Starting reception still needing a nap?

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

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

Until January she can go part time. My son frequently fell asleep at school so we just did mornings and then built up an extra afternoon every fortnight.

Please don't worry just yet.

DD9 (summer baby) used to go to nursery 3 times/week and, aged 4, was known to nap most of the afternoon. I reckon she used to sleep about 14 hours/day in the 6 months before school (bed at about 7pm...up at about 6:30/7...2-3 hours nap in the afternoon) but she was very active when she was awake. I was sufficiently worried to arrange an overnight sleep study and thyroid tests (family history so something we watch out for), but she simply needed a lot of sleep at that age.

We weaned her off the naps gradually over the summer holidays. It was a bit messy for a couple of days but it wasn't as bad as I had imagined. School started with 1/2 days for about a month so that helped with the transition. There were a couple of days when she went to bed at 4:30pm, but not many. Go armed with flapjacks/bananas when you collect her (something that isn't just an instant sugar rush) and a drink and you ought to be fine.

FWIW DD now goes to bed at about 8:30/9 and wakes up at about 6/6:30 (earlier in the summer).

Thanks everyone. Snack after school is a good idea, she eats a lot. Just hope she eats enough at school lunch as she is a slow eater and if everyone else runs off to play I bet she will want to join them. (Finding new things to worry about now!)

Yes we still have the buggy (actually we have 3!! ) - partly due to the CP but also we have a 19 month DD2 so will have one for a while. The DDs go in the buggy most days to/from nursery school which is an 20 min adult pace walk. I was hoping she'd be scooting more by now but she is too tired this term.

Kaffeine re school trips - I don't think she could manage 1 mile walking at a quick pace - what does your DD do on those trips? She could scoot that distance I reckon - if it was in the morning.

Unfortunately I don't think the quiet corner/bean bag nap at school idea is going to work for her. She is a sleep resister, gets hyper rather than sleepy when she's tired, so she's virtually never just "conked out" like that - naps tend to require buggy or car.

I think her school does 1 or 2 weeks of half days to ease them in but doubt that will be enough. I guess I will talk to the senco nearer the time about whether she can do more half days. It's a private school so hopefully that means more flexibility is possible as no attendance targets etc?

Kaffeine and others whos DCs missed half days etc - did you find it affected friendships or learning? Did they end up left out or behind at all because of missing the school time?

We will definitely be going with a super early bedtime!

School Trips - To begin with (and I wasn't working) I used to do things like pick her up in the car and drop her at the library for example. But as she has got older she doesn't want me there and enjoys travelling with her class so we take in her WC for those days. It also means she isn't getting exhausted just getting to and from wherever they are going. She needs to conserve her energy for enjoying the trip, for playing and of course learning.
You know your DD, maybe speak to the school and find out how often they go out and about and where and make your decision from there. They might do less trips.
I was really worried she would miss out and would always ask for catch up work but she was shattered and wouldn't have been able to learn in or out of school. She also seems to harm be a good bunch of friends and to be honest I think that is why she enjoys school too much. But she is in year with a 3 class intake and the kids are all mixed up most years so they tend to have quite broad friendship groups. I don't know if it would be different in a smaller school/ class.

Thanks Kaffeine. I could drop her off at trips I guess, dependent on DD2's timings. DD1 doesn't have a wheelchair... Actually she doesn't know she has a medical condition... so far she hasn't really questioned why she has hospital and physio etc, guess she thinks all kids do We will tell her obviously, but think she might use it as an excuse not to try at things if she knew, so holding off for a bit longer.

It's the friendship thing that bothers me more than the learning, as regards absences. Mind you if she stayed and behaved badly that would be worse for friendships! Sounds like your DD is having a ball