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Nursery Nap means Nightmare Bedtime

2 replies

smellyeli · 03/06/2008 21:06

My DS is 3.5 and dropped his lunchtime nap around 18 months ago. The problem is that at nursery - he goes 3 days a week - they still make all the kids lie down in a darkened room at lunchtime, and often he has a kip. On the days that this happens - without fail - he is a bugger to put to bed (tonight - 18 visits to his room to say 'bedtime' Supernanny stylie, plus two wees and a drink of water - I know, I know) and often we are up and down the stairs until 9pm. We're pretty sure that the nap is the cause, as for a while he went to another nursery the other two days of the week, and didn't nap there and went to bed beautifully - and this behaviour is never a problem when he's at home with me.

I have asked quite a few times if he can stay up at lunchtime, and they have said that he has to 'choose' if he sleeps , but when I ask him he says they 'make him' have a sleep. I think the problem is that they don't have much extra space, plus I'm sure it gives them an hour to have lunch and do paper work.....
It's the kind of nursery where he is very happy, but they don't pay much attention to parental views - I've learnt just to grin and bear it, but this is really getting me down, especialy as I now have DD (7 weeks old) to try and seattle in the evenings too. On nursery days she is much easier than him to settle!!

What should I do? I don't want to antagonise nursery, as he loves it there and they'll both be going there when I finish mat leave, but on the other hand, I feel like telling them I am paying them rather a lot of money and they should do what I ask them to do.

Does anyone else have this problem???

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MannyMoeAndJack · 03/06/2008 21:22

I don't have this problem anymore but when my ds was at nursery, I made it clear to the staff that they were not to allow ds to sleep at all, even if he started to nod off. I explained that if ds had a daytime nap, even just 5 mins or so, then his bedtime routine would be mucked up. I was lucky, the nursery staff were happy to oblige and they kept ds awake.

I think your ds's nursery staff are talking crap when they say that your ds has to choose whether to have a nap or not. You are a paying customer and you do not want your ds to nap whilst he is at nursery. Therefore, I think you should reinforce your feelings and make your voice heard, perhaps even write to the nursery manager if the naps continue. Good luck.

Dynamicnanny · 03/06/2008 21:49

Am guessing he is in a pre-school room - seems odd to me.

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