔 mystery haha

Or, parents can nitpick and badger and bombard them with ‘no’s, until the child internalizes self-subjugation and the beast is stifled but either erupts violently or stays repressed and erupts as an adult through maladaptive coping mechanisms.

That's a lot of big words.

Are you seriously trying to say that telling your child no is damaging?

No, it’s because they naturally gravitate towards the group mentality of their peers, as all humans do.

Not sure what you are on about.

You are trying to use big words, but with no context.

Can I come to your preschool please? Those big cushions sound glorious. I promise I’ll nap really well for you. 😂

They like doing things together, god love them.

Quite. I think there is a huge difference between setting clear and consistent boundaries and bombarding your child with ‘no’ for no good reason or just for the sake of it. Good communication is also the best foundations for any relationship whether it be parent and child, platonic friendship or a romantic relationship. Healthy parenting doesn’t involve bombarding your children or nitpicking to any degree. In fact often if you don’t tell your child no they grow up to be adults with controlling tendencies and maladaptive coping mechanisms when inevitably life doesn’t go their way.

Children have to comply at nursery or you'd never get 15 or 20 of them through the day!
Imagine if they just refused to wash their hands, or sit down at the table, or be quiet at nap time? It would be utter chaos, it wouldn't be safe.
Yes, there's some element of copying other children but it's mostly just having strict routines and adults who are very firm and don't give in (and don't get swayed by crying or tantrums).

Place your child in childcare and some arsehole will throw darts at your face... oh wait.... she'll snidely comment on mumset that your child has to nap with strangers.

Ha ha, mine didn't 😬 Or at least she didn't after the age of two (she napped at home until she was past three!). It was a nightmare actually as then she would inevitably fall asleep in the car on the way home...

I hired a church hall for my 3 year old's birthday party and invited all her nursery chums.

My childless brother turned up with his guitar to play them some music and keep them entertained for ten minutes in between party games and tea while we laid the food out. He's charming but by no means a trained toddler-whisperer. But the magic of being in Nursery Mode with their nursery friends meant that they all quickly found seats, lined them up neatly and sat down quietly looking up at Nice Guitar Man like well-behaved lambs.

All the parents were thunderstruck that their cute but slightly feral monsters, fully hopped up on silly games and the promise of sugar, had been transformed into obedient clones just by the power of herd instinct.

I do think some of it is copying friends, DS will not (despite our best efforts) eat fruit at home (does eat plenty of veg) but I get app notifications constantly from nursery that he eats it no problem there, I did wonder if they had the right child until I saw it myself!

No stealth or overt boasting from me.

Every child, mine included, has different behaviours for different settings. If you think a home that doesn't have feral beasts naturally equates to it not being a safe place, then i really have nothing more to say to you.

My boy sleeps well at nursery, but I can see he is just at home at nursery as he is at home. At home sometimes he sleeps and sometimes he doesn't.

Ridiculous, out of their comfort zone 🙄 not all children are. We see some of the kids we work with over 40 hours a week, they are on the go from the minute they arrive right through to pick up 9 hours later. By midday they are physically and emotionally tired. They sleep well for us as they have a routine, the group mentality kicks in and because we have a great relationship with the children and they are comfortable with us.

They're more stimulated at nursery so in greater need of a nap. I'm also a strong believer that kids like routine and will copy what other children do. It's definitely not sad.

I agree, they are like little sheep that want to do what their friends are doing.

Feel better?
Pathetic

Yep!

They only want them to nap so they get a break.
My DD never napped after age 2 and a bit.

That’s completely untrue. Children need a good sleep routine to support healthy development. There is no additional break at nap time, there is paperwork, tidying and cleaning, deep cleaning and sorting, prepping the environment and planning, catching up on updating daily diaries, entertaining the children who are not napping plus whatever else the morning has thrown at you.