Another 4yr old - Pre-K problems - Help

[all 4 KT]

Ok; We have a 4 year old Granddaughter that we always new was going to be a talker in school, She is very smart and is ahead of her class,in all aspects. needless to say Teacher agrees but talking is becoming a problem with her, and she wants us to put her to bed later so she will nap when other children do.( She likes to lay there and sing... Teacher said ) She has not taken naps in over a year but did have rest time. She gets up on school days at 6:15 AM and is in bed at 8:00 PM ... asleep by 8:30 - 9:00 PM I have a problem depriving her of sleep, and I know She still would not take a nap. I need suggestions on what the teacher might be able to do to help with the talking. (Teacher asked me this) PS. I could not tell in her letter which one bothered her the most either. Thank You In advance for any help you may have. Also there are two teachers to 20 students one with Masters

[Unregistered]

I am also a Pre-k teacher and I too have a child who doesnot sleep and likes to sing and talk. We have tried a lot ot things but by far the ones that is working is letting him read/look through books while on his bed, also we have quiet file folders games that we allow him to do, as long as he is quiet we are happy. NOt all children will take naps. Hopefully this will help

[Unregistered]

I understand your Pre-K teacher's concern. Rest time is one of the busiest of a Pre-K teacher's day and when children refuse to rest quietly (this does not mean sleep) it takes away from your properly being able to plan for each child, do training, update material etc. and it deprives other children who would like to rest.
I however don't agree with the solution of putting the child to bed later. Some teachers have a problem with children reading soft books or having quiet items to keep them entertained. I suggest the teacher get over this issue for the best of everyone. Because a quiet child who stays on their mat is the goal!
To play the bad guy:
On the other hand, we don't know your grandchild and her teacher's experience. I cringe at parents asking outsiders for help. We don't know if your grandchild's teacher has given her quiet things and she still continues to sing and talk. Try asking the teacher have you tried changing her rest spot? Have you tried a soft blanket/pillow from home? Have you tried soft toys. Sensory bottles work well. I have a suspicion that this is not your granddaughters teacher's problem. It's the singing and talking only, not that she won't sleep. She won't rest quietly. So, I'm going to turn the tables on you now.
How does your grandchild behave during waking hours? Is she constantly being re-directed? Does she like to stand up for herself? How do you and your family discipline her, why is a simple explanation and detailed example not sufficient for her to be quiet? Why is she still singing and talking if you have told her to be quiet, before she arrives at school? You say, she is beyond her peers? Usually all my parents who say this, their children are the children who are constantly being re-directed and we as teacher's have no choice but to agree with you.
I suggest you go and observe your grandchild w/out the knowledge of either her nor her teacher and you will be very surprised and perhaps better able to resolve this issue.

[Unregistered]

I suggest you go and observe your grandchild w/out the knowledge of either her nor her teacher and you will be very surprised and perhaps better able to resolve this issue.

Could you give us tips on how to spy on the classroom?

I'm serious. I'd love to at times. The only good advice I've heard on this is the digital voice recorder idea.

[Chocolate_New_Orleans]

spying on school campuses is a good way to get handcuffed. Don't spy on me or my room, I don't care who you are, unless you have signed in up front with the office, you have no business interupting my class, or spying on it, no matter how noble your intentions are.

as far as a noisy kid during quiet time goes.... take charge and tell your granddaughter to be quiet during nap time. Instill some discipline. Teach your kid it's not always about them and that the world isn't supposed to respond to their every attention need.

Quiet time means shut your mouth.


A judge in a courtroom never offers a loudmouthed member of the audience an alternative assignment to help occupy their restlessness, he hits them with a punishment. Time to teach little princess here that when teacher says be quiet, that means be quiet.

[Unregistered]

Get real----I guess you are going to tell us that your child, when four years of age, shut her mouth when she was told. Good grief, man---the kid is four years old! There are many things that could be tried, but it is real evident that you know NOTHING about pre-schoolers. Sooooooo, quit acting like you do.

[Chocolate_New_Orleans]

Get real----I guess you are going to tell us that your child, when four years of age, shut her mouth when she was told. Good grief, man---the kid is four years old! There are many things that could be tried, but it is real evident that you know NOTHING about pre-schoolers. Sooooooo, quit acting like you do.

yes she did. My child did behave. She wasn't a naptaker (I am though, nothing better than a 'guilt-free' nap when I have everything done and don't feel guilty for wasting time) but even in school, she knew it meant quiet time.


I suppose that's the difference between raising a kid with loving discipline and letting a 4 y.o. run the house.

[Unregistered]

yes she did. My child did behave. She wasn't a naptaker (I am though, nothing better than a 'guilt-free' nap when I have everything done and don't feel guilty for wasting time) but even in school, she knew it meant quiet time.


I suppose that's the difference between raising a kid with loving discipline and letting a 4 y.o. run the house.

Uh - huh, YEAH, right.........and I fell off a turnip wagon.

[Chocolate_New_Orleans]

just because YOU haven't been able to control 4 y.o.'s doesn't mean the rest of the world fails equally as hard at parenting as you do. But, it's easier to think everybody has the same problems as you do than to actually discipline your child

lulz @ u thinking everyone has kids who disobey because you do/did.

[Unregistered]

One cannot have control of another, especially a 4 year old. Try to put the power in her hands. Tell her if she lays quietly, then she gets to have a solo during music by saying first__, then ____. give her a book to look at or let her doodle w a crayon while laying on the mat. you're lucky you have quiet time in your day, we do not have that at our preK.

[Unregistered]

One cannot have control of another, especially a 4 year old. Try to put the power in her hands. Tell her if she lays quietly, then she gets to have a solo during music by saying first__, then ____. give her a book to look at or let her doodle w a crayon while laying on the mat. you're lucky you have quiet time in your day, we do not have that at our preK.






If you are going to bribe one child then you will have to bribe them all-otherwise the rest of the kids will start to misbehave as a way to make themselves eligable to win a reward.

Rewarding bad behavior will always increase bad behavior. Instead, you might try making it a contest and give the reward to the best napper. I would never do this because I think it is silly to give rewards for napping-it seems a little like giving rewards for using the potty or other no-skill-involved activities.

I agree with other posters-the problem is not that the child will not sleep, it is that she is being defiant. There is an odd attitude that boredom signifies high intellegence. I think boredom shows a lack of imagination (and thus a lack of intellegence).