Sleeping on mats

So, I've been off for the summer as a teacher. I go back to work next week which means the girls go back to daycare. They are moving up to a new room and I found out today that they will now sleep on mats at naptime! YIKES! We ordered them today through the daycare and they are super cute! I just have absolutely no idea how the girls are going to handle the idea of sleeping on the floor with all the other kids.... They have only taken naps in their cribs! I'm thinking about maybe practicing some this week...

 

I start back to school next week as well and my girls are going to be sleeping on mats. I've ordered some online and haven't gotten them yet. However, I don't plan on teaching them how to sleep on them at home. I know the daycare mom can handle it and they'll have other kids there to see what they are supposed to be doing. Honestly, I'm sure they will do fine but I feel for my DCM!

 

Wow there is just no way mine would sleep on those!

 

I'm in the same situation. I go back to school in August and the girls move to the Toddler Room at daycare. I think they will also be napping on mats. I don't expect it to go well at first, but I figure the daycare is used to dealing with this transition for kids. We won't be practicing at home. I do plan to try to adjust their naptime to coincide with the time they have naptime at daycare. I was just thinking about this today and how I should call to find out when the toddlers take their naps.

 

We'll be transitioning to the toddler room soon where they sleep on mats. I'm anxious to see how they'll do, but I know we have a good transition plan here before they completely switch over. I've heard it takes a few weeks of adjustments, but they'll do fine. Good luck!

 

You would be amazed what kids can do at daycare that they would never do at home. I had the exact same reaction when mine moved up from the infant room to the toddler room at 13 months -- they started sleeping on mats and sitting at the table in little chairs, eating their lunch with utensils! (Well, partially. :ibiggrin: ) They had an orientation meeting for all the parents whose kids were moving up, and the director just said, "Trust us -- it happens every year, and the parents never think their kids can do it, but they always can."

At home they can't even nap in the same room with each other, let alone with 8 other kids! But somehow, at daycare, it works. Have faith.

 

Ditto the previous post - it is amazing what they do in nursery! Lara went from a crib to a mat no problem - they know what they are doing. I don't see any need to practice at home as really it just wouldn't be the same anyway. It is part of the routine and is what is expected of them and they just do it!

 

Thanks for the insight ladies. I'm hoping the do ok... They do eat off of plates better at daycare than at home, lol. I came in early one day while they were still eating lunch and both my girls were eating perfectly off of a plate. I was amazed... at that point at home they just threw them on the floor.

 

My girls started a daycare center at 17 months up until then they had only napped in their cribs. I thought there was no way they would stay put on a mat but they did without a problem. I was pleasantly surprised to say they least I had pictured them running around the room during nap timeYour little ones might surprise you.

 

I agree. I used to work in the baby room at a day nursery and we put the children onto mats to nap between 12 and 18 months (depending on the exact ages of the kids in the room), we had 4 cribs so the youngest 4 babies went in the cribs and the others went on mats. I don't know how it works at your daycare but we used to have two members of staff sitting with the toddlers as they fell asleep. In the year and a half that I worked there we never had a single child running around refusing to nap.

 

Wow...this is amazing! This is something I would have to see with my own eyes to believe!

 

I had the same worry. When they reach 12 months, they moved to the 1 year old room and napping on cots. I just knew it wouldn't work, but within a week they were able to just lay them down and they went right to sleep. It is amazing what daycare can get them to do that they won't do at home.

 

I was shocked too to find out mine slept on mats and ate other things than chicken nuggets and waffles!

 

My DD's started going to daycare PT at 22 months, and had to sleep on mats. I was worried, but they did fine. They napped consistently for 1.5-2 hours at daycare with no issues at all. My provider would have them lay next to each other for comfort.

 

Mine are moving up to the toddler room starting next week and will be sleeping on cots. I'm worried about it, but I'm optimistic that it will work out. I've been watching the toddler room on the video system, and they are all sleeping on cots, so I guess it works out!