Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

Starting reception still needing a nap?

30 replies

minipie · 27/10/2016 15:58

I'm worrying about DD1 starting reception in September 2017 (long way away I know but hear me out Smile).

At the moment she still needs a nap every couple of days. This is mainly because she wakes early, and she has very mild cerebral palsy which may also be a factor (basically I think her head only wants to sleep 10 hours a night but her body needs 12 ... unfortunately head wins!) Even with that nap she is still tired a lot of the time. She's been like this her whole life, always slept less than she needs.

I am of course hoping the naps will have stopped and the nights lengthened by next September but suspect that is unlikely and can't help worrying about what happens if they haven't.

At the moment if she doesn't get those naps, we end up in an overtired cycle where she sleeps worse and worse at night and behaviour gets worse and worse too.

I know first term of school is exhausting for most kids let alone one who is tired a lot of the time even before starting school. So even if she does drop the nap before school starts I am worried she will need it again once she starts.

Anyone had this issue of a child who still needs a nap when they start? What did you do? Did it work out ok ...?

Thanks

OP posts:
BeanAnTi · 27/10/2016 17:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
minipie · 27/10/2016 17:35

Thanks for replying Bean. Yes she is definitely the sort who will keep going (hates missing out!) I worry that her behaviour will be bad though, at the moment if she needs a nap and doesn't get one she is pretty horrible. So she might well keep herself going but also get very stroppy...

She does quite often take herself off for quiet time with books at nursery so I guess if she can do the same at school that will help, just not sure if it will be enough. Also worry about her missing out on friendships etc if she's constantly having quiet time. Ah well as you say it's a long way away.

OP posts:
BeanAnTi · 27/10/2016 17:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
minipie · 27/10/2016 17:48

Ok that's good to hear. Yes I should stop worrying I guess - not much I can do about it anyway!

OP posts:
DoublyTroubly · 27/10/2016 18:33

When is her birthday? Can you arrange to pick her up a couple of times a week after the afternoon register to bring her home for a nap

She doesn't legally need to be in school until the term after her 5th birthday so they shouldn't object to her leaving early a couple of times a week until then

Artandco · 27/10/2016 18:35

Mine napped every day before school. Still napped every weekend in reception, and often fell asleep after school

He's in year one, and apparently fell asleep about 2 weeks ago in the reading corner on a bean bag. They just left him to snooze 30 mins then he woke up happy as Larry

Justmuddlingalong · 27/10/2016 18:37

DS1 was 4 years and 9 months when he started primary 1. I took him to the GP because he was still having an afternoon nap just before the start of term. All was well and he coped fine.

Kaffiene · 27/10/2016 18:48

DD also has CP and tires easily. Kids with CP use up to 8 times as much energy as kids without. Reception was tough for her, her behaviour at home was awful.

School tried letting her have quiet time there but she was having none of it. Make sure she has enough food. We found an afternoon snack at school helped keep her going. We also would collect early occasionally or not take her back after medical appointments. She also had days off due to tiredness as I could see she was making herself ill.

You know your daughter, she has a medical condition. I would suggest taking the lead not school. I basically told school what we were doing and why. I pointed out she was a H&S risk to everyone as the more tired she got the more she stumbled and tripped. Also you can't learn when you are that tired.

To be honest her attendance in reception was awful but has improved year on year. Now in Y4 and I can't get her to take off for love nor money. But she is coping much better and importantly loves school.

MMmomDD · 27/10/2016 19:52

Both my girls napped every day until the summer before Reception. During the summer we gradually stopped the napping and started to put them to sleep earlier.

And once school started - bed time became earlier still. Despite not doing much at Reception - they did seem to be quite tired after school, especially in the early days.

It got better eventually.

One of the girls in DD1 Reception class (with Aug 31 birthday) sometimes fell asleep in class. Teachers just left her in some comfortable corner...

It will be OK!!!!

Original poster
minipie · 27/10/2016 22:09

Thanks everyone - broadly encouraging

Kaffiene that's much how I see DD's first year going. Her physical symptoms are so mild sometimes we forget she has CP but we see it in her tiredness and behaviour. Glad things have improved as your DD has got older.

She is October birthday (shd have been dec... prem) so not young in the year. Also she tends to nap only in the buggy or car rather than conking out on a bean bag at school. But hopefully they will be flexible about half days etc due to the CP.

OP posts:
LotisBlue · 27/10/2016 22:33

Can she have a nap after school finishes, if you take her home in a buggy or car?

My dd is the same age as yours, she has no sn and she still has a nap some days.

Poocatcherchampion · 27/10/2016 22:37

Mine naps when at home and has all half term
She is fine at school as long as she is asleep by 6pm latest

Ouch44 · 27/10/2016 22:45

My DD started reception age 4 and 2 weeks. Was always sleeping at school in the reading area. They let her have a sleep for a bit and then woke her up. She still did it but less so in Yr1! A few other parents let their kids sleep in late in the mornings too. Seen lots of entries for tiredness in the late register.

eyebrowsonfleek · 27/10/2016 22:47

You can request half days for the first term if her birthday is between Jan and August.

Lazybeans50 · 27/10/2016 22:51

My DD still napped everyday when she started reception (despite sleeping from 7 til 7 every night). As she was a summer baby I asked to keep her part time until Christmas, gradually upping her hours. The school were fine with this. After Christmas I use to pick her up in the buggy and she would nap on the way home and for a little longer in the pushchair in the hall. i think she stopped by yr1.

paxillin · 27/10/2016 22:56

10 months is an eternity at that age. Mine went from potty accidents, tantrums and naps to completely school ready in that time. I was so worried before. And the "book corner" regularly hosted a couple of snoozers in reception.

Original poster
minipie · 29/10/2016 12:54

Thanks again everyone, poocatcher yes I think she will need a super early bedtime... just hope that she does actually sleep longer rather than waking at 4.30!

Yes, she probably will crash out in the buggy on the way home some days. Although at the moment a late nap usually equals an even shorter night. But maybe not when she is more tired out by school.

Guess we'll just have to play by ear!

OP posts:
Andcake · 29/10/2016 21:18

It's surprising the difference a year makes. I suppose her cp is why she will need the buggy - we gave up buggy just after 3- but as ds summer born is exhausted after reception and has to go on shoulders and begs to be carried as he is so tired - he never naps but some of his friends definitely nap when get home. Also one little girl never slept through until starting school as she was so tired. Make sure you choose a school that eases them - ds had 2 weeks of half days which helped.

LockedOutOfMN · 29/10/2016 21:37

My sister was a mid August baby and regularly slept in the afternoons in her first two terms of school (aged 4 to 4 and a half). The teacher was unfazed.

I've worked in Reception and have seen a lot of napping particularly during the first term.

As other posters say, your daughter will grow up a lot in many different ways over the next 10 months. Possibly she won't have grown out of napping by then and in that case it's something you can talk to the teacher about before she starts or, if you feel it's necessary, "work on" over June, July, August by putting her to bed earlier, etc.

Dinosaursdontgrowontrees · 29/10/2016 21:42

I have also worked in reception. Very common for someone to be asleep in the quiet corner in the afternoon. It's really not a problem.

HorridHenrietta2 · 29/10/2016 21:45

Hi! As others have said, it's a long time away yet and may resolve itself by then anyway, but, if you're still worried by mid June I'd contact the school and ask to meet with the senco and discuss your options. You may be able to take her home early a couple of days a week or they might be able to offer her a quiet space to nap in. Her CP may need other slight adjustments along the way so meeting with the Senco could be useful.

llangennith · 29/10/2016 21:51

DGS is November birthday but still napped at 4. DD was going have him only attend school in the mornings for the Autumn term but during the summer holidays he kept going all day (not deliberately kept awake) and was in bed by 6.30 and the naps stopped.

Kaffiene · 29/10/2016 21:56

Glad you have still got a buggy. I was going to ask if you had considered that or a WC. I know more than one little person with mild CP who struggles to walk to or from a full day of school.

What will she do on days they have a school trip? DDs school goes to the library and other places in town fairly frequently. About 1 mile and 1 mile back at a quick pace. Would she manage that OK?

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 30/10/2016 15:44

Mine would still nap on the afternoon school run to collect siblings even up to the summer term before they started school but then somehow it just fixed itself when they started school. One was still tired, the other had no issues and was full of energy. I would talk to the potential schools about how they might manage the situation and see what they say. For most schools I don't think that they would mind her having a quick nap or some half days until Christmas.

nat73 · 30/10/2016 19:35

A friend of mine her DD had wednesdays off to rest in reception. I am sure the school will be flexible. I wouldnt worry about it now.

Swipe left for the next trending thread