For some parents, nap time is pretty much horrible. You don’t exactly want to forgo it because then you get a cranky kid, but on the other hand, it’s not exactly fun to try and force the nap to happen. As one Letter Writer explained to the Care and Feeding advice column, her 2-year-old pretty much never naps at home but his teacher managed to get him to sleep at 12:15 p.m. on the dot. Some might wonder if it’s witchcraft, but the LW has another theory: “Could his teacher be, like, drugging these kids?” she asked.
Her young kids are both in “a well-regarded day care in our neighborhood,” the mom wrote.
“It’s a school-style center that’s part of a national chain with protocols, curriculum, teacher training, etc. All this is to say it’s a good, safe place, and we are very happy that our boys are there,” she explained in her letter.
Her older son, 2-year-old Lenny, just moved into the 2s class, and so far it’s been a smooth transition.
“Our question has to do with napping.”
Lenny has never really been a good napper.
“At home, he outright refuses to even rest, and cries from his crib for about an hour before we get him,” she wrote. “In his last class at school, he napped maybe once every three weeks. However, in this class, he naps reliably every single day for two hours.”
In fact, every kid in Lenny’s class sleeps for about two hours.
“I want to be thrilled. And I am. Sleep is good! But I can’t help scratching my head,” she admitted.
Her husband thought she was overthinking it; take the win and don’t ask questions. But the LW couldn’t help but wonder if her son’s teacher was getting a little help putting all the kids to bed.
So the LW had one guess: drugs.
Could it be “a couple drops of melatonin in the milk at lunchtime? Does she just rule with a very cozy, snuggly iron fist?” she asked. “Everyone is out cold by 12:15 p.m. Yesterday, when she had a day off, the class was bonkers at nap time. Most kids were running amok.
“Please tell me this is not weird!” she added.
Some people could see what the LW was suggesting.
"So crazy, but in my town there was an in-home care provider who was dosing the kids with melatonin, having them fall asleep and would then go tanning and to the gym," one person recalled. "She went to my gym, and I always wondered how her schedule worked. She is now in the clink."
"Melatonin? Pfft! Everyone knows us use a small cup of sleepy time milk with some Baileys in it," another commenter joked.
Another commenter had a third suggestion: "Benadryl. Parents used to give their kids a benadryl before taking them on the red-eye. Half a shot of vodka worked as well. I think that is frowned on these days."
But more people thought the whole thing was sort of a stretch.
"Melatonin is not a sleeping pill," wrote one commenter. "It would not make the entire class sleep two hours every day. The LW sounds mentally ill."
"It’s common for kids to have a different nap schedule at daycare/preschool than at home. It’s not a big deal," another commenter agreed. "It’s definitely not a sign of anything nefarious. Honestly, the fact that you’re asking such a question is a little unusual.
"Do you have other reasons to suspect that this daycare is wildly abusive?" the person continued. "Do you often have anxiety that people are trying to hurt your child? This question makes me wonder if maybe there’s a little bit of post-partum anxiety or other mental health issue."
"I was the 'snuggly iron fist' lady when I was a babysitter. I was always able to get kids to sleep at a reasonable time and in their own beds," another commenter shared. "I never even felt like I did anything particular, it clearly was just something about my attitude and matter of factness that the kids responded to. The first time parents came home and were shocked and pleased that their kids (about 5 and 7) were sleeping in their own beds I was pretty shocked at the idea that they'd be anywhere else."
In the end, columnist Jamilah Lemieux agreed that there probably wasn't anything dangerous going on.
The LW was simply one of those lucky parents whose son really vibed with his teacher.
"There are some amazing teachers out there who can get kids to behave (and nap) in ways that parents find completely unfamiliar compared with what they see at home. It sounds like your older son has found one of them!" she wrote.
She even suggested that the LW ask to observe the classroom to get a sneak peak at the methods used by her son's teacher.
"While I highly doubt something as diabolical (and dangerous) as putting melatonin in the kids’ drinks is afoot, you can always pop up unexpectedly just before lunchtime and offer to help serve, or just try and keep an eye on the process from start to finish," she advised. Or she could ask the teacher what the daily schedule is like.
"Perhaps the combination of activities that she’s lined up will produce similar results at home, though it is more likely that her uniquely 'snuggly iron fist' is responsible for creating the perfect conditions for long daily naps," the columnist continued. "Good luck … but I think you’ve already had some in finding this teacher!"
*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
