CM CLUB - if you have more than 2 children napping..........what do you do????

[looneytune]

Just a quick question.......if you have more than 2 children who nap whilst with you, what are your arrangements re:

1. WHEN?

and

2. WHERE?

I'd be grateful if as MANY of you as possible could answer this, the more answers the better (even if you say 'same as so and so!!')

All will be revealed later

looneytune - I'm like dreamteamgirl, just a mum who sends children to nursery.

I don't normally see nap times at nursery but happened to pick ds3 up a couple of times recently at 1pm. The children in his room (up to age 3) were almost entirely laying down on rubber mats in a great mass - all heads and feet to my eyes - but it obv works for them. Not sure why all the children asleep at one time at nursery ok if not ok for you (acc to ofsted inspector).

And children in the age 3-5 group are upstairs in nursery, so presume the same fire risks apply to them as to you?

If it's possible that you've got a rogue inspector, find a way to appear far far more reasonable than her, while making your case strongly. Am assuming that you can appeal/complain to her seniors?

Construct a chain pully contraption whereby in an emergency you can load up all children into a large fire-proof container and lower it down the stairs/out the window.

IME nurseries in practice are worse for ratios and sleeping arrangements than your house- just less honest. What nursery manager would want 6 sleeping children left with two staff members just sitting there when one could be covering staff lunches elsewhere/shuffling paper in a non-darkened room. hmmm...i'm cynical.

From what you've said it sounds like you have something set up, working well and realistically reasonable and that the inspector/system needs confronting. Can you ensure you have written parental consent and continue to do it?

I was told by a fireman to put each child in a single quilt cover (one each) & lower them down to the passersby

Passersby are quite rare down my way

funny katymac, before i conceived of the pully system i was thinking just get one big duvet cover and pile them all in. Bit low tech though...

I was told to put litest child down my jumper and tuck the bottom into waist band, pick up othertwo in each arm, grab my wrists under baby in jumper and make my way down the stairs.

It actually does work, as we do it in our fire drill, not sure It would if I wore skin tight tho, but not quite got the figure for that yet

Oh dear, you've all had me in stitches!!!

me too

so shoshe what do you do if you have a T shirt on, or do you keep a big fluffy jumper at hand just in case?

Like the duvet idea, kids would love that, and have a practice everyday.

Hi Looney I have had 3 children sleeping up stairs and in the past when I have had children of a simular age. When I had my last ofsted inspection (in Feb 09) I told the inspector that I had 3 cots and she didn't comment that they shouldn't all be used at the same time. The children that I mind at the moment all like to sleep in the buggy which is good if we're out and about but not so good if we're at home as I have to keep the other children quiter!!! Ofsted have realy made them selves look stupid by bringing this complaint to you only months after what sounds like a very good inspection report,this is prob why they are making such a fuss. I would love to know what the inspector who did your inspection thinks about it as it makes her look very incompatent at her job.

lol Nanny nick... what an art project that would be !!!but imagine the 'wild animal' risk assessments though

From 1pm - encourage them all (3 x 2 year olds) to nap; if not napping, encourage to 'rest' for at least 30 mins with a book. If they do not want to rest, usually find the offer of a cuddle with me on sofa works . I have found that if they don't rest at least, they become over tired and completely hyper!

In playroom on draught free area of floor, on cot mattresses with their own bedding and cuddly toy.

On the one day I have 2 babies + 2 year old, I use two travel cots in playroom and usually ready for nap from about 12.45 + cot mattress for 2 year old.

have to say after reading so many cm threads on mn that i am so glad i am not one

ofsted,regulations and paperwork etc must make your lifes a nightmare!!

im a nanny and i have had 3 or 4 asleep (ALL at same time) upstairs and tbh if there was a fire, you would do whatever is needed to be done to get the children out safely

good luck looney,stick to your guns and fight!!!

you know how women ?synchronise?..well I think it?s the same for small children and naps. I get the pushchair out for the baby?s nap and often find the 20 mth old has lain down on the sleep mat herself, pulled the cover over and is making herself comfy. She often sleeps the same time as the baby. There is nothing sinister about children wanting to do what every one else is doing. Silly Ofsted lady. And as for fire risk- well at least they are all in the same place- you do not need to make the awful decision about do you get the ones upstairs out first or get the ones downstairs out first?.. ridiculous.

Hi Looney, Don't know if this us of any help to you but a recently read this nursery world article about sleeping arrangements and a clash with ofsted at a nursery in Leeds.

www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/bulletin/NurseryWorldUpdate/918365/?DCMP=EMC-NurseryWorldUpda te

VERY interesting!!!

As a parent, Ofsted taking over like this would put me off using childcare!!! Why on earth do they have to come all guns blazing over such stupid stuff?!?!! About 4 years ago I had a baby who I HAD to leave crying for 15 mins (unless they stopped first of course) before I went in to see to them. I had strict instructions and said I didn't want to but they were attending a sleep clinic and this is what they'd been told to do. Well, as I said, I didn't like it but it hardly lasted a week to be honest as they soon got used to it and just went to sleep. This baby was much happier from then on as they had a routine which was working!! I also had to let them have a 3 hour nap but it went over lunchtime and I had to feed him then put back to sleep. I didn't like this either but the parents had paid a lot of money for the sleep clinic and this was in his sleep 'plan'. Under EYFS, I guess I'd have to turn this parent away and say no way I can do this?!!!

All my mindees are similar age, about 2 years. Sleep time is after lunch unless child is paticularly tired for what ever reason. So between 12.30 and 1pm ish. First mindee (who refuses to sleep in a travel cot) is settled in the kitchen diner in lie flat pushchair first. I normally have a quick tidy up while the other 2 have 5 mins quiet time on the sofa then second mindee goes up stairs to sleep in travel cot in Ds3's room. That leaves my ds then on the sofa. He may or may not fall asleep there but always has an hour of quiet rest. Mindee who went down first wakes first and we play quietly until it is time to wake the mindee who sleeps upstairs.

1. when the child is obviously tired/asks to sleep/or parent has said they usually sleep at home. Usually between 1 and 3pm.

2. varies. have a 4 year old that sometimes naps on sofa. Younger ones go in travel cots that are usually all in the lounge together, as long as they don't disturb each other. Sometimes putting them in cots 5-10 mins after each other is enough to make it work. I've put the cots at different angles and blankets over the side so they don't chat to each other instead of falling asleep. Sometimes I've had to put one child in the playroom so he couldn't disturb the others. Which then means we are stuck with just the dining table and whatever board games/construction/arty stuff I've got out til they wake up.

Met a parent recently who has a dog bed for her toddler (not been used for animals). The theory being her child can get safely in and out whenever she chooses - naptimes are totally under child's control. And its nice and snuggly for a younger child, cosier than a ready bed meant for older toddlers. Sounded great but I can imagine it now - child goes to bed 5 mins before the school run and gets up the minute you sit on the loo ...

Hi looneytune,can understand totally,as always all parents very very happy with the care the CM gives to their children but Ofsted digging around to find outrageous criticism where it is unneeded.OFSTED inspectors do not sing from the same hynm sheet ie what is ok with one is not ok in another one opinion!! why oh why dont they run a check list tick system where we are all fairly checked on the same level.i know a CM who asked for ID at the door and really rattled the cage of that inspector even though that is exactly what we should do !! It is truely a joke and after 23 years in the childcare business i too feel like giving up but the parents i work for are so lovely and i enjoy the work,On another note wouldnt it be lovely to go back to playing with the kids rather than each week i find my self saying "wait a minute darling i`m writing your observation up" what a joke,I also spend hrs planning and preparing activities that take 10 mins for the kids to get bored of,What happen to choice of playing what we want when we want!!

Best practice and welfare advice/enforcement/interpretation always seems to be changing and contradicitng itself- off top of my head: breastfeeding by stressed, tired mums vs. bottle by happy, calm parent?; sudo cream for nappy rash- yes, no, yes ??; no juice with meals cos fermentation but not between meals cos sugar; leave your child to cry down vs. NEVER leave child to cry; climb trees?; to reward chart or not to reward chart; always positive: praise child vs. realistically positive: praise effort; distract/cheer child up vs. let them deal with emotional range; absolutely no tv before 2 years old vs. relax...

So much can be macro and micro cultural and all these idiosyncracies of life that childcarers can reasonably negotiate and balance with parents just explode ofsted's little paper brain.

pinenuts- a big reason why i left nursery work (apart from being paid pinenuts) was because i was sick of looking over my shoulder at the children who could have benefited from my training and attention that i was instead devoting various and numerous reports/forms, well presented timetables, photocopying, updated displays etc. and more- all for the children of course.