Nap Time Help

[gumdrops]

I have a 21 month old DCB who has figured out how to get out of the playpen. Most kids his age are sleeping with the big kids, but he is not ready yet. You can't reason with him and I truly don't think he understands. I tried using a gate instead of a playpen and he climbs out of that too. DCM provided a sleep sack and he scaled the playpen within minutes with that on. If I have him in the main room with me, he won't climb out, but as soon as he hears the slightest noise he jumps staight up and starts crying/screaming, so he wakes everyone up. When he was in a room by himself, he would fall back to sleep within a few minutes and would sleep for approx 3 hrs. Now he is napping for 1-1.5 hrs so he is a GRUMP! Basically I want him in a pack n play in a room by himself so he'll get a decent nap. Any suggestions on how to get him to stay in the playpen?

[Alwaysgreener]

I've only had one climb out of a playpen. I switched him to one of my foldable cribs and he stopped climbing out. Still the same size of a pack and play but it's way easier to clean. I've completely ditched the pack and play.

[Coloradoprovider]

If noise bothers him, use a white noise machine. If you have all children sleeping together, perhaps more than one.

[Cat Herder]

I would risk losing my license for putting an almost 2 year old in a playpen. It is not age appropriate barring, well, I can't even think of any special needs that would require it.

Is there any reason he is not sleeping on a mat like everyone else at one year of age?

[gumdrops]

I would risk losing my license for putting an almost 2 year old in a playpen. It is not age appropriate barring, well, I can't even think of any special needs that would require it.

Is there any reason he is not sleeping on a mat like everyone else at one year of age?

We tried for several days in a row and he will not stay on it. We sit next to him, rubbing his back, laying him back down, etc and an hour later he is still fighting us, kicking and screaming, to get up. DCM said that he will sleep in a big bed at home if they have the TV on. I'm not willing to do that.

[Cat Herder]

Got it. You may need to threaten the parents with termination to get them to prepare him for group childcare at home. Most kids quickly understand that rules at home and rules at daycare are different, regardless, but having them expecting the same things from him at home definitely helps.

I don't rub backs, ever, as it sets up a power struggle. After the first "Goodnight, sleep tight" tuck in, I make NO eye contact, say NO words, I simply pick them up and lay them right back down. If he becomes violent he is terminated, like anyone else. If he is just protesting and kicking off covers, I usually place those mats right next to my desk everyday until the behavior ends.

[Springvalley]

Got it. You may need to threaten the parents with termination to get them to prepare him for group childcare at home. Most kids quickly understand that rules at home and rules at daycare are different, regardless, but having them expecting the same things from him at home definitely helps.

I don't rub backs, ever, as it sets up a power struggle. After the first "Goodnight, sleep tight" tuck in, I make NO eye contact, say NO words, I simply pick them up and lay them right back down. If he becomes violent he is terminated, like anyone else. If he is just protesting and kicking off covers, I usually place those mats right next to my desk everyday until the behavior ends.

We put our older kids ages 3-school age (if school is out in summer & school breaks during the year) together in our gym and keep the TV on a youtube Disney sleep music video and everyone goes to sleep or rests quietly. The younger classes keep their children on a cot and play sleep music from a cd or a white noise player and they will usually sleep well

[Pestle]

DCM said that he will sleep in a big bed at home if they have the TV on. I'm not willing to do that.

They have created a sleep association. In my state, you can't have screens in a program for kids under 24 months.

I second explaining that this program is a bad fit if the parents don't get him sleeping without a crutch that you cannot and will not provide.