So we are trying this new thing with Adriana where she sleeps in a big girl bed. Yup! its that time! Last week she was sleeping in a single bed by herself and she did really well. She was able to stay on the bed and when she did wake up she just sat up. This was a good test to see how she would react to the change. We told her it was a Surprise for her after daycare. She came home and ran to her bedroom. The first thing she did was sit on the edge of her "new" bed. After a few minutes she was jumping on her bed!! I explained this was her new big girl bed and she was going to sleep here just like every other night. She nodded her head and said "Big bed"....a sign she actually understands? Love it.
We didn't change any routine with her either. We always had let her walk to her bed when it was bedtime. The only difference is she could climb in herself. So after her bath, brushing teeth, pajamas, and bottle, she was off to bed. At first she couldn't settle into this "new" bed but once I picked her up, gave her a hug and laid her down, she was good.
Now the real test will be tonight. I'm not usually a fan of sneaking in after she's fallen asleep but I will have to. I mean I don't have a choice. My curiosity will definitely take over every ounce of will power I have. Therefore, no choice. I was so happy she didn't give us a hard time! I like using the word "surprise" because it gets her excited to new changes that most kids have a hard time with. I also show my excitement so she knows its a good thing! I encouraged her to lay down in her bed and I knew it was good when she asked for her blankie!
Sometimes parents are not so lucky with the transition. This could be for a number of reasons. A few recommendations I have are:
- Purchase a Convertible Crib if possible. This seems like less of a transition for your toddler and may make it easier when the time comes.
- Be excited about it! Put your worries aside and BELIEVE this is a good thing. Kids know when you fake it...so recite all the reasons this is good for your little one.
- Try naps in a different place like your bed or a single mattress on the floor or even a sleeping bag!
- Show them the bed - Don't just put them in it! Its a new thing and they need time to adjust too. A bit of play time in their room with the "new" bed set up will help. They see the bed there and realize its not much different than their crib was.
Taking your time really does help the situation. Adriana showed signs she was ready for a big girl bed and I watched for those signs. That really helped us decide when it was a good time for us and for her. She's fairly good with adjusting and this was a big milestone! We will have to watch how the next few days go for her in her "new" bed. I think this was the perfect time for the change. A key point to know whether your child is ready for the transition is if they climb out of their crib - not just once but several times. This becomes a safety hazard and necessary to change to a toddler bed. It also means you might have the challenge of
keeping them in their bed at night. You may find yourself repeatedly going in their room to take the toys away and put them back into bed. Remember to keep your patience as much as you can!
There's no set time when you have to replace your child's crib with a
regular or toddler bed, although most children make the switch sometime
between ages 1 1/2 and 3 1/2
We are yet to make the transition with my Little Mister (21 months). He's so content in his crib/cot that it's never been an issue. I do worry that he's tall for his age so I keep an eye out for signs that he could topple out - he's just never had the desire. It's like his sanctuary! We bought a convertible cot for him so I feel good about it because it won't be a massive change for him when the time comes.
ReplyDeleteAdriana was content with her crib as well! She had never tried to climb out - she prefers jumping on the bed instead! We just felt it was a good sign that she would stay on the bed for the entire night. Having said that, this morning we found her on the floor cuddling with her Cookie Monster! She didn't fall or anything, just simply got out of bed and laid on the floor. She is also tall (95th percentile) and I was afraid if she ever did climb out....what would happen.
ReplyDeleteI hope that Little Mister transitions just as well as Adriana has when the time comes!
Hi my name is Amelia Arnold I have a question about what should I do with my 16 month old son he is a climber and he try’s to climb out of crib with his little legs �� but no luck but he does jumps on his bed a lot and he sleeps with my nursing pillow and his big stuffed dog he is using to sleep with as well but he is tall little man he does put his legs against the crib side to try to get out anyway I would love to get more advice from you and what should I do should I go ahead and put him to a big boy bed or not need help thanks
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