How long is your "quiet time" for 3 yr olds?

How long is your "quiet time" for 3 yr olds?


Our "quiet time" is a big loud party. I've tried many, many different approaches. How long can two 3yr olds be quiet? (more than 5 minutes would be an improvement at this point). Geez, I miss naps. If only I could put up the crib tents that I've already sold......

 

We did one hour a day. He sat with a blanket a pillow and a movie once a day. It worked well for us. :hug: I wish you could get some peace! I can't imagine the twins not napping when home, but I am sure we will find out soon!

 

We are a few months shy of three, but have been doing this routine for awhile unfortunately. I started having them lay on blankets, spread apart, in the living room. I turn a show on for them, tell them about 1,683 times to lay back down on their blankets, and about 1 out of every 8 days or so, I get lucky and they sleep for about an hour and a 1/2. :crazy: If they don't nap, which is the norm, I usually make them stay there for about 1.5 hours, which is usually how long it takes me to tell them to lay back down 1,683 times. :tease:

 

DD1 has a 45 min music tape she has to listen to, when it is over she can come out. She is sometimes talking to her toys or singing but it is usually in just a regular voice. She is in there alone though so that probably makes a big difference!! Is it possible to put them in two different rooms for "quiet time"? My 2 yrs olds will sometimes spend that long talking/singing to each other but they have to stay in until they have napped. I don't know if that would ever happen if they were out of cribs.

 

Give up. Seriously, you are driving yourself crazy. If you want quiet, they need to be engaged in something. Put a movie on, set them up with some play doh, a stack of paper and stampers, or if you can stand the mess, mine love mixing flour and water. Just give them some bowls and spoons and they are happy. I don't even try for quiet time in their rooms really anymore, and it's much less stressful.

 

QUOTE(becky5 @ Mar 26 2009, 09:05 PM) [snapback]1246364[/snapback]
I usually make them stay there for about 1.5 hours, which is usually how long it takes me to tell them to lay back down 1,683 times. :tease:


This is us--except for it's in their rooms. Sometimes I'll separate and one will go to sleep, but rarely both take a nap. I've notice even at daycare they aren't going to sleep anymore--so i guess naps are out for us now, too :cry: They usually will at least stay in their room and play (I eventually quit telling them to lay down, it's exhausting), so at least they are contained and I can get some things done. Their room looks like two little tornados have went throught there when I let them out.

 

Usually they're in there about 2 hours. I quit telling them to lay down but I have some rules, like no jumping on beds, no fighting, stay in the bed unless it's to go potty. They typically sit and chatter for the first hour, and then about 40% of the time they nap after that. If not, its like a big loud party. I don't set them down for a movie because they already watch about an hour and a half a day, which is too much already but it keeps them contained while I nurse Caleb or relax a bit (because Caleb is usually up during their "quiet time").

 

My kids never really have quiet time.If they are napping then great if not I put in a movie and give them a snack.That usually keeps them content.The babies on the other hand usually take a good nap in the afternoon and that is when I get stuff done.The older girls are pretty good about just playing in their room anyways so they are not a big issue.Now when the twins get older...I have a feeling its gonna get crazy around the house...I might have to stay up and do laundry and dishes after everyone is in bed.

 

45-60 minutes. They pick the movie and have their favorite "quiet time" spots in the living room where they relax and watch.

 

QUOTE(mel&3 @ Mar 27 2009, 10:29 AM) [snapback]1246614[/snapback]
Usually they're in there about 2 hours. I quit telling them to lay down but I have some rules, like no jumping on beds, no fighting, stay in the bed unless it's to go potty. They typically sit and chatter for the first hour, and then about 40% of the time they nap after that. If not, its like a big loud party. I don't set them down for a movie because they already watch about an hour and a half a day, which is too much already but it keeps them contained while I nurse Caleb or relax a bit (because Caleb is usually up during their "quiet time").



We have almost the same exact thing. My kids are in their rooms for about an hour unless they fall asleep (which they do about half of the time). They have to stay on their beds and keep the voices down. They each get one or two quiet toys, at my discretion. There is no jumping or rowdy behavior. I will go in and take a misbehaving child to the top of the stairs for a timeout. That usually helps curb the behavior. We've been doing this for about 3 months and it has worked like a charm. We love having the quiet time and we make sure it is quiet throughout the house. This is only applicable on the weekends because our kids are in daycare during the week. They do nap at daycare for an hour or lay quietly with a book on their cots.

 

My kids are almost 3 and I don't even try to have quiet time.

Naps have been long gone here - they stopped napping at least 6 months ago. So they are up and at it from the time they wake until the go to bed for the night.

It's part of toddler-hood - embrace it!!

 

Mine still take a short nap in the afternoon. I very much enjoy it!

 

QUOTE(*Jamie Lee* @ Mar 27 2009, 02:42 PM) [snapback]1247232[/snapback]
Mine still take a short nap in the afternoon. I very much enjoy it!


You better duck Jamie!

 

Ours is 1- 1.5 hours in beds (seperate rooms). They stay in bed and read books, play with soft toys.

It has always been that way so they dont question it or get out of bed. It would be harder if they 'thought' they had freedom.

Good Luck--if they are in the habit of playing loudly, it will be harder to break it.

Try a video? seperate rooms (on in your room , on in theirs)?

Not much help...are they still in Preschool, that will give you some down time at least.

KC

 

QUOTE(Snittens @ Mar 26 2009, 09:10 PM) [snapback]1246529[/snapback]
Give up. Seriously, you are driving yourself crazy. If you want quiet, they need to be engaged in something. Put a movie on, set them up with some play doh, a stack of paper and stampers, or if you can stand the mess, mine love mixing flour and water. Just give them some bowls and spoons and they are happy. I don't even try for quiet time in their rooms really anymore, and it's much less stressful.



I agree. At some point you just have to realise that kids are noisy and as hard as it is to handle sometimes, it's totally normal. There's no sense winding yourself up in knots over something you can't change. Enjoy the quiet while they are at pre school and try to enjoy your noisy little blessings when they are with you.

 

QUOTE(Snittens @ Mar 27 2009, 12:10 AM) [snapback]1246529[/snapback]
Give up. Seriously, you are driving yourself crazy. If you want quiet, they need to be engaged in something. Put a movie on, set them up with some play doh, a stack of paper and stampers, or if you can stand the mess, mine love mixing flour and water. Just give them some bowls and spoons and they are happy. I don't even try for quiet time in their rooms really anymore, and it's much less stressful.

Have to agree

Mine stopped napping at 2 1/2 we tried the quiet time it really never worked. Maybe a movie as others have suggested.

 

thanks everyone.

snittens has obviously read my other posts over the past months.

i don't know if i'm ready to give up yet. nope, can't separate them - no space and it doesn't work anyway.

my problem is that i physically & emotionally need quiet or I get dizzy and vertigo attacks. Yep, my kids noise physically makes me sick. Confirmed by several drs. Nothing actually wrong w/ my ears - it's my central nervous system.

anyway, they like the lacing toys and that's helping a little. but mostly it's very loud. oh well....

 

Can you hire a sitter for a couple of hours on the days you're home with them all day? Leaving the house would be the only way I could get actual quiet time when my boys are awake. The closest they come to quiet is when they're very busy and concentrating on a task like art time and even that's only 10-15 minutes before they come up with a way for the scissors to be monsters that attack and eat the paper or whatever and you know monsters must make noise...

 

QUOTE
snittens has obviously read my other posts over the past months.

i don't know if i'm ready to give up yet. nope, can't separate them - no space and it doesn't work anyway.

my problem is that i physically & emotionally need quiet or I get dizzy and vertigo attacks. Yep, my kids noise physically makes me sick. Confirmed by several drs. Nothing actually wrong w/ my ears - it's my central nervous system.


Yes, that's why I said what I did. I'm trying to help, really. That's why I said find an activity to engage them in, and they will be quiet (relatively). I've totally BTDT trying to enforce quiet time and getting more and more stressed out because they are NOT being quiet. Once I gave up, my stress level decreased. They are three, three-year olds are not going to sit quietly in their rooms unless they have something to do. What about taking them for a walk beforehand, maybe it will tire them out a bit?

 

QUOTE
my problem is that i physically & emotionally need quiet or I get dizzy and vertigo attacks. Yep, my kids noise physically makes me sick. Confirmed by several drs. Nothing actually wrong w/ my ears - it's my central nervous system.


Vertigo can be controlled without having quiet. I trust you are on medication for it as it is NOT in your childrens best interests if you suffer a black out due to severe vertigo. I have some sensory issues and cannot tolerate loud sounds/noise for extended amounts of time, or large groups of loud people, too much loud music.. that sort of thing... as well as vertigo and a VERY bad back. So I can relate.

However, if you have emotional issues as well, then I think it would be best for you to seek help for yourself first and not try to work your childrens moods, noise etc. around your illnesses. Believe me, that will never work, because you need to control what you feel and go through and work it into your day/amount of time you spend with them. Take it from someone who does it every day.... you need to put their safety/best interests first while keeping your physical/emotional self in control. They cannot adapt to you to such a great extent.

Asking for advice and ideas here relating to your children will give you several 'how tos'. However, none of it will work if you are not able to give yourself the boost you clearly need first. I hope you don't take this the wrong way, as it is well meaning advice and concern.

 

I think Anne is right. you have to get your medical issues under control so that you can be the kind of parent you want to be to your children. They are little for such a short time, if you don't find a way to enjoy them you will miss it. Life with little ones is noisy, messy and sometimes chaotic...that's part of the joy and you can't spend all your time forcing them to be quiet.