magicvw

My little girl is nearly 3.5 and goes to kindergarten every day. The system here is that they are supposed to go for a full day from 8.30 till 4.30. The kindergarten are pretty inflexible about this. The kids are supposed to have a nap there after lunch.

I don't want my daughter to be there so long - I don't work, so it's not necessary. So I take her later in the morning at about 9.30. I can't pick her up earlier because they don't let parents in before 4.15/4.30.

The staff have complained to me that Poppy will never nap after lunch and they suggested that she gets up earlier, so that she's more tired. I think they think she gets up at 8.30 because we go later, but actually she gets up at 7am most days.

Usually she is in bed by 8pm, which I think is late enough at 3.

So what would you do? The way I see it I can either

a) try to change her routine so that she starts napping again i.e. put her to bed later than 8pm in the hope that she'll be more tired by lunchtime

or

b) ignore them and carry on as we are.

Personally I think she's naturally outgrown the daytime nap and it's dumb to re-introduce it, but on the other hand, because she doesn't sleep she is disturbing all the other kids who are trying to nap at school.

What would you do?

Phexia

I would ignore them Over here it's up to the parents if they let the LO's nap in kindergarten. I think 3.5 is too old to nap if she obviously doesn't need it. I mean if she goes to sleep at 8 pm and wakes up at 7 am, surely she doesn't need a nap?

She's your kid, not theirs. So you shouldn't have to change yours or hers schedule just because they want to. I mean, I understand that they want quiet time, but not all kids are the same.

Sambatiki

Defo what Phexia said!!! If shes happy as she is then why change! You cant force a child to sleep when theyre not tired! xxx

paula85

My 3 yr old does not have a nap anymore...how do they expect to make a 3 yr old have a nap when obviously they dont need it anymore! i would tell them that she does not nap in the day and do not try and make her!!!

Phexia

Definitely don't put her to bed later, I mean you need some quiet time

Hoolie

My 3 year old doesn't nap in the day very often anymore and hasn't for months. She'll need a sleep only when she is at her nursery for 4 days instead of her usual 3. But she has a longer day at nursery than your little girl. She starts at 8am and I pick her up about 5.45pm and we don't get home until 6.15-6.30 ish.

You're her mum. You do what you know works for her amd keeps her happy and healthy. The nursery sounds very inflexible. Our nursery accomodates each childs sleeping needs. Some have naps of half an hour, others 45 mins, others an hour and some not at all.

Alex