I need some more ideas please!

[Sonya]

I've asked on here before about my twins and their sleeping habits and you all gave me some good advice. But I'm about at my wits end!

I have 4 year old twin girls and they are put to bed at 7:00pm and get up at 6:30. At daycare they get a 2 hour nap. However they don't go to sleep at 7:00, oh no. They party until 10:00 at least each night.

So it sounds like they are getting too much sleep but according to the guidelines they are just getting enough. I can't change their nap, at the daycare everyone goes down at the same time. I have tried to separate them and that is more work than putting them down together. I have messed with their bedtime, no luck. They seem really happy to be in their room playing or reading.

Right now I go in every 15 or 30 minutes and separate them and tuck them back in, get the toys out of their bed, remind them to be quiet, and go out. This is driving me crazy! It has been going on for about 6 months! Does anyone have any good ideas??????

 

[Hannathy]

That is an awful lot of sleep for 4 yr olds! Mine never came close to that much.
Mine never napped at 4 and still didn't sleep that long.

Personally I think a 2 hour nap is way too much for 4 yr olds! Especially somewhere I am paying to watch my kids.

Also remember guidelines are what they say they are guidelines not absolutes! Not everyone needs that much sleep and yours are showing they don't. Why are you still putting them to bed and making it miserable for everyone? Why not keep them up another hour and enjoy them?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I've asked on here before about my twins and their sleeping habits and you all gave me some good advice. But I'm about at my wits end!

I have 4 year old twin girls and they are put to bed at 7:00pm and get up at 6:30. At daycare they get a 2 hour nap. However they don't go to sleep at 7:00, oh no. They party until 10:00 at least each night.

So it sounds like they are getting too much sleep but according to the guidelines they are just getting enough. I can't change their nap, at the daycare everyone goes down at the same time. I have tried to separate them and that is more work than putting them down together. I have messed with their bedtime, no luck. They seem really happy to be in their room playing or reading.

Right now I go in every 15 or 30 minutes and separate them and tuck them back in, get the toys out of their bed, remind them to be quiet, and go out. This is driving me crazy! It has been going on for about 6 months! Does anyone have any good ideas??????

Is the nap at daycare forced on them? At 4, I ditched the naps. Also my kids never went to bed at 7pm even without naps. That is just too early for me.

Heck at 7pm we were up eating dinner, going out, or doing something.

Perhaps you could take them out to the park or get them some exercise to tucker them out for a 8pm bedtime?

It is going to be hit and miss for you to find something you can work with.

 

[kellyg403]

my 4yo grandd is having the same issue. She sleeps like a rock at daycare, hasn't missed a nap yet. They don't wake them up either so sometimes you pick her up and see on her note she slept a bit longer!

My dil has basically started letting her stay up until 8 or 9 most nights and when she goes to bed she is allowed to read books for 1/2 hour. She is still not sleeping all thru the night. She was for a while but now she is starting to wake up several times in the night and trying to sleep with dil and ds. They found her sleeping in the crib with her brother last week.

Dil also thinks its naptime, but daycare is adamant she has to at least lay there, not necessarily sleep. However, since she is up more than down during the night, she is taking that opportunity to rest up!

With two in the same room, keeping each other up I would guess you could try separating them once again. If daycare is no help in the nap situation, I would definitely be keeping them up and tiring them out!

Kelly

 

[Holly]

I would try putting them to bed later.

If you're putting them down at seven and they're staying up until ten I'd say it's too early. I agree with MM- try and tire them out after dinner.


Good luck.

 

[savannahcat]

With the two hour nap at daycare, I think the 7pm bedtime is much too early. If they are going to sleep of their own accord by 10pm, then I would change the bedtime to 9pm.

My DD5 (just turned 5 in March) no longer takes a nap. She goes to sleep around 9pm and wakes around 7am.

 

[loveysbydesign]

I think you should put them to bed later. I have 3 kids and I have nannied for 3 different sets of twins in the past and they all stopped going to bed that early by age 1! I would try pushing bedtime back to 8 or 8:30. They wouldn't be up playing for 3 hours if they were tired, all the 7 pm bedtime is doing is exhausting you! Not all kids require the same amount of sleep regardless of what the "experts" say.

Also be sure to try and follow the same routine every night before putting them to bed. Perhaps bath time/teeth brushing time at 7 followed by bedtime stories/quietly looking at picture books at 7:30 then bedtime at 8:00. Good luck.

 

[Hannathy]

With the two hour nap at daycare, I think the 7pm bedtime is much too early. If they are going to sleep of their own accord by 10pm, then I would change the bedtime to 9pm.

My DD5 (just turned 5 in March) no longer takes a nap. She goes to sleep around 9pm and wakes around 7am.

I agree with the 9 especially with a 2 hour nap. Heck actually I would go with the 10 if that is their natural falling asleep time. My kids have always naturally not needed a lot of sleep.

 

[Christine]

Due to my work hours, my kids were up at 5:00 a.m. After they were out of the infant stage, no WAY did they go to bed that early. It was usually 8:00-8:30 and that was with a 5:00 a.m. wake time. They are probably wide awake at 7:00 p.m.

 

[anniemae]

That is way to much sleep I think. Most 4 y/o do not nap. Can they just have quiet time and not nap? Or can it be cut down to an hour? 7 is too early for bed for a 4 y/o. I would try 8:30.

 

[becauseisaid]

Also remember that some people are naturally night-oriented. That extends to kids too. While I suspect it's the nap that's doing you in, it could also be that your kids naturally have more energy at night. How are they at waking up?

 

[ccgirl]

I have a DS3. He stopped napping almost a year ago. He goes to bed at 8pm and wakens anywhere from 6:30am - 8:30am. I know when my DD was in the toddler room at daycare naps weren't forced upon them but rest time was. If they still take the nap then let them continue. If you don't feel they need the nap anymore then discuss it with the daycare. I'm not big on following guidelines. I think each child has their own natural guidelines. Follow those.

My children also have very few toys in their rooms. We have a playroom so toys are there. Not sure if you have that option or not.

Good luck.

 

[golfgal]

Keep in mind that these sleep recommendations are GUIDELINES, not hard and fast rules. If your kids aren't going to bed until 10 EVERY night, they aren't tired enough to go to sleep. I agree about the nap time. I think it is very silly for the daycare to require 4 year olds to take a 2 hour nap. If you can't change that, then put them in their room at 8:30 and tell them they can play quietly ON THEIR BED until they are tired. Eventually they will go to sleep. Heck, most infants don't need that much sleep even. At 4 most kids don't take a nap and then sleeping 11 hours at night is about right for most kids. Our oldest stopped taking a nap at 18 months but slept from 8:30-8:30 every night (and went to sleep at night with very few issues).

 

[happygirl]

I agree I think they are getting to much sleep, I would also talk to the daycare about 2 hour naps for 4 years that is way to long of nap

 

[Minnesota!]

Way too much sleep! My (just turned) 4 year old gave up naps about 18 months ago. He goes to bed between 830 and 930 each night and he gets up at 630 each morning.

I would move that bedtime back at least 1.5 hours...probably 2. At 7 we are just finishing up dinner, etc. We use 7 - 9 as family time. Walks, board games, etc. Anything to spend time together and wear the kids out!!

I think it's a bit unrealistic to have any expectation of them sleeping from 7p on.

And I would definitely be talking to the daycare about ditching the nap!

 

[ksjayhawks]

I agree with previous posters. 7 p.m. is way too early. They are not sleepy at that time and who would be with a 2-hour afternoon nap!

Use the evening time for the twins to play outside if it is nice or to play games as a family, watch a movie, etc.

Start your bedtime routine about 8:30--pick up toys in yard/around house, pick up their room, choose clothes for tomorrow, take a warm bath, pjs and brush teeth, read a story together, and then in bed with one book for each to have in bed to look at (no toys--just a book).

Set a timer on their lamp that goes out about 9:45 that means "lights out, time to sleep."

It will take a few weeks to get into this routine, but once you do, they will know what to expect and you won't be running into their room every 15 minutes and not getting to enjoy your evening.

 

[Sonya]

Also remember that some people are naturally night-oriented. That extends to kids too. While I suspect it's the nap that's doing you in, it could also be that your kids naturally have more energy at night. How are they at waking up?

They are waking up so tired. That is why I think they need the sleep.

About the nap, my DS 7 would still take a nap if he could! Just like his mama!

I don't think I can do very much about the nap, this is the time the daycare cleans up from the morning, gets snacks out, and generally has a break. I don't begrudge them the break, I know they need it. But I will try pushing their bedtime later and see what happens. I still wish I had some way of keeping them in bed. Even when it's just them 2 and their dolls (snuggies) they will get up to play with them and turn on the light!

 

[zoemurr]

you should definitely be able to get them to stay in their beds, but if they are not used to you enforcing the rules it will take some time.

I would probably start w/a chart. If they don't get out of bed for 5 nights they can pick out a small toy. (or something like that.. maybe leave a small toy under their pillow any night they don't get up.)

If they are turning on the light I would take out the bulb.

If they continue to play with their toys at night then the toys need to come out of their room. Take a few out every night they don't listen until there is nothing left.

I would move their bed time to 8:30. Maybe let them "read" in bed 'till 9. Get them a CD player and put on a story or some music. There have been nights when I know my kids have been awake in bed for some time but that's life. You go to bed at 9pm and I don't want to hear from you again.

Good luck.. time to get tough I'm afraid.

 

[ccgirl]

They are waking up so tired. That is why I think they need the sleep.

About the nap, my DS 7 would still take a nap if he could! Just like his mama!

I don't think I can do very much about the nap, this is the time the daycare cleans up from the morning, gets snacks out, and generally has a break. I don't begrudge them the break, I know they need it. But I will try pushing their bedtime later and see what happens. I still wish I had some way of keeping them in bed. Even when it's just them 2 and their dolls (snuggies) they will get up to play with them and turn on the light!

If they wake up tired that means they did not get enough sleep the night before. Check with the daycare. I said I didn't want my DD napping anymore in the toddler room. They said that was fine she needed to sit quietly so that's what she did. Once they hit preschool age 2.9 they were no longer required to have naps or rest time. They would sit and watch a movie while the teacher cleaned, ate or set up. No need to make 4 year olds nap. They don't go to sleep until later because they are not tired since they had a 2 hour nap. The only way to off set that is to let them sleep later in the morning but I suspect that you can't do that because you need to get them to daycare; right? Tough choice. Personally, I would ditch the naps.

 

[sparks19]

I have the same issue with my DD3 when she naps. she goes to preschool one day a week and they take a nap and on that day she does NOT go to bed at her normal bedtime (8pm)

We don't do naps anymore other than at the preschool becuase that's what they do... although i wish they wouldn't because it really throws off her sleep schedule lol.

On days she doesn't nap I put her to bed at 8 and she goes right to sleep and sleeps until around 8 the next morning. If she is especially tired I'll put her down at 7.

on days she has a nap she's up until 10 or 11. blah.

Since you can't cut out naps there probably isn't much you can do unless you get them up even earlier in the morning to compensate for the nap but that would be pretty early in the morning. Otherwise you are just going to have to deal with them being up at until 10.

don't get me wrong... I LOVE my daughter and enjoy my time with her very much but at the end of the day I am ready for her to get to sleep so I can have a little downtime too lol. So it's nice that we have a set bedtime and it works very well for us as long as there is no nap...