Go to Sleep!

Trying to settle a group of 16 preschoolers for a nap - all in one room - is not always the easiest part of my job.

You have to know what each of the kids likes, which ones will settle easily, and which ones need to be far, far away from anything that might be even in the least bit entertaining. That can include things like the edge of the carpet, a name tag taped on the end of their bed, or even a tiny hole in the wall. And of course, one must keep track of which kids need to be kept away from each other.

Getting everyone situated so that there is the least amount of distraction can be fun - especially in places like ours where the group can change from one day to the next.

Once we get them all in the right places, we need to know which ones like which blankets, pillows, etc… and of course, which like to have their backs rubbed and who prefer to be patted or - better yet - left alone. And once all of them are finally asleep, it can seem like the longest most boring hour ever!!!

It isn’t so bad if there is work to do - program planning or preparation or whatever - but when there isn’t, naptime can be sooooooooooooooooooooo long.