Are you sending your child to daycare so that you can return to your job? One adjustment your child may have trouble with is napping at daycare. It can be quite different from napping at home if your child is not used to being around other kids during their nap. These tips could help them get through it and fall asleep for their nap at daycare.
Write Down Advice for Daycare
You are going to know your child's sleeping habits more than anyone else, but caregivers at daycare tend to try the techniques that they feel work best based on past experiences. It will help them out to write down any advice you can think of that is related to naps.
For instance, your child probably has a time that they fall asleep most days, so write those down so a daycare provider doesn't attempt nap too early. Your child may take a certain about of time to eventually fall asleep for nap. Some children require additional stimulation to fall asleep, like rocking. You may use a special sleep sack to ensure that your child is swaddled tight for nap. All of this information is good for your daycare to know.
Leave Behind a Lovey
Some children are fond of a stuffed animal that helps get them to fall asleep. It would help to get another one that is identical to leave at their daycare. Not having a particular stuffed animal can be stressful to a child, so see if having the stuffed animal at daycare will make a difference.
Another technique is to leave your child with a worn t-shirt of yours that may have your scent still on it. This could help relax your child, so it's worth a trying.
Use a White Noise Machine
The sounds of daycare may be enough to keep your child awake. Try bringing a white noise maker to daycare so that it can help drown out some of the other sounds made by the other children. If you purchase a battery powered white noise machine be sure to bring extra batteries with it.
The idea behind white noise is that it creates a noise floor that masks those distracting sounds that are quieter than the white noise. I can help give a child something to focus on when other kids in the room are crying or being loud.
Need more tips on how to get your child to take a nap? Be sure to discuss it with your daycare provider to see what other ideas they have.
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