%2C%20pist.jpg)
Parents,
Did you ever wonder what happens in a child care setting during naptime?
Do you worry that the children are safe and treated well?
You might be right to worry. High quality child care is a wonderful thing, if you can find and afford it. Since only about 10% of child care in the US is considered high quality, there is good reason for concern.
Some parents worry that their child is napping too much or not enough at child care. But how many parents really know what happens in their child's nap room? Unless you work there, it may be almost impossible to know.
For the past 5 decades I've been a hands-on child care provider. I've seen it all from the very good to the very bad. I've worked in many different settings and administered more naps than I can count.
I've also studied sleep on a more intellectual level. I hold a MA in human development from Pacific Oaks. I've read many books by famous sleep specialists through my studies at the International Institute of Infant and Maternal Sleep. I've created many sleep programs for parents to use at home that have actually worked!
For over 25 years I've been a part of a think tank for early childhood educators that often discusses sleep issues. I know enough about sleep to know that I know very little. It's a complicated and fascinating subject. Here's why:
Human nature tells us to keep learning, growing and solving problems in our heads, even when our bodies and minds are too exhausted to function properly. You propably know what I'm talking about. Anxiety around sleep is obvious in human beings of all ages.
Anyway, what typically happens in a child care setting during naptime ranges from horrific to heartwarming. It's often shrouded in secrecy but I think you should know the truth.
All the stories in this series are told by anonynmous providers and are true to the best of the author's knowlege.
THE BAD
This all happened in a highly regarded child care program in our community. They had a reputation for teaching children ABC's and 123,s. They did "projects" with the children almost daily. The price wasn't bad for the area and time either. Most of the teachers held associate's degrees in early childhood or had years of experience. Here's how they managed naps in the 3-year-old room.
After toileting, the children retrived blankets from their cubbies and lay down on cots scattered around the room about 3 feet away from each other as required by licensing. They slept with their shoes on because once a licensor dropped by during naptime and said the children were unsafe, sleeping in their stockings because of a potential fire or a fire drill.
OK, I guess. They got used to it. Most places I worked had children set their shoes under their cots. We are required to wash the cot sheets once a week, but isn't it unsanitarty to put dirty shoes on clean sheets? Whatever. Rules can vary by the licensor.
Once the three-year-olds were settled and the lights turned off, the teachers hovered around the room using quiet but harsh words with the children. Sometimes they threatened to move their cots to the "baby" room if they didn't lay still. Sometimes they took their blankets. Yep, their personal .......
To read the rest, support high quality child care that already exists. Honor your favorite high quality provider, get the "Secrets" blog weekly and all of our free eBooks along with 5.5 hours of discovery about high quality care with lots of useable ideas, videos and activities today!!
We're offering all of this to you and only asking for a small one-time donation to our non-profit. When you donate and submit the name of a high quality provider, it will appear on a special page on our site designated to honor them. Our host will contact you with a form submission for your high quality choice. Once you sign up and create a password you'll have access to all of our best materials right away! Thanks!!!
コメント