Routines

[Tabi]

Hi everyone, I am newly registered and in need of just a little help. I have a 17 month old son and have just started looking after my friends little girl 2 days a week, she is 8 months old.
My question is how do you all manage and plan with naps with babies? My son has a nap around lunchtime but this little girl will have 2 or 3 naps still and it's tricky trying to get her to sleep while entertaining my son and vice versa when he has a nap
I may also be taking on another toddler around the same age as my son, so just mainly wondered how you get little ones to sleep etc

Thanks

[sarah707]

While I try to work to family routines most parents are happy for me to go my own way with their children... so I try to work it that we have lunch then everyone has a nap or a rest time.

I am lucky I have 2 rooms plus outside and they all settle themselves usually after a few minutes fussing.

I suggest you look at your routines and see where everything fits in... then think about what works best for you with outings etc... also consider where children and sleeping and how you can better manage that so you can watch the awake ones while meeting the needs of the tired ones.

Hth

[buzzy bee]

I had similar ages to you when I started and (I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but...) I found it really difficult to begin with.

At one point I had 2 who were having 2 naps each at different times and fitting them all around school runs especially was a nightmare. One thing that really helped was that I walk everywhere, and I was lucky they would both sleep in the buggy so that was great, because they'd either both sleep together or I could walk to the park and one would sleep while the other one played.

It will get easier - I soon figured out my routine, and when the children got older and dropped a nap it got much easier. You will just work out over time what works for you and it'll fall into place!

Now most days all my children sleep at the same time and I have a nice tea (tidying / paperwork) break!!

Good luck

[Tabi]

Thank you for those tips
Today was a bit of a nightmare especially with the heat making them a bit irritable.
The problem I have is the sleep/rest area is upstairs so it's a bit tricky leaving one to sort out the other. But I'm sure i'l get used to it in time like you say.

[The Juggler]

i find if they are very little they will have mini naps early morning and mid morning but still happy to have a long nap after lunch.

if you are busy and out they will probably drop a morning catnap and be ready for longer after lunch nap and towards a year will probalby stay awake most of the morning.