[Nevada Jen]

So my son started school today. He was in a super academic preschool last year and I wanted to find something for this year that was less stressful but still pretty academic. I think I found a good match (even if he does think the cross on his uniform is a "T") but they have a two hour nap every day. I thought maybe he could adjust but when I asked him how his first day was he said "Dumb. Dumb. Dumb." "My teacher tried to make me sleep and when I couldn't she told me to stop wiggling. But I still could not sleep." I did finally get him to say he wants to go back to school but I feel really bad. What if he really can't sleep? He hasn't taken naps since he was a year old. I am not sure how he will ever be able to nap anywhere near that long! Anyone have any ideas?

I thought about asking if he could lie there and read a book but my DH says they will not let him do that. Last year they had hour long nap time and he rarely slept but an hour is a lot shorter than 2 hours to a preK kid. My next idea was to see if maybe they would move him to kindergarten. But he is very young. He does not turn 5 until June.

[loveajax]

I would ask the school...dd doesn't nap at naptime either (I wish she would!) but she sits or lays on her mat and "reads" books or whatever quiet thing she wants. Two hours seems like a loooong time to me though for prek. Good luck!

[KarenInCa]

You would be surprised. We were sure DD did not sleep in pre-K and most of the time, she probably didn't. However, I'm positive now that some days she did. Now that she started Kindergarten this year (Full day kindergarten), she comes home very tired sometimes, and actually took a nap on Saturday, on the couch. She also now always goes to bed (willingly) at around 8-830, whereas, when she was in pre-K, she was not even tired till around 930. So, I KNOW she must have taken naps in preK. Not every day. But enough to make a difference in her sleeping patterns.

[ocracoke]

I have no suggestions for you but I just wanted to say wow to your child not taking a nap since he was one. My daughter will be 5 in december and she still takes about a 1-1.5 hour nap daily. As a matter of fact my only worry with her starting kindergarten next fall (would have loved it if this fall was a possibility) is that she will not have a nap and this will make her grouchy.

Samantha

[Nevada Jen]

We also have to fight him to get him to bed before 10 pm. He is just not a sleeper. He didn't sleep through the night until he was 3. I hope he will adjust. I talked to him about his day today and they sent home the bible verse they worked on today. "Jesus Grows" from Luke. I asked him if the had a story about it. He said, "Maybe, I don't have any clue who jesus is." I about fell on the floor laughing. I almost feel sorry for the school!

[OakShannon]

Originally Posted by Nevada Jen

We also have to fight him to get him to bed before 10 pm. He is just not a sleeper. He didn't sleep through the night until he was 3. I hope he will adjust. I talked to him about his day today and they sent home the bible verse they worked on today. "Jesus Grows" from Luke. I asked him if the had a story about it. He said, "Maybe, I don't have any clue who jesus is." I about fell on the floor laughing. I almost feel sorry for the school!

ROFL! What a character!

A 2 hour nap for pre-k is not unusual. I've worked at 2 schools that had a pre-k on campus and both had 2-hour naps. A lot of kids still need it. (Please, may David be one of them . . . ) But there are always kids who don't nap or who just don't nap that long. I'll bet your son isn't the only one. The problem is finding unused space (those little mats pretty well fill a room) and a teacher who is not needed (licensing requires maintaining your student/teacher ratio) who can take the handful of non-sleepers somewhere else.

Both of the pre-k programs I'm familiar with let kids look at books or draw quietly if they couldn't sleep, though. It seems unreasonable not to. That's a LOOOONG time for a 4 year old to lay still while wide awake! I would ask before assuming that they won't let him. And maybe even push a little if they say no at first . . .

[crick]

I second Oak's suggestion of just asking the teacher if he can read or do some other quiet activity. My dd was not a sleeper either and even just the 1 hour nap time they had was difficult for her.

LOL at the "no clue" comment. 3 of my kids attended a Christian preschool and my oldest came home once really excited about living in a whale. Took me a minute to figure out what story they had read that day.

[Sleeplvr]

My DD is the Queen of the 15 minute nap if she naps that long. Most days she probably doesn't take a nap and if she sleeps a long time she's probably sick. Just ask the school if there is something he can do. It's probably really hard for a 4 year old to lie quietly for 2 hours while the other kids sleep. DS needs at least a 2 hour nap for him to be in a decent mood. Since they have started prek they have been in bed by 8:30 everynight because they are so worn out at the end of the day.

My kids attend a Christian Prek too. They sing a lot of songs and they always end up twisted into something totally different.

The kids have adjusted really well to wearing uniforms. DD asked me the other day... "why do I have so many tacky skirts?" She says tacky when she means Khaki.

[Nevada Jen]

LOL! Tacky shirts! I actually read the handbook last night and it explicitly says "nap time is non negotiable pursuant to preschool licensing requirements."

Um. . .not true. Do they actually think they don't have any parents who are not lawyers?!

On a plus note, I really like the school. Its very diverse. Just the right amount of academics and church stuff. Preschool appeared to be 50% non white and at least 25% black. All upper middle class families, with the exception of one really unpleasant looking family who appear VERY poor but VERY devout.

The uniforms would make a good topic for the transracial adoption section though.

[Sleeplvr]

Jen they are counting on parents not reading the handbook in detail. DH and I read every single thing the school gives us and will ask a question if necessary. The school is already looking at us sideways. We questioned the teacher to child ratio and if they were meeting the state requirements. One teacher and 20 four year olds... that does not sound or look good.

[misuspotts]

"nap time is non negotiable pursuant to preschool licensing requirements."

Um. . .not true. Do they actually think they don't have any parents who are not lawyers?!

This may very well be true. In PA, at least, licensing requires nap time to be provided. That does not mean chidlren must sleep, just that quiet time and the opportunity to sleep must be provided. Two hours is standard. The average preschooler does still need a nap. (My two oldest still napped in kindergarten, but my youngest of five stopped at about 3 1/2.)

[CaddoRose]

In Texas the time is made shorter as the get older and they must offer a nap/rest time. I do remember that 2-3 yr olds must be given 2 hours minimum. The kids are not forced to sleep, but they must remain on their mat. I've been looking for the exact wording, but can't find it.