From: CREECH@LSTC2VM.stortek.com (Teresa Creech)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Rubbing backs to put children to sleep
Date: 3 Oct 92 19:20:03 GMT
Organization: StorageTek SW Engineering

You write:
>My 9 year old still likes having her back rubbed to help her go to sleep. I
>think this started in day care around the time she was 2 or 3.
>
>I don't remember ever wanting this. Do other children like it? Is there
>something significant about rubbing the back that really helps (like
>twirling hair in pre-schoolers)? Or is it just a habit that works for her
>because a carer told her it would 6 or seven years ago? She says other kids
>she know like it to, but I wonder if she told them about it?
>
>Gerald Ruderman                                   geraldr@ratsys.com
 
At one point we were having trouble putting our 18 month olds to sleep
at night because the daycare providers were rubbing the kids backs in
order to get them to sleep.  We weren't willing to do the same at night
every night, so it was problem.
 
I wasn't quite sure what to do about it.  One day my four year old (who
was attending the same daycare), announced that her class had eaten
Pizza for afternoon snack.  This was unusual, so I asked why.  Her
answer was "We all went down for naps without having our backs rubbed
and the teachers promised us pizza for snack on the day that this
happened."
 
The next day I told that teachers of the toddlers that they needed to
have a conference with the teachers of the preschool room since the
toddler teachers were teaching the kids a behavior that the preschool
teachers had to resort to bribes to break.  We all got a good laugh out
of it.  After that, the toddler teachers didn't rub backs all the time,
just when a child is unusually figgity.
 
In answer to your question, I think that repetitive rubbing helps relax
a child.  Also, a child who is on their stomach and laying still (which
the back rubbing dictates) will fall asleep sooner than the child who is
free to move around and be active.
 
Teresa
 
PS For those of you who sometimes have infants who are so tired that they
   can't go to sleep and just scream, here is a trick that my father
   taught me.  Lay the baby on its stomach in the crib.  Start 'slapping'
   their bottom rythmically.  Don't make a sound or do anything else at
   all.  If the crying intensifies, slap slightly harder and faster.  When
   the crying lets up, slap slightly softer and slower, but don't stop.
   Keep up the pattern of harder/faster and softer/slower slapping until
   the baby is totally and completely asleep.  The slapping will get slower
   and slower and slower until the baby is asleep.  This usually takes about 10
   minutes and works best when the child is totally out of control (as
   children are sometimes).  You know what I mean - the child is so tired
   that he won't be rocked, won't eat, and letting him cry it out in the
   crib will only make things worse.  It really works, but your hand
   gets tired and your back hurts from bending over the crib.  Remember to
   not say or do anthing else - the idea is that only your hand is even in
   the room, so to speak.  (Note: I don't know what word to use besides
   slapping, but remember this isn't a spanking and doesn't hurt - the diaper
   absorbs the slap.  The net effect is of providing a rythmic motion which
   calms the baby).
Newsgroups: misc.kids