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Chicken_legs
Citizen
Username: Chicken_legs
Post Number: 29
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 9:28 pm: | 
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My son is 2 and 1/2, and he still sleeps in his crib. He loves it, and he isn't climbing out of it or anything (even though he probably could if he ever tried), and I was wondering what other parents out there have done to start the transition to a bed. My thought was that I would put a bed in his room along with his crib, so he could start getting used to seeing it and trying it out. But do I get a certain kind of bed, or just a regular sized bed with a rail? Should it just be a mattress on the floor for a while to lessen the chances of falling out? And then, what is the best way to get him to want to try sleeping in it? I know that it is time to at least start thinking and planning something. I would love to get some advice on what I should do, and what has worked for others.
Chicken-legs
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ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 2258
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 11:41 pm: |
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When I transitioned my children to a bed, I got regular twin beds for each of them. Didn't get a rail, but I did place pillows on the floor (neither of them ever actually fell out).
Other options include smaller beds - sort of midway between a crib and an actual bed. I wouldn't recommend a mattress on the floor for a number of reasons, primarily selfish: I would have really killed my back leaning over each night way down on a mattress on the floor.
My son was moved to a bed earlier than was my daughter because he was, actually, trying to climb out of his crib at a relatively early age. (This should be no surprise to anyone who knows my son!) He was told he was getting a "big boy bed" and thus became very excited about it. For a while, he would even actually fall asleep in it. (As for what he does now, don't ask; he is atypical.)
In my experience, talking about it eased the transition. It wasn't as though he had a crib one day and it was gone the next. He was told what was going on, and he adapted to the bed. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 758
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:02 am: |
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We just did this with our daughter....and we fretted over it for a month, only to have her absoultely love/adore her bed, and we've not had one issue.
We bought a twin bed, that could be set at a lower setting, and gave her a stool to climb up and down. We put the rails up that you get at Babies 'r' Us., and she's only fallen out of bed once or twice (we suspect this was on purpose, to get attention because it happened the same night, within an hour of each other, but you never know).
Initially, she slept in the bed like she slept in her crib....all over, against the sides, on top of the covers. Now, she tucks in her books, her stuffed animals and it's one of the cutest things in the world watching her snuggle into her bed now (been 2 mos?) and I'm glad we did it.
One thing to think about is how child-proofed the room is, and the rest of the house. She occassionally gets up and explores the room at night if she can't sleep, as evidenced by the mess I occassionally find in the mornings. |
Hamandeggs
Citizen
Username: Hamandeggs
Post Number: 314
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:10 am: |
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i don't know what your situation is, but in each case I talked up beds and then acted surprised when each kid eventually asked for a bed. So it was really the child's idea (sort of) each time. It worked 3x times now, and the first two times there was the pressure of a new arrival coming along.
I think those toddler beds are cute, and you can get them for very little at some of the kid consignment shops -- sometimes around $25. Purchasing the twin bed that your child will use until college is a big decision, so one of those might fill the gap for a while. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11840
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:38 am: |
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We had a combination bed that converted from a crib to a youth bed and it was used by both our kids in turn. They both transitioned to the bed without any issues because it was familar to them. |
IShep
Citizen
Username: Twinsmom
Post Number: 176
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:46 am: |
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We simply talked to our kids about going to a big kid bed about 1-2 weeks before we actually did it. I think preparing them by explaining what is going to happen is important for an easy transition. We also took them shopping for new sheets and bedspreads to involve them further in the process--they couldn't wait to sleep with their favorite characters.
We never used rails either. Only one of my children fell to the floor, and only on one occasion, but I also would position pillows on the floor. He didn't get hurt.
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C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 2663
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:47 am: |
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The toddler beds can take the mattress from the crib so if you pick up a frame as suggested above it's a nice transition, including the sheets, until you're ready to decide what kind of furniture you really want for that room. For us it was time when the (2 year old) kid was perched early one morning on the rails of her crib, ready to fly! That night I set pillows around the crib on the floor and that weekend we got a toddler bed at a nearby garage sale for 10 or 15 bucks. We left pillows on the floor for a while and she did end up on them a few times but never woke up from the falls. But we did put a gate on her door so she wouldn't wander toward the stairs at night and to help her keep a nap schedule. (You'll be glad to know the gate was unnecessary after several months.) I think we switched to a regular bed when she was 4. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 761
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:50 am: |
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Thats hysterical!!!!
We are using the gate on the door too, and am wondering how you handle mornings when she wakes up too early? Just pull her into bed with you, or resign yourself to an extra early morning? |
mjh
Supporter
Username: Mjh
Post Number: 605
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 9:11 am: |
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We put the twin bed in the room with the crib and talked about the transition. He got in the twin bed on his own in a matter of days, and a week or so later he gave us "permission" to remove the crib.
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Scully
Citizen
Username: Scully
Post Number: 653
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 9:21 am: |
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With daughter #1 (we're talking over 3 decades ago) it was a mattress on the floor. It was well before she was two but she was a climber and I didn't want her falling.
#2 also got a bed early mainly because she wanted to be like her sister.
ess, I agree with you, BTW, on the pain of bending over. At story time I ended up just flopping down on the floor with them, and the mattresses soon had actual beds built around them. To my memory nobody ever fell out. |
las
Citizen
Username: Las
Post Number: 1870
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 9:26 am: |
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Chickenlegs, I've recently gone through this myself. I found the best way to transition was cold turkey, so early one Saturday, I got rid of my crib and bought myself a bed and I've been sleeping soundly every since. There's plenty of room for me, my stuffed animals and few of my favorite toys, my iPod, laptop and cell phone, as well as a bottle of water and my Lunesta in case I wake up scared and have trouble falling back asleep, and of course my bourbon to wash down the Lunesta. It's really no big deal.
As a matter of fact, living alone I find it easier to get in and out of bed than I did the crib.
You've got the support of MOL - I'm sure you'll be fine.  |
Scully
Citizen
Username: Scully
Post Number: 655
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 9:53 am: |
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las!!!
What about the cats?!! No room for snuggling?!!! No cat I ever had would have put up with that! |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2462
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 10:19 am: |
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We moved our son at 18 months. He wasn't climbing out of his crib or anything but we just thought it was time. Just like smarty we purchased a twin bed and put up railings on either side of the bed just in case and many times we'd find him in the morning with his face pressed up against the mesh guards. We also gated his door so he couldn't wander towards the steps. Never had a problem with the transition. Children are a lot more resilient than we give them credit for. |
ina
Citizen
Username: Ina
Post Number: 378
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 10:20 am: |
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I have a wooden toddler bed painted white to give away. There's some chipping where one of the rails screws in to the frame, otherwise it's fine. PL me if you're interested. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 763
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 10:50 am: |
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snut- at what age did you drop the gate on the door? |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2465
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 11:07 am: |
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It was a few years ago but I think it was when he was around 3 or so. Our son actually fell down the top three steps to a landing when he was about 18 months or so. In a way we were fortunate because it forced him to have a healthy respect of stairs and he kind of stayed away from them. He suffered a bloody lip but otherwise escaped unharmed.
Just be aware that if you do decide to remove the gate from the door you'll probably get a visitor to your room in the middle of the night. |
joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 485
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 11:55 am: |
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we went to an Ikea toddler bed that teh headboard & footboard folds out as the kid grows up and then it fits a twin mattress.
We did this because at 2.5 years old my daughter started to vault herself out of the crib.
We removed the gate on the door somewhere after her 3rd birthday once we were somewhat confident she could navigate the steps.
Now at 4.5 she comes into our room and tries to pry our eyelids open at 6am on weekends.
We bought black out shades for her room- now she'll sleep until 7am on weekends. |
Morrisa da Silva
Citizen
Username: Mod
Post Number: 472
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 12:51 pm: |
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Unless the child is physically too big for the crib (in which case a toddler bed won't work either) or trying to climb out I see no benefit to rushing it.
That said, my son loved his crib and we only switched ot a toddler bed because he was getting up to potty at night sometimes. I figured we should do everything to encourage that independence and responsibility. We got a wood toddler bed which he is just about ready to move on from. We will be shopping for a real big boy bed soon so if you are interested in a light tone wood toddler bed let me know. It could be yours in about a month or so. |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 469
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 3:09 pm: |
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I did a futon mattress on the floor. Try hurting yourself when you roll two inches onto the floor!!!!
Then I did the platform later.
If you make sure your bedtime routine stays the same, it'll all be fine.
Enjoy!!! Childrearing is one transition after another...
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Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 1554
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 4:54 pm: |
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We took our daugher bed shopping. Got her really exited, she wanted to sleep in it the night we set it up.
Got it at IKEA and had her help with the setup a little (like put in screws and stuff)
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kathy
Citizen
Username: Kathy
Post Number: 1306
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 6:02 pm: |
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One of my cousins slept in her crib until she was 6! She was the youngest so nobody else needed it, and somehow her parents didn't get around to getting her a bed.
My daughter had a traumatic crib experience when our alarm went off one night (turned out to be a short circuit) and she was alone in the dark in her crib with a siren wailing....Not for very long, but she never slept in the crib again. She wasn't two yet, so we put the crib mattress on the floor for awhile before we got her a bed. Didn't think about rails until after she fell out one night and broke her collarbone  |
red
Citizen
Username: Redy67
Post Number: 5819
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 6:08 pm: |
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Chicken you just need to do what feels right for you. Our son transitioned earlier to a twin bed at eighteen months, only because I was pregnant with my second and we needed the crib. It went great. Funny thing was for about a month he did not realize he could get out of bed by himself. When he woke up he would call for me to get him.
Our daughter at around age 2 and 1/2 pointed to her big girl bed that was already in the room with her, and that was it. |
Chicken_legs
Citizen
Username: Chicken_legs
Post Number: 32
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:55 pm: |
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Thank you so much for all of your advice and ideas! Mr. Chick_legs and I will probably want to do something with the bed situation this summer, so now I feel like I have some good info. Thanks!
CL |
SOSully
Citizen
Username: Sullymw
Post Number: 1282
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 9:09 am: |
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we did the toddler bed transition with both of our boys and it was totally successful. We were too afraid to use a full-sized bed. And I think the small bed is less intimidating to the wee ones. Good luck |
shoshannah
Citizen
Username: Shoshannah
Post Number: 1291
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 11:36 am: |
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With my oldest, we just went directly from the crib to a twin size bed at about age 2 1/2. We used a guard rail for about two weeks, then took it away. With my second, someone handed down to us one of the "car" beds -- it's a toddler size bed that used the crib mattress. He used it for about six months, then got the twin. We found that the whole process was much more difficult with #2 because there were more transitions (crib to toddler bed to twin bed). I like it better with one transition -- crib to twin. And use the guard rail only for a short period of time. I've seen first-graders still using the guard rail because they have become so used to it that they are afraid to take it away. If you wait too long, removing the guard rail becomes yet another "transition" for them. |
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