My 15 month old son is with a babysitter three mornings a week from 8-1pm (yes, I am the same person who posted the last post). When he is with me, he takes a nap from 10-12 or 10-1 every morning and sometimes does not take a second nap. I know this is a crazy schedule but it is his schedule that keeps him happy. He is farely easy to put down for his nap although he has to be let to cry for about 5 minutes. At home he sleeps in his own room with the lights off.
His babysitter refuses to put his pack and play in a separate room from her even though she does have space, and she has begun telling me this week that he does not want to sleep in the morning anymore. I have asked her to give him his nap anyway and she has straight out told me "no." he doesn't need it. So, when I pick him up at 1:00 he has black circles around his eyes and is so overtired that all he will do is scream and throw himself on the floor when he gets home. He will not play and he will not go to sleep, no matter how long I leave him in his crib. I don't know what to do.
Does anyone have any advice? Just as some backround, his babysitter is not watching any other kids so there is not "set" daycare schedule that she is following.
Do I need to find a new babysitter or should I just try adjusting his nap schedule to afternoons like every other kid?
A.
A. you are not over reacting if I were you I would get a new sitter! and preferably one that has excellent references and is willing to follow your wishes. My son is 17 months old and he naps 2-3 hours during the day as well. Your child needs that sleep. I Hope you find a Good sitter! If you need any info on one I can refer you to one.
Good luck!
Y.
Okay, 2 things. FIRST you are absolutely NOT overreacting. If you tell your sitter that you want her to let you pet octopus feed your baby one meal a day then she should do it! (Okay, that's a little silly but you get my point!) As long as you are requesting things that are safe she should follow your every request ... get a new sitter! SECOND, you should maybe possibly be open to the idea that it's time to let the morning nap go. Most children drop their morning nap between 9 months and 15 months. But just because he's done with his morning nap doesn't mean that his afternoon nap stays at the same time. When my little man dropped his morning nap (REFUSED to take it at 8 months!) he started taking a long "afternoon nap" starting around 11:30. I try to get a good snack into him and his nap usually lasts until 2:00 and then he gets a big lunch. As he's getting older the nap is shifting back and lunch is almost in front of it. Good luck, and God bless, good child care is hard to find. But you have to remember if she's not listening to you about this who knows what other requests she's ignoring.
I agree with everyone else, find a new sitter. The point isn't what SHE thinks. For that matter alone, I would find someone new. It doesn't even matter if she's right or wrong, it's what YOU want. She has no right to tell you he doesn't need his morning nap! She doesn't have to spend the rest of the day with him!
That being said, I'm in the same place you are. I'm thinking of moving our 14 mo. old to one nap a day. But, again, that's YOUR gig, not hers. My sisters are the same way with our son. They put him to bed when THEY think he should go to bed and tell me he "won't" nap at their house. So he doesn't spend alot of overnights + a day there.
I don't think you are overreacting. You just need to reevaluate the situation. It just depends on how much you want to keep your babysitter.
If your child is the only child she is watching, then there is no reason why she can't meet your request. When she told me 'no' I would have gone home and immediately started looking for a new sitter. I have challenged providers before. You have to stand up for your child and yourself. My son used to attend a public daycare. He used to CRYYYY when I tried to drop him off. I asked the worker if she could please help me leave the room by holding my son while I left the room. She wasn't in the middle of anything. Just standing there watching the scene and greeting other kids. She told me no, that's not my job. Really. Cuz I thought that the whole reason you were here was so that I could get to my job and I can't do that while my son is clinging to me!....I called the director, and the next day she took my son.
As far as adjusting your son's sleep schedule, you have to look and see if it works into your routine. Perhaps you should create an afternoon nap routine. Drive the long way home so he gets tired in the car, etc. Let him sleep from 1:30 - 2:30.
M.
A.,
You certainly are not overreacting. You know your child and what his needs are. Her refusal to honor your request is unacceptable. If she does this, what else will she refuse to do? I would find another sitter.
Find a new sitter! At 15 months he needs that sleep...and if she is not understanding that then who knows what else she won't get. Do what is best for your child and get someone else or sit down and lay it out to her that you want her to do these things.
i think 15 months is a little old for 2 naps a day....i would change the schedule to one a day and put him down when he goes home at 1pm....that is more normal then twice a day for his age, he will have to get used to it, but i think it will be best in the long run......and you will get a break when you get home as well....remember when you change a routine with a child, it does not work overnight, so it may take a week or two for him to used to it.
A.
No. You are not overreacting.
I have a 15month old myself, so I can tell you that his 10-12,1 nap just once a day is quite normal at this age.
If I were in your situation, I'd get a different babysitter immediately. I wouldn't want my child to spend another minute in the care of someone who didn't respect my rules. I'd take this very seriously.
Definitely not overreacting. I would get another babysitter ASAP. You should not have to adapt to your babysitter, that's why you pay her. My son goes to daycare and if a daycare with tons of kids can keep his schedule on track i think a babysitter of 1 child can do it. I recommend looking and if you can get some references.
Get a new babysitter, repect for your desires is real important! She needs to learn better too!
Um, personally I would find new day care. Your son is there only 3 days a week so you are spending more time with him on a daily basis than anyone else & therefore, you understand his sleep schedule. It doesn't matter if he takes a nap in the morning or the afternoon, the point is that children that age really do need the sleep. I'm unclear as to why your sitter refuses to put him in any room besides the one she's in? It seems like it would be greatly to her benefit to get paid for watching a baby 15 hours a week & really only having to entertain him for 6, right?
Anyway, when a sitter tells you what your child does or does not need & clearly is not in agreement with the way you are raising your child, it's time to find a new sitter. Good luck!
A. ~
Two words: NANNY CAM !! Every parent who has young children being watched on a regular basis in their home should have this. You need to protect your child and make sure your wishes are being followed through with. A must in my opinion.
Best Wishes ~ K.
Aren't YOU paying this woman to watch your child? In my opinion, that makes her your employee and she should thus make every effort to do as you ask. I could understand her position if there were several children who all needed their nap schedules coordinated, but you said your child is the only one??? So what's the problem with putting your little guy down in another room at his normal nap times? I believe that a good child care provider should work with the parents as a team, not clash over something as important as naps!!! Studies show that lack of sleep actually hinders brain development in children...I would find another care provider as quickly as you can! I'm sure there is someone else who will be a better "fit" for your son.
You are NOT overracting. It's not a crazy schedule. As you said it's what works for him. Both my girls woke each day around 7:30. They ate, played and I put them down for a nap in their room, alone without the lights and they too cried for about 5 mins. It was their way of setteling. We toss and turn until we get comfortable, babies cry. Lots of people always used to criticize me for letting them cry. In fact my Mother-in-law, when sitting would always say...oh she doesn't want to take a nap she's not tired, she just kept crying. My Dr. agreed with me, that kids need adaquate sleep and putting them in there crib's at a set time every day is appropiate. In fact. My girls took two naps daily. AM nap 10 - 12 and PM nap 2 - 4. They were in bed religiously every night at 8:00. They were great sleepers and always good. When sitters would disrupt their schedules or refuse to follow my directions I would find another. Thats my suggestion. The sitter should lister to you...after all you are paying her and most importantly, you are the babies Mother. Good luck.
