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pinkbutterfly
19-09-2010, 03:08 AM
Ok this is maybe a bit odd question but maybe somebody with more experience will be able to help.
I'm minding a 13 month old. He's with me 4 hours each day. Becuase of what his day is structured when he is with his mum she asked me to continue her routine which requires me to put him for a nap. He goes to sleep at a particluar time and sleeps for about 1 hour to 1.5 hour. He sometimes talks for half an hour in his cot. Eventually he gets bored and goes to sleep. Sometimes he will moan a bit too. What if I happen to have an inspection when a nap time comes and the inspector will see me put him in a cot and then 'ignore' him (leave him moaning) to let him go to sleep? I am trying to go with mums wishes as she said she just can't cope with him if he skips this nap. Would I need some sort of a letter from the mum explaining her wishes and that she does not want me to pick him up until after he's had his nap.
Also soon the nap time will colide with my younger daughter's nursery pick up. She will be starting her free 15 hours in the New Year. Sometimes my husband is around so he could collect her but what do I do when he's not around and she needs collecting? I obviously can't leave him at home. Would it be acceptable to shorten the nap then? What would you do?
I have to say I like the boy and mum but feel the whole nap thing is going to create a problem one way or the other.

Daftbat
19-09-2010, 07:00 AM
You need to talk to mum about what your routines are too and try to come to some kind of amicable solution. All children require some form of rest and i am sure that you can come to some kind of resolution. As far as inspections go then you just need to ecplain to the inspector what you are doing. You will be showing that you are aware of the needs of the child and also working with the parent. Obviously if the child isn't settling then get them up and try later - itwon't hurt for one day.

jo f
19-09-2010, 07:10 AM
If nursery is within walking distance baby may sleep on the way. I always ask for the childs routine as a guide but state it will change because of different circumstances- child poss being up earlier/ later, and like u say nursery pick ups. I'm sure mum will understand. U are not soley there for her child. Don't worry! Routines come automatically in time

sarah707
19-09-2010, 09:00 AM
I have a mum who requested something similar recently.

I explained to her that she had to allow me to be flexible because I meet the needs of a variety of children.

I have school pick ups like you... and sometimes the child simply does not want to go to sleep at a certain time!

We all know that children's routines change as they grow.

So I requested that, with her permission (now signed) he could sleep in a lie flat comfy buggy when he was ready.

He is portable for school runs and mum understood the need for her wishes to be slightly relaxed.

I would call a meeting with mum and go through your normal day / his routine and find a compromise :D

The Juggler
19-09-2010, 09:32 AM
I agree with Sarah there needs to be a little flexibility. If she is adamant about him settling/sleeping in the cot, especially with his 'settling down time' then ask if you can maybe move the nap time forward so he's up before the nursery run.

Don't worry about ofsted, unless he's screaming his head off, I have lots of babies who have talked themselves to sleep for a while before they go off and as long as mum is happy with this,t hat's fine.

sillysausage
19-09-2010, 11:02 AM
Another point to bear in mind is that individual children's sleep needs change as they get older.
Is the nap that he has at yours the only sleep he has during the day?
I have found that babies when with me tend to have a morning nap and an afternoon nap of varying lengths. Once they get to be about a year old I tend to get parents to agree to just the one (longer) nap after lunch especially once they are walking and running about. Where possible I try to keep them awake on the afternoon nursery run (if I've got one to do) so that they sleep in the cot in preference to the pushchair, but I have permission for both.

Children are remarkably adaptable. They can and do get used to different routines in different places. This has advantages for everyone, because there's nothing worse than parents making a rod for their own back by insisting on inflexible routines for their children. What would they do if something disrupts their set in concrete routine?