Sleeping Children

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

 

Don't know if anyone can help me but I'm sure I read somewhere that children's sleep shouldn't be disturbed. The reason that I am asking is I have a friend who works at a nursery and has a parent that isn't happy because staff won't wake her child if he is sleeping. I'm sure that I read somewhere in the EYFS literature that if children are asleep they should be left to wake up naturally. I have looked and can't find it anywhere and am now beginning to wonder if I have made it up, does anybody know if it is written anywhere???

 

Thanks

 

Rapunzel

[Guest]

Hi I dont think it is written anywhere, but has been the focus of many discussions I am sure. EYFS says that the needs of the child must come first, so it could be argued that waking a sleeping child is not putting the child first. However in my nursery most children fall asleep after lunch, that's if they make it through lunch that is!

 

After consultation with the parents we now start waking the children who go to sleep after lunch round about 2pm (taking into account when the child fell asleep of course). They are woken gently and given a cuddle, however if they struggle to wake then we leave them for a little while. My argument for this would be that if they sleep too long during the day then they'll probably not go to sleep at home later, which in turn could cause problems with the parents i.e parents getting fractious etc if the child wont go to bed. I know some of you may not agree with this but we feel that waking them gently IS taking into account the needs of the child; albeit loosely.

 

On the other hand we have parents who don't want their children to sleep, inevitably if a 2 year old is tired they will fall asleep during tea time, we dont try too hard to keep them awake, especially if they are eating with their eyes closed and their little heads are nodding.

 

The key person/buddy know their children and the parents well and use this knowledge well when it comes to gauging sleep etc.

[Guest jenpercy]

Hi I dont think it is written anywhere, but has been the focus of many discussions I am sure. EYFS says that the needs of the child must come first, so it could be argued that waking a sleeping child is not putting the child first. However in my nursery most children fall asleep after lunch, that's if they make it through lunch that is!

 

After consultation with the parents we now start waking the children who go to sleep after lunch round about 2pm (taking into account when the child fell asleep of course). They are woken gently and given a cuddle, however if they struggle to wake then we leave them for a little while. My argument for this would be that if they sleep too long during the day then they'll probably not go to sleep at home later, which in turn could cause problems with the parents i.e parents getting fractious etc if the child wont go to bed. I know some of you may not agree with this but we feel that waking them gently IS taking into account the needs of the child; albeit loosely.

 

On the other hand we have parents who don't want their children to sleep, inevitably if a 2 year old is tired they will fall asleep during tea time, we dont try too hard to keep them awake, especially if they are eating with their eyes closed and their little heads are nodding.

 

The key person/buddy know their children and the parents well and use this knowledge well when it comes to gauging sleep etc.

 

When I was in infant school we had to put our heads down on our desks every afternoon for a nap! (I'm very old!!!)

[Upsy Daisy]

I know there was a nursery who had big problems with an Ofsted inspection because they woke a child at the parents' request.

 

I will wake children after a reasonable length sleep if parents prefer but I will only do it by speaking and a gentle touch. If the child is ready to wake that will be enough. If they need more sleep I go away for another ten or fifteen minutes. I'm happy to justify this to Ofsted if need be because children need a stable home routine and I would not want my provision to disrupt that.

[finleysmaid]

we have had two children with asd who cope with pre-school by falling asleep! if we didn't wake them they would never do anything!!! ( yes the parents know! )

Edited July 19, 2010 by finleysmaid

[Guest]

When I was in infant school we had to put our heads down on our desks every afternoon for a nap! (I'm very old!!!)

When we came back after the summer hols last year the children (3-4yr olds) couldnt cope with the full day ( i work in a spanish school where siestas at lunchtimes are normal from oct) i pushed the childrens chairs under the tables and lay their heads on their arms and they all went to sleep, it was just long enough to re-charge their batteries! so it just goes to show we dont always have to re-write the book! yes im very old too!