Conference moira::parenting_v3

    My son is the same age as your daughter.  The daycare that he goes to
    will only leave him in the crib while he is sleeping.  When he wakes
    up, they take him out of the crib, change his diaper and give him
    somithing to drink.  Then he can play with the other kids/toys.  They
    don't leave them in the crib to play.
    
    What I believe, and have taught my son, is that when he is in his crib he 
    sleeps.  When he wakes up, he is taken out of the crib. If the crib is 
    used as a playpen too, IMO this would confuse the child and make it 
    harder to get them to go to sleep.  I have always done this with him,
    and have never had any problems getting him to go to sleep.
    
    So in answer to the question of How much time you think is proper for
    an 11 month old to play quietly in the crib after a nap?  None, would be
    my answer.
    
    The question that comes to mind though, is if they have her in the crib
    from 11-3, when do they give her lunch?  Do they let her stay in a
    dirty diaper that long?
    
    As I said before IMO.  
    
    Kathy
    
    

    I agree with Kathy that being in the crib for 4 hours is a LONG time,
    especially is she has been awake for 1/2 of that time!
    
    Steven (now 21 mos old) has always enjoyed playing in his crib.
    He almost always goes to for naps and to bed at night without
    a wimper, but when he wakes in the morning and after naps, he
    likes to play with his stuffed animals and activity center.
    
    We very rarely used his playpen, and preferred to let him
    roll, creep, crawl, walk and now run around the house.
    
    I just consider his playing in his crib as "his" quiet time,
    he seems to enjoy it.
    
    In answer to your question, I will take Steven out of his crib
    when he begins to fuss (nowadays we hear "Mommy out") but I
    have never let him stay awake in his crib for more than an hour.
    
    Personally, I don't agree with what your daycare did.  What time
    was she fed lunch and changed?  This situation brings up alot
    of issues in my mind ...  I can see if she didn't fall asleep,
    but you said that she slept for 2 hours!  This just doesn't seem
    right.
    
    Linda

    My 11 month old will play in her crib for a short while after a nap,
    but that's only 10-15 minutes. Then she gets out and crawls wherever we
    let her....
    
    It seems from your note that they are using the crib as a playpen, and
    that is sad.  I would think that babies need to be able to get our and
    explore when they are not sleeping.  Even if they stay in the same
    place on the floor at least they are "free", can play with toys, watch
    other children, etc.
    
    Can they somehow be a little less rigid in their schedule?  Not all
    babies need the same amount of sleep, and some can enjoy the attention
    of the caregiver while the others finish their nap.
    
    Mary
    

    My daughter just turned 10 months old, has never played in the
    crib more than 15 minutes.   Usually, when she woke up from a
    nap, she can play quietly in the crib for 10-15 minutes, then
    she would want to get out of it.  In her age, she really needs
    to roll, crawl and cruse.  And these can not be achieved by 
    staying in the crib.
    
    So personally, I feel it is not right to keep a baby in the
    crib for a long period of time even the baby is not crying.
    In your case, I feel the caregiver should bring the baby out
    to the playroom once they are awake.   Babies need to be
    stimulated.
    
    Wendy

    
    She has lunch around 10:30 - 11:00, and has snacks around 2:30pm in the
    day care center.
    She usually plays 15-30 mins in the crib after she wakes up in the
    moring, talking, flipping books, standing up, look into the mirror,
    lay down for more rest,...etc.   I think that is fine.   
    I go into her room when she starts "calling" "mom-mom" ;-) or 
    I know she has been awake for a little while or 
    when she starts crying of course ;-).   
    But anything more than 30 mins seems too long for me also.
    4 hours in the crib doesn't happen that much for my daughter in the
    center (twice so far), but it did concern me...
    
    -lin 

    
    Don't overlook the possibility that she may indeed sleep an extra long
    time on occasion.  That might account for the 4 hours in the crib that 
    has been reported "twice".   Also, there is a possibility, particularly
    if she is in a daycare center, that whoever logged her "in" and "out"
    times rounded back on the "in" and forward on the "out"; which could
    account for a half hour or so.  
    
    She might also sleep a bit longer at daycare anyways as she is probably 
    a bit more active/stimulated there (by the other children) versus at 
    home.
    
    Carol

    re:-.1   Yes, you are right.   This is also very possible.
    She usually has a morning nap at home, and can take 2 hours nap from
    12-2pm.   But in the day care center, too much activities going on
    in the morning, and there is no way to put her to bed for a morning
    nap.   So may be, she did sleep a little bit longer.   That's why I
    am wondering if she is not crying to be out of the crib,  could it mean
    that she still needs a little bit rest.
    
     -lin
    

    
    I always figured that if the kids were happy where they were, I
    didn't take it on myself to go in and manage their schedule for
    them -- a kid who doesn't want to be in a crib will generally let
    you know. 
    
    David will sometimes play in his crib for an hour or more in the
    morning, so quietly he doesn't wake anybody up, and he'll be upset
    if you come for him too soon.  He will occasionally do that after
    a nap, though he's usually anxious to get up and around.  
    
    I expected him to get up right away now that he's in a bed that he
    can climb out of by himself.  And he will get himself up if he's
    ready to be up (even at 4:30 a.m.) so I guess when he lies there
    talking to his Bear, he wants to be there. 
    
    --bonnie

I think it can also depend on the child.  My 13 month old daughter is very
active and also very happy.  She rarely complains about staying in the crib,
but I know she also loves activity.  Especially now that she has started
walking.  So my philosophy with her is, let her play in the crib if she's
happy doing that while I do some last-minute chores, but take her out within
15 minutes to a half-hour.  Sometimes if I'm dying to play with her, I take
her out immediately!

On the other hand, her cousin who is 10 months older than her, is a very
quiet boy.  His parents let him stay in his crib after waking for even up
to 2 hours sometimes and he doesn't mind at all (we just spent a week with
them so I know he didn't cry).  They have 2 older children so they can't 
always give him immediate attention.  But as I said, he doesn't seem to mind;
he is very laidback.  I wonder though, is he laidback because of lack of
attention, or can he tolerate lack of attention because he's laidback???!!!
Maybe it doesn't really matter since it seems to work out well.

Another thing to consider is the child's age.  Michelle only started to like
playing in the crib within the last 2 months.  Before that, she would always
"ask" to get out (not crying, but you knew she wanted out).  Now, though,
she likes her stuffed animals and blanket and plays games with them.

Kyra