Comments on: Transitioning Your Toddler from Their Crib to A Big Kid Bed http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:00:32 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Amy http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed/comment-page-1#comment-52032 Amy Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:29:33 +0000 http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed#comment-52032 We weren't prepared to move Ben from the crib to the twin bed as early as we did. But he was ready! He began crawling out of the crib at 16 months. The key for us, as you said, was consistency and routine. Bath, brush teeth, read books, tuck in, STAY IN! As he got older, if he really wasn't tired and just couldn't stay in bed, he was allowed to leave the light on for a while and play with his First LeapPad. That was such a lifesaver! We weren’t prepared to move Ben from the crib to the twin bed as early as we did. But he was ready! He began crawling out of the crib at 16 months.
The key for us, as you said, was consistency and routine. Bath, brush teeth, read books, tuck in, STAY IN! As he got older, if he really wasn’t tired and just couldn’t stay in bed, he was allowed to leave the light on for a while and play with his First LeapPad. That was such a lifesaver!

]]> By: Stephanie http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed/comment-page-1#comment-48828 Stephanie Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:38:08 +0000 http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed#comment-48828 My daughter was an easy transition, but we kind of cheated. Went on a vacation where she had to sleep in a few different beds, then brought her home to a big girl bed. She just never saw her crib again until her brother needed it. It was amazingly easy. My son caught us off guard. He wasn't even speaking well, just occasional two syllable sounds, a few days before his second birthday. But that day he made it very clear he wanted the side off his crib. Just went over to it and started shaking it as I got him ready for nap, making it plain he didn't like it. Then a couple months later he made it clear he wanted a big boy bed and got us to go shopping for one that same day. It really amazed us how well he did that when he was barely verbal. But he really wanted to be like his sister and have a big bed. My daughter was an easy transition, but we kind of cheated. Went on a vacation where she had to sleep in a few different beds, then brought her home to a big girl bed. She just never saw her crib again until her brother needed it. It was amazingly easy.

My son caught us off guard. He wasn’t even speaking well, just occasional two syllable sounds, a few days before his second birthday. But that day he made it very clear he wanted the side off his crib. Just went over to it and started shaking it as I got him ready for nap, making it plain he didn’t like it.

Then a couple months later he made it clear he wanted a big boy bed and got us to go shopping for one that same day. It really amazed us how well he did that when he was barely verbal. But he really wanted to be like his sister and have a big bed.

]]> By: Jon http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed/comment-page-1#comment-48792 Jon Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:10:31 +0000 http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed#comment-48792 Our daughter Olivia transitioned to a bed when my wife could no longer lifter her in and out of the crib easily. Olivia could get out of the crib if she wanted (and she did a couple times), but was happy to be in the crib until we got her out, even well past 24 months. The transition to a bed for her has also been relatively easy. She transitioned without any prompting or anything. She also took to a sleeping bag immediately when visiting family overnight. I have been so proud of her transition, until two nights ago. She decided she would turn on her light and play with toys and anything other than sleep. Same thing happened last night, until her daddy (me) yanked her out of bed and made her sit in the corner of the hallway in "time out." Then after making her apologize for being naughty, I put her back to bed with the stern command to "stay in bed and go to sleep." I love my little munchkin, because after telling her I loved her and giving a final hug, she apparently understood the message quite well and stayed in bed and went to sleep. :) So hopefully we'll be able to squash this new behavior in no time flat (if we haven't nipped it already). Oh, and she has only fallen out of her bed once. We don't have any guard rails up at all. She's actually sleeping in an expensive cherry wood framed futon that has an inner-spring mattress. We have it setup in bed mode, so it's plenty wide enough for minor tossing & turning, and not too high off the floor. (This used to be a futon we had in our living room in our last house, that we no longer needed and were wondering what to do with. So we figured, why bother buying a new bed when this looks great, has a good mattress, and should work very well for Olivia... and it has.) Our daughter Olivia transitioned to a bed when my wife could no longer lifter her in and out of the crib easily. Olivia could get out of the crib if she wanted (and she did a couple times), but was happy to be in the crib until we got her out, even well past 24 months.

The transition to a bed for her has also been relatively easy. She transitioned without any prompting or anything. She also took to a sleeping bag immediately when visiting family overnight.

I have been so proud of her transition, until two nights ago. She decided she would turn on her light and play with toys and anything other than sleep. Same thing happened last night, until her daddy (me) yanked her out of bed and made her sit in the corner of the hallway in “time out.” Then after making her apologize for being naughty, I put her back to bed with the stern command to “stay in bed and go to sleep.”

I love my little munchkin, because after telling her I loved her and giving a final hug, she apparently understood the message quite well and stayed in bed and went to sleep. :)

So hopefully we’ll be able to squash this new behavior in no time flat (if we haven’t nipped it already).

Oh, and she has only fallen out of her bed once. We don’t have any guard rails up at all. She’s actually sleeping in an expensive cherry wood framed futon that has an inner-spring mattress. We have it setup in bed mode, so it’s plenty wide enough for minor tossing & turning, and not too high off the floor. (This used to be a futon we had in our living room in our last house, that we no longer needed and were wondering what to do with. So we figured, why bother buying a new bed when this looks great, has a good mattress, and should work very well for Olivia… and it has.)

]]> By: Breanna http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed/comment-page-1#comment-48788 Breanna Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:50:07 +0000 http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed#comment-48788 We, luckily, had no issues whatsoever when we transitioned our kids. I think we moved them both to a twin size bed when they were 18-20 months. Neither of them ever tried to get up. The first couple nights with each of them I think there were a few tears, but we just left the room and told them not to get up and they did great. Carson is 2 1/2 now and he still doesn't get out of his twin bed until we come get him. It's great! We, luckily, had no issues whatsoever when we transitioned our kids. I think we moved them both to a twin size bed when they were 18-20 months. Neither of them ever tried to get up. The first couple nights with each of them I think there were a few tears, but we just left the room and told them not to get up and they did great. Carson is 2 1/2 now and he still doesn’t get out of his twin bed until we come get him. It’s great!

]]> By: Sharon M http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed/comment-page-1#comment-48701 Sharon M Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:39:50 +0000 http://www.themomcrowd.com/transitioning-your-toddler-from-their-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed#comment-48701 I don't recall having any problems with my son; the problem was him deciding to climb out of the crib AT FIFTEEN MONTHS! FYI, there was NO carpet in our bedrooms in Jordan -- just hard, cement tile floors. Ouch. He did a couple of head dives before we said, OK, that's enough, you're going in the big kid bed. I think I would lay down with him until he was almost asleep for, like, the first week or two, then he was on his own. He was actually quite excited to be in the new bed. We had rails on the sides, and that kept him from falling out, but I think I took those off when he was about 2 1/2 or 3. I don’t recall having any problems with my son; the problem was him deciding to climb out of the crib AT FIFTEEN MONTHS! FYI, there was NO carpet in our bedrooms in Jordan — just hard, cement tile floors. Ouch. He did a couple of head dives before we said, OK, that’s enough, you’re going in the big kid bed. I think I would lay down with him until he was almost asleep for, like, the first week or two, then he was on his own. He was actually quite excited to be in the new bed. We had rails on the sides, and that kept him from falling out, but I think I took those off when he was about 2 1/2 or 3.

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