How do you put little ones for a nap?

[welshgirl]

Just wondering how others organise their nap times. I have an 11 month old and a 26 month old. Only the 11 month old requires a nap whilst he is with me. At the moment, I just pop upstairs, put him in the cot and make sure the 26 month old is distracted with toys, close the kitchen door so he cannot gain access to the kitchen, leave the sitting room door open so I can hear him. Is it ok to leave him for those few seconds or should he come with me up stairs, how do you organise your nap times?

[gegele]

in my house they ALL have a nap 30months, 18months and 15months!!!

the 30months walks up the stairs and lay himself to bed

i put lo in cot, in different bedroom, then go and cover the 30months kiss and night night

then i go downstairs and do my lunch and chat with my son who is spending his last afternoon with me today before starting school full time

the childminder in me is so relieved that he's going full time as those midday run are really annoying but the mummy in me is in bits to see her little man grow up and leave the nest...

[silvermist]

When both my one yr olds are here, I have two travel cots in the lounge, one sleeps in one but the other (who flatly refuses to sleep in a travel cot) sleeps in the buggy. I did ask Mum to sign a letter to say she is happy for lo to sleep in buggy as this is what he does at home too.

I dont use the upstairs of my house for minding so not sure about leaving lo downstairs. I dont think Id do that because Id feel awful if something happened and they got hurt. hth

[hectors house]

I do exactly the same as you Welshgirl, if not all children having a sleep I may put tv on or leave them looking at a book - all my mindees know that bedtime here isn't the same as bedtime at home, we read stories before they go up, straight into travel cots, give them favourite soft toy, muslin, blanket or dummy, say night night, switch on the CD player, check monitor is on, walk out and shut door (so cat doesn't go in) - can get 2 into travel cots in separate rooms and 1 in buggy in another room and back downstairs in less than 2 mins. Any child downstairs not having a sleep would be 3 or over and they take themselves to use the downstairs loo on their own (as they do at nursery) so you have to know at what age you can trust them to be out of your sight.

Ofsted now say it is best for you to have them in your sight AND hearing, but ok to have them in your sight OR hearing.

[rachelle]

Mine go in buggies on the outside decking until asleep and then get moved in. Obviously if it's raining they start off indoors! Cot sleepers go upstairs whilst others are occupied downstairs - I don't have any cot sleepers though which is nice as upstairs is a tip generally!

Garden is secure and decking is joined to our play room so can easily see and hear the children there - more so than if inside in hallway

[miffy]

I have two travel cots in different bedrooms, quite easy as we're in a bungalow.

Miffy xx

[nipper]

Travel cots in two spare rooms, sleep mat in other spare room. Really want to get a three-way camera monitor so I can see as well as hear (no substitute for checking on them of course!)
I try and get everyone to sleep if I can.

[kat27]

Do you all use baby monitors? I never used one for any of my 3 children so bought one when i started minding as we'd moved from a bungalow to a house.. This is i've got my 1st inspection next week and my monitor has just gone on the blink!! not sure whether to buy a new one or not.
x

[loocyloo]

i don't use monitors, i can hear and i check on them.

different children sleep in different places, but i usually put the most trouble down for their sleep first leaving the others looking books and then everyone to bed.

all children have a quiet time after lunch, be it a sleep in a cot, buggy or on a mat. one LO looks at books on the sofa, or listens to story cd. half the time LO falls asleep!

[Chatterbox Childcare]

All sleep in cots or beds in the bedroom and go down at the same time

[Rubybubbles]

I baby sleeps in travel cot, other baby sleeps outside in pushchair( mums requirement only way will sleep) my baby monitor has go e on the blink too but I check every 15 mins and you can here any noise as room directly above playroom ( well dining room, just dreaming) lol

Baby that sleeps outside is in sight and sound as right next to play room

[kat27]

Thats good to know thanks... I have a playroom (well dining room) ha ha we can dream together lol x

[The Juggler]

monday - wed

1 baby in travel cot in my room
1 baby in travel cot in ds room
2 x 3 year olds on mattresses in dd's room

fri
2 babies in travel cots in my room
1 baby in travel cot in ds room

sometimes the 3 year olds sleep on the sofa instead.

[funemnx]

I just leave the non sleeping children playing while I pop upstairs and put baby in the cot, the door is shut but then I don't have a big house and can hear if he wakes up. Downstairs is child proof anyway so they can't get into too much trouble during the minute it takes!

[cathtee]

Only have one that sleeps in the afternoon, I say bedtime, she picks up a soft doll and walks to buggy, I put her in give her a kiss and dummy 2-3 mins later she has gone off. She can sleep through all sorts of noise so the other lo doesn't wake her

[Vickster]

I have two nappers, two travel cots in seperate rooms upstairs. They both go to sleep easily.

[JueQ]

Do you need permission for putting a child to sleep in the buggy? I have an 11 month old that will not sleep in my travel cot. She falls straight to sleep in the pushchair which parents know about. I cannot use my upstairs for minding so put the pushchair in another room with a baby monitor with a camera. I can watch her constantly and listen without disturbing her even though I do physical checks every 20 mins or so.