How would you handle this?

My 3 yr old usually does a "quiet time" during the twins nap. She has a 45 min music tape that she listens to while she plays quietly in her room - usually!! Sometimes, she doesn't want to do her quiet time and will just scream and scream, of course waking her sisters in the next room. I don't want to just give in and let her have her way because she is screaming, but the babies need their nap!! Especially on Wednesdays, we have a music class later, than we may end up having to skip. Once they are awake, they usually will not go back to sleep even though they were only asleep for about half an hour vs the usual hour & half - two hours. Help

 

Can you put your 3 year old in another room with the music or a movie?

 

Tomorrow she is goin gto have quiet time in the basement. I told her she could watch VeggieTales - her one true love :laughing:

 

Maybe you could offer an alternative room or rooms? I wonder if she picked a quiet corner in another room and still did her usual routine would help? She might even start to look forward to quite time. I did this with my older son who stopped napping early and he asked for his quite time. ardon:

 

are there any consequences for her? Time out, loss of favorite activity, etc. . . .

 

I don't know if I'd give her her favorite movie if this is a behavior you don't want to continue. You're rewarding her for being noisy and waking the babies.

I'd definately put her in another place, but unless you think it's just 3 year old activity vs intentionally waking her siblings then I wouldn't be giving her the favorite movie. Only you know how she's reacting.

 

I had problems with my oldest waking my twins and vice versa so I invested in noise machines (they were about $50 each) for both of their rooms. I also found a really cool music player by homedics for the twins that plays music and projects lights continously or a specific length of time. Best part is it plugs into the wall so no more batteries. It really cuts down on the noise each of them hear.

 

We use fans in everyones roomand that really drowns out noises. It beats spending $30. on noise machines which we also have.

 

I agree with Angela. If she is doing it purposefully, she shouldn't be rewarded for it. We also have fans in each room to block noise from the rest of the house and the neighbors. I would continue quiet time in her room with a reward for staying quiet and consequences for being too loud. The white noise should help the little ones sleep through it. Naptime around here is sacred so I do whatever it takes to maintain it!