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It's all about the schedule
Filed under: Development/Milestones: Babies, That's Entertainment
For the past two winters I have worked
part time at a ski resort nursery. We get children from all over the nation and quite a few from around the world. With
the many different times zones the mothers are often adamant about the sleep schedules of their infants and toddlers.
However, when you have anywhere from five to fifteen children it is difficult to maintain the sleep demands of so many
different time zone schedules. Most of the staff members were young ladies from New Zealand or Argentina who were
working during their summer breaks. These girls would often roll their eyes in frustration when the mothers would rant
about our inability to maintain the children's nap schedules, and for good reason in some cases when the mothers became
a bit crazed -perhaps due to their own unmet sleep schedules. And while I agreed that the rudeness was undeserved,
I do understand about the sleep schedule.We had no set nap routine for our first two children, they napped when the mood hit -albeit not nearly often enough for me, and went to bed when I could get them there. I always read to them regardless of the time, but I was much younger and time did not really seem to matter as much. Such is not the case with our third child, Devon. He is on such a set schedule that I plan most of my days around his naps. When his routine gets interrupted, as happened with a recent trip to the in-laws, my life gets topsy turvy while I try to transition him back into his routine. He is cranky, more finicky than usual and I feel the evergrowing need to find a day spa to rest my weary head. It is at these times that I go back to our sleep bible, Sleep Baby Sleep, by Tammy Hussin, and brush up on the nap chapter. It is the only book we have ever tried and, luckily, it has worked great for us. I would be curious what other books or methods readers use or find helpful, please feel free to share your thoughts.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
5-01-2006 @ 12:58PM
LB said...Sorry,might not help much here since my 3rd was a very difficult napper due to the activity of her brothers, who had napped beautifully and regularly until about age 4. But one thing I read years ago in Dr Sears is that it's good to have more than one way to get your little one to sleep so you are not dependant on one way if circumstances change. Also rather than transitioning back to the old ways, can you work on lulling him into some new ones? Could he be growing out of some of his baby routine too as he's getting older and need to wind down differently? Lastly,it seems to me at this time of year lots of little kids have a hard time napping. Once he's getting all that summer activity I bet he will be passing out. Good Luck!
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5-01-2006 @ 1:11PM
Ginny said...We had/have a routine for our children. I have kept the same basic rountine for 5 + years. I think my kids (ages 4 and 5)are much better off knowing what to expect and when. When things get a little crazy, so do they.
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5-01-2006 @ 1:47PM
Jill said...Healthy Sleep Habits; Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth was the one I liked (and I read a lot). I charted my baby's sleep and eat times for a few weeks (after the first 2 months when they sleep pretty randomly), then looked to see HIS sleep schedule and tried to solidify what he already was doing. The author helped with advise like a baby should only be awake for two hours at a time, then it is time to "sooth them down". When they learn to sooth themselves... that's when the work is all worthwhile! Baby #2 had a harder time falling into a routine, and I think some children don't do it naturally at all, but it does help them in the long run I think.
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5-01-2006 @ 2:21PM
Melissa said...Yep, just a boring routin. My now 10 month old was on no schedule till about 7 months of age. And then my sleep deprevity took over and I started enforcing naps and a regular bed time. I'm flexible with it, but still adhere to it. Basically, bath bottle book bed. Naps, he puts himself to sleep for.
I enjoy him alot more with naps being regular.
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5-01-2006 @ 2:31PM
R. said...My 13 month old has an iron-clad nap routine that is definitely a mixed blessing. On the one hand, he will only sleep in his crib -- never in a stroller or in a carseat, which is a drag if we're traveling or if something unexpected comes up. On the other hand -- I can put him in his crib awake, blow him a kiss, close the bedroom door, and know that he'll sleep like a little angel for two hours. Is it worth giving up some spontaneity? ABSOLUTELY.
My first child didn't have a nap routine and could sleep anywhere, but had to be rocked to complete unconsciousness before she could be put in her crib, which could take up to 45 minutes. Routines are much better. Routines rock.
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5-01-2006 @ 4:49PM
JGS said...I'm a HUGE believer in schedule. We have twins and I don't think we would've survived without a schedule. I think a schedule provides a sense of safety and security, a sense of reliability that young children really need. We thought of the schedule as a boundary so they would never have to worry about when they were going to eat or sleep or play. It was as simple as breakfast around 7:30 then free time. Lunch around 12:30 followed by nap (often about 2 hours) and then free time until about dinner at 6:00. Then bath, nebulizing them, getting ready for bed and bedtime by 8:00pm. In the beginning we were very strict, but now we think of these more as guidelines than rules. It made all of our lives so much easier.
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5-01-2006 @ 9:46PM
Jerri Ann said...My children have been on a schedule since I learned a hard lesson the first 6 months of my first borns life. And...the are so much so that when we are off the schedule, they sleep wherever we are, at naptime, it is naptime and you better have a pillow and a blanket..same about bedtime...I wrote a small book entitled "Sleep is Sacred: Sleep begets Sleep" for a family member and have sold some copies of it as well. I self published so it isn't available just anywhere...just through me!
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