Ahhhh...Nap Time

As much fun as little miss T is I have to admit I look forward to nap time. I imagine that if I were home with little ones of my own my break during this time would be well shortened with other things that need doing. Even at work I think sometimes of the things I would love to be getting done at home. As it is nap time is my tea break, blog reading (now writing) time, meal prep for freezing or dinner, and T's laundry time. My duties at work only pertain to things for the child I am working with but meals I make for T are usually large enough for the parents to eat too. A bitty babe can only eat so much :).

I only had trouble putting T down for naps when I first started working with her when she was 16 months old. Her parents were in the habit of rocking her to sleep (which I do not do) and were very flexible as to when they were putting her down for naps, whereas I schedule meals and naps. The first day, she did not like the new system and let us know. The next day she fussed a little less. Day three she decided she liked it and her dad who is home days came out of his office in amazement because she was asleep after 15 minutes of cheerful chatting to herself.

She is very used to this now and I enjoy the pre-nap routine too. She picks out a few books to read together on the rocker. We sit read, chat, tickle then pop her into her crib at which time she waves me bye-bye. I listen to her babbling on the monitor while I have my tea and usually in 15-30 minutes she is asleep. When she is not I know there is a good reason, most often a diaper issue :P.

I know her parents still try to rock her to sleep both at nap and bed time. I usually hear the trials of this on Monday mornings. She falls asleep on their shoulder, they try to put her down and she wakes up very upset. If it is night time the result is that she will end up in their bed, waking several times throughout the night. I have explained to them my methods and the whys of doing it the way I do.

I always try to keep in mind when touching on subjects like this with parents that I have no control over whether the parents of a child I care for will take my advise. Some parents do listen and some don't. A nanny must be a careful diplomat and not take these things personally. Many parents get overwhelmed by crying children but years and experience change that.

Ah well...when the temptation comes to give in to childish manipulations I remember a saying I heard growing up that translated would mean "the monkey knows the tree it climbs." I will leave it at that.