Those of you who have "Quiet time" for kids,

[tonya in sc]

say, on their beds or in their rooms...

What do you allow during their quiet time? Can they do whatever they want as long as they are in their rooms? Can they play games with siblings on a bed? Can they watch tv? Or is it strictly on his or her OWN bed, reading, resting, and/or i-pod?

I would like to implement it at my house, and am curious as to how others do it.

BTW, my kids are 15yo & 14yo dds sharing a room, 12yo & 10yo dds sharing, and a 5yo ds with his own room.

 

Thanks and

Blessings,

tonya

[BlsdMama]

Reading and/or Audio books...

 

They nap until they are old enough for phonics lessons. Then the first bit is a phonics lesson when the littles go down. Then they may look at books quietly or read. If they do it quietly for an hour or so, occasionally they can listen to audiobooks 'til the littles get up. But, generally it's just reading for 1.5 - 2 hours, uninterrupted. If they don't read, they nap, and that includes the older kids.

 

Edited to Add: As three of the girls share a room and the 2yo naps in there, they are just assigned to a different area. One (the 6yo) takes the living room floor, the 4yo takes my room. The assigned place can vary, but the rule of read or sleep remains. :)

[Virginia Heather]

Mine are a bit younger, but still have a quiet time every afternoon for about an hour and a half. My hope is that they'll sleep (b/c if they don't, they're generally cranky by dinner time), but if they can't fall asleep, they read. Occasionally they decide to write a bit (they each keep a notebook by their beds for doodling or creative writing), but generally they read or just lay there. Neither of my older ones have access to TV or an Ipod during rest time, nor do I allow games between the two of them. I tried that for a short bit, but it quickly resulted in behavior that contradicted the purpose of the down time. So... now they read or sleep and that's it :o)

[angela in ohio]

It is reading here usually. Sometimes I let them listen to a book on tape, but then they usually start talking about it, and it isn't quiet anymore. :) I do let oldest (12) sew sitting on her bed.

[Pster]

I have 3 dd's 8,6, & almost 5. The 2 little ones share a room. They'd never be able to get any "quiet" time if I sent them to their room together....and the little one almost always takes a nap.

 

So....I will try and lay down with the little one on my bed (to make sure she stays out of trouble - she's just that kind of kid!)....then I've often let the older 2 play "little people" (Playmobil) if they are quiet. But...now that we are moving to a house that will have a room for each of them I'm going to make them stay in their own rooms and play quietly or read / listen to audio books. The older 2 will never sleep at night if i would "require" that they take naps so it's just not worth it. Reading quietly is just fine!

 

hth

[Carmen_and_Company]

My eldest is usually gone, so no more quiet time for him due to work. My dd, Storm, usually heads downstairs to the lower level school/family room to paint, draw, read, practice her quitar, dance or nap. My youngest, Blaze, attends a 2-day week charter school, and happily falls alseep while listening to a book on CD during his at home days. I usually head here, or head out onto the 4-season porch to read, listen to music, or take a nap.

[Peela]

Well, "I" have quiet time after lunch and it doesn't much bother me whether the kids read or continue with schoolwork, as long as they give me some space from them. I usually read then nap and they are good about not bothering me. I draw my curtains so my room is very dark, and they can see under the door whether I am available or not. I growl when disturbed for minor reasons!

I wouldn't allow electronics.

They have a schedule to do, and often they finish soon after lunch anyway, except for reading. The older appreciates the quiet time to finish her work, if she hasn't finished it already.

[Soph the vet]

We do "quiet room time" for an hour every afternoon that we are home. They are supposed to stay in their rooms reading, coloring, knitting, origami, whatever as long as it is quiet. Sometimes I will let them listen to radiodrama in one room together as long as there is no bickering!:001_smile:

[MomOfOneFunOne]

All I require is fairly quiet. My daughter is a voracious reader and that's usually what she does but sometimes she listens to an audio book, plays something quiet, or makes up stories. Lately she's been working on her mindstorm robot. Where doesn't really matter to me: sometimes we cuddle on the couch together, sometimes we head off to seperate corners (bedrooms), sometimes the hammock . . . it just depends on the mood around here.

[Hazelt"nut"]

One hour ON the BED. I let them have some books or headphones for the older. I even let the youngest take a couple of small toys like a ninja turtle figurine. He usually falls asleep. Older dd reads and then lays there watching like a hawk for me to tell her she can get up. I really need this time.

 

Sheryl

[JudoMom]

Ds8, ds7, & ds5 do independent/leftover school work on their beds. If they don't have any work they may read or draw or rest. Ds4 looks at books and practices being quiet (man---he REALLY stinks at this) and ds2 naps.

[iquilt]

DD7 and DD4 share a room, must be quiet while either reading or playing dolls together. DS3 has his own room for a nap or he can play cars quietly. When they go in they know exactly how much time they are expected to keep quiet (usually about an hour) and I use the time to sit on the couch and read a book or magazine that I haven't seen in awhile :) HTH

[Gretchen in NJ]

I love quiet time. My girls are allowed a book (or two) and one quiet toy such as a favorite doll or a stuffy.

[KS_]

My two each have their own rooms, so quiet time is an hour by themselves, in their rooms. They can play or read - they don't have tvs or any electronics. However, in the summers, if they would rather play outside, that's fine, too. Ds often would rather stay in and read, but sometimes he chooses to be outside. Dd often would rather play outside.

[Tonia]

DD is allowed to play quietly, listen to audio books, or look at books (in her room, of course!). 1 1/2 hours every day

[kls126s]

We do resting and reading every afternoon immediately after lunch. They put their dishes in the sink, go to the bathroom, and get on their beds. The only rules are that they are not allowed to get off their beds, and I can't hear them making any noise. They both take a few books and a quiet toy or two (dolls, trucks, etc). I set the timer for one hour and they stay there until it beeps.

[Lori C- Texas]

Quiet time, I LOVE IT!!!:D I don't think I could survive with out it!:) My boys share a room so ds7 goes into my room and rest on my bed. He usually takes his MP3 player or reads. Ds5 stays in the boys room and he usually falls asleep(which he needs!). Dd11 stays in her room doing what ever. Usually, listens to radio and draws. No tv in bedrooms around here. So that isn't an option. I don't care if they stay on their beds or not(except ds7). As long as they are quiet for a hour and 1/2 I really don't care what they do!:D

[brehon]

I've 4 kiddos, 7 down to 19 months, and everyone is expected to either nap or lay quietly on a bed for at least an hour (longer for the younger kids). Kids are allowed to read/look at books, twiddle their thumbs, count dust particles, I don't care. However, they must be quiet. As my girls share a room and have trouble with the "quiet" portion of that rule, I separate them. This is my sanity saver.

[Narnian]

For my 6-year-old: one hour of reading or listening to books on audio. After the hour is up, he is allowed to play quietly in his room -- e.g. Legos, puzzles, etc. -- until his sister is awake from her nap. Quiet/nap time is right after lunch, and it is a life saver. :)

[Rebecca in GA]

Rest or read. Eldest sometimes listens to his MP3 player and memorizes drum parts to practice later, and youngest sometimes plays with Legos on his bed and sometimes rests in my bed with me (if I think he needs to sleep). DD reads and occasionally drops off to sleep for a few minutes.

 

I really need this time, so I require that they all be perfectly quiet so I can nap for 15-20 minutes. I started this when they were all very young so they are used to it, even though they don't like it very much some days.

[charlotteb]

Both of my kids go to bed at 9:00, but for my DS he gets one hour before he needs to go to sleep. He can use it only for reading or resting.

[tristangrace]

While my almost-2yo naps, the 6yo has at least half an hour of silent reading and the 3yo looks at books (each on own bed). After the silent reading requirements are done, sometimes the older ones keep reading, but they can also play together if they can do so QUIETLY. If they get noisy, though, they're required to go to their own beds again with no interaction. They do this, theoretically, until the 2yo wakes up, but since she can sleep for as long as three hours (too long for my 3yo to play on his own), the 3yo gets a half-hour video toward the end if I still need time to finish something up.

[Mallory]

We have two quiet times- when the toddler lays down, and before bed.

 

Often this time of year they go outside in the afternoon, but other then that it is reading, writing/doodling (they have notebooks by thier beds), or resting on your bed.

[laylamcb]

While my 3.5yo ds naps, 5.5 yo dd stays in her room and draws/practices sewing/plays princess in fairy land while listening to audiobooks and stories on her iPod (2 hours every day). They both go to bed at 7 pm, but dd stays up in bed listening to a story for another hour before lights must go out.

 

Layla McB

[SheilaZ]

They can read, nap, write, draw, listen to MP3 players, or play quietly with toys by themselves. But there is no talking, no video games, and no TV.

I make everyone pick a different room since my four boys share two rooms.

 

No one is allowed in the kitchen or whatever room I am in. (I get some quiet time too.)

 

We may not do "Quiet time" each day but I will happen on days where the boys are not getting along or someone is especially grumpy.

[workingmom]

I have a 6 and 3.5 year old. The 3.5 takes about a 2 hour nap so the 6 year old has quite time for about an hour of that. Which entails being quite in his room, either reading, playing or rearranging his room (which he thinks is a game). Then after that time, I've had some time to think get caught up and we'll either do some activity or finish up something from morning school until the little one wakes up

[Annie Laurie]

Mine are allowed to do whatever they want as long as it's a quiet activity and in their room, alone. If they go into each other's rooms they end up getting loud and/or arguing.

 

They read a lot, listen to music and audiobooks, play board games they can play alone, get out favorite toys. My 13 yr old usually reads or draws, my 7 yr old usually plays with Playmobil or Legos, my 6 yr old almost always spends the whole time reading, and my 4 year old does a little of everything but often falls asleep.

 

They have to have their room picked up at the end of quiet time before they can come out.

 

ETA: I worked up to more and more time with the younger ones, started with a half hour, and now it's 1 1/2- 2 hours daily. I let them pick special toys that are out of rotation in the playroom closet to take with them, like Lauri toys, pattern blocks, even HWT chalkboards and chalk. That made them look forward to quiet time and kept them happily occupied, now they're so used to quiet time that they don't ask for special toys all that often anymore.

[lighthouseacademy]

2 hours in their rooms quiet... I don't care if they read, do school work, color, legos, lincoln logs, play dress up or dolls, or listen to music quietly (my ds has a small CD player- no ipod) as long as it is quiet and I get my quiet time. The baby generally sleeps, but sometimes will talk to herself in the pack and play in my closet for the whole 2 hrs.

[Kay in Cal]

for my dss 4 and 6.

 

They can do anything they want, as long as it is in thier rooms and quiet. The older one usually reads or listens to audio books, the younger generally plays with legos or other small quiet toys.

 

Dh usually sleeps when he's home for quiet time, I do house work or work on the computer. But it's about as quiet as it gets during waking hours around here!

 

Ds 6 also has a required "silent reading time" for 1/2 hour, but that is usually out on the couch with everyone reading at the same time, not alone in his room. Then he has to read, not simply play quietly.

[FO4UR]

My ds (5yo) has a quiet time everyday while my lo's nap. He is required to rest on the couch for 30min. I tell him he can get up when the big hand reaches the 6 because that's 1:30, and he is good about following that independantly. Then he usually does some kind of craft or activity that he can't do with the lo's awake -LOL. (cut&paste, play-doh, kinex, etc...) I usually rest for 30 min too, and then do housework while he's doing his activity.

 

When mine are bigger and I have more than one child awake at rest time, I think I will make them have atleast 30min alone and quiet.

[SophiaH]

2 hours every afternoon after lunch...we read a chapter of our read-aloud together and then bathroom breaks and then off to their respective bedrooms...they're allowed to be on the floor or on the bed and they can play or read or listen to audiobooks...whatever...as long as they're reasonably quiet...my dd will usually put on an audiobook, and clean her room, organize her rock collection, put up clean clothes or read...my ds will play on his floor with his train set or blocks...the 1yo naps in her playpen in my bedroom...i switched to "rest time" after I got tired of fighting my ds to lay in his bed and take a nap...it just wasn't worth it, and he does fine without a nap anyway...now we're all much happier and i am very protective of MY rest time too! :)

my only continuing problem is that my ds has no concept of time (he's only 4), and some days he'll ask me about fifteen times if it's time to get up yet...i've put an alarm clock in his room and told him that when the alarm goes off he can get up, but then he just asks when his alarm is going to go off!:glare: Any pro-active suggestions from you moms who have btdt?

[Chris in CA]

In our house quiet time was always reading or naps : )

[Dinsfamily]

Mine are A LOT younger, but I do allow my oldest to play with small toys in bed and "read" books. He may watch some tv if he's earned the privledge for the day and not already used it. My youngest just naps. Eventually, rest time will involve into just reading for fun, playing quietly, or sleeping. Although they share a room, I have to separate them at this point during rest time so ods rests in my room while yds sleeps in his bed.

 

I found that even though my oldest doesn't nap, resting quietly by himself recharges him and allows him to have a better attitude until bedtime. I'm hoping it will continue to do this well into the teenage years :001_smile:.