No, I am not talking about a mythical animal. But finding a daycare that cares about your plans for your child’s sleep as much as you do and respects your wishes can sometimes feel like looking for one.
Read below for all my best tips for finding this magic.
Safety First
One of the most important things to look out for when choosing a daycare is safety. Naptime is no exception. Just as you worked to set up a safe sleeping environment for your child at home you need to ensure the same is done in your child’s daycare setting.
That means:
- Cribs with nothing inside them for babies under 12 months
- Mattresses are firm, sheets are snug, and there are no bumpers
- No hanging cords near the sleeping area
- Daycare providers know safe sleeping techniques such as placing all babies on their backs to sleep
On the Same Page
When choosing a place that will care for your child you need to find out the daycare naptime policies and how they accommodate your child’s sleep needs. Do they personalize nap schedules or do they expect all children to take naps at the same time? Do they have a nap schedule that closely resembles your child’s current one? Do they follow a specific sleep method that aligns with your parenting style?
Be sure to choose a daycare that supports your child’s sleep needs and respects your parenting choices. If the daycare is open to using your nap schedule make sure that you write it down and provide it to them in advance so they can accommodate your preferences.
Communication is Key
Once a sleep routine at daycare is set up the next most crucial element is communication between you and your daycare provider. They should share any sleep-related information with you daily or weekly, depending on how much detail you want. This will ensure that your baby or toddler is having a consistent sleep schedule and routine both at home and at school.
Remember, your daycare provider is on your team. At pickup and drop off they have a million things to do and this might not be the best time to get information about your angel’s sleep schedule. See if you can establish another way to communicate this information. Maybe they can text you how much your child slept or what the nap schedule was that day. Some daycares have an app that allows providers to communicate that information with parents.
At the end of the day, your daycare provider wants your baby to have the best possible experience there, and feeling well-rested is a big part of that. So don’t be afraid to share your sleep strategy, including any secrets you may have for getting your little one to sleep.
Common Challenges and Solutions
There are some challenges that parents ask me about over and over about their baby or toddler going to daycare. So below I am sharing some of the questions parents ask most often and my recommendations for each.
Exhausted after daycare
If your child is always tired and falls asleep on the ride home, whether in a car or their stroller, it could mean that they are not getting enough sleep at daycare. This is not unusual. Due to the noisier and often brighter environment, your child will likely take shorter naps at daycare than at home.
You can help your kiddo be more rested by either allowing them to take a short catnap on the way home or by putting them to bed a little earlier. Ensure that you are keeping a close eye on them to note whether they appear overtired or sleep deprived after their days at daycare. Then make changes to their schedule as needed.
Will the daycare ‘un-sleep-train’ my baby?
This is a common concern. A daycare provider may follow their own instincts and therefore might wind up undoing the work that you have done up to that point. As above, communication is the key to preventing this. Talk to your provider about your preferences, routines, and priorities.
If your daycare provider will not respect your wishes even after you explain how important it is to you, then you will need to weigh your options of either letting it slide or look for another provider as unfortunate as that may be.
My baby won’t fall asleep easily at home but they do at school
A possible culprit could be not following the same routine in both places. Especially for young children, it is critical to follow a consistent bedtime routine for both naps and nighttime sleep. If different routines are implemented at home and daycare your child may prefer one of them.
One of those routines might signal sleep for your child and the other doesn’t. Consistency is key, so make sure to go back and review the details of the sleep routine with your provider to make sure you are both doing the same things in the same order.
My baby won’t fall asleep easily at school but they do at home
Other than checking the sleeping routine, another element to check for could be light. Babies and toddlers (and let’s face it adults) sleep better with very little to no light in their sleeping area.
Unfortunately, this is not true for many daycares and in some places state regulations require that lights at daycares stay on at all times for safety, even during naps.
If you think that this could be the real reason behind your child not sleeping you can ask the provider to move your child into a space that is further away from lights.
Another (better in my opinion option) is to ask whether you are allowed to bring something like a Slumberpod, which is a canopy you can place on top of a Pack ‘n Play. It creates a pitch-black environment, allowing your kiddo to fall asleep easier.
Magical Thinking
With consistency and communication, you can find a daycare provider that will be in your corner to ensure that your baby takes good, restful naps during the day. If you are finding that you are still struggling to work out your baby’s sleep after about a month at daycare, book a discovery call with me and we can chat to see how we can get your little one’s sleep back on track.
About Me
Hi, I’m Jenn 👋. Mom, Sleep Boss, and Finder of Lost Loveys. I have more than 10 years of experience in guiding families from sleep deprived to sleep-revived. I help exhausted families around the globe find the right sleep solutions for their children through one-on-one coaching. Read more about me and my philosophy.
