They often come in the form of cars, castles, or other appealing shapes. Toddler beds are fine, says Dr. Widome, but they're not safety necessities. You can always install a removable guardrail on a twin bed to keep your toddler from falling out of it. Whichever bed you choose, let your child help pick out kid-friendly sheets, pillowcases, comforters, and stuffed animals.
This can make the big-kid bed seem more appealing. As in any time of transition, it helps to establish a predictable bedtime routine , says Dr.
This routine—which can involve reading a story, talking about your child's day, or praying—should leave your child looking forward to going to bed.
A consistent bedtime ritual should also help a young child feel grounded. Toddlers are often ambivalent about growing up and leaving their babyhood behind, and for this reason, change can be hard for them, says Dr. But once they master a new skill, whether it's giving up diapers or a bottle or moving from a crib to a bed, they have a real sense of pride and accomplishment.
Do a safety sweep of every room your toddler can access. Secure the stairs with gates at the top and bottom, bolt bookshelves and televisions to the wall, and put safety latches on dresser drawers so they can't pull them out and use them to climb. Some experts suggest putting a gate on your child's door or locking it, but you have to think about fire safety. As an alternative, you can use a monitor or attach bells to the door to alert you when they're leaving the room.
Toddler Night Waking. Toddler Sleep Basics. View Sources. Toddler Groups. Go to Your Toddler's Month. Is Your Toddler Teething? Please whitelist our site to get all the best deals and offers from our partners.
Connect with us at customercare happiestbaby. Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider. Added charges will apply for shipping to and from Alaska and Hawaii. Harvey Karp. To boost her enthusiasm about the switch: Make up little stories or read books about sleeping in bed.
Take her shopping to pick out special sheets. Your child may find it soothing to continue to sleep with his old crib blanket, even if it's too small. Don't forget to put up a guardrail to prevent your newly liberated toddler from falling out of bed.
Get your toddler excited about having a "big-kid bed" by taking him with you to pick it out, if you're buying it new, or by emphasizing its previous owner if that person is someone your child knows. For example: "This was your cousin't bed, and now it's yours!
You're almost as big as him now! Another tactic, although it requires a little more work, is to throw a "big-kid bed" party. Choose a date to unveil the new bed, and talk up the event a week in advance. On the big day, have a party and invite friends and grandparents. Another strategy is the use of specific "toddler beds. Many come with built-in guardrails, and some are made in very appealing themes and shapes, such as cars, trains and pink four-poster beds. If you find that you've made the switch too soon and your toddler is upset, don't give up right away.
Encourage your child to try out the bed. If he's still distraught after a few days, bring the crib back. Some toddlers simply aren't ready for a bed. It takes a certain amount of cognitive development for your child to understand that a bed has imaginary boundaries that he must stay within.
If your great sleeper all of a sudden takes a long time to fall asleep at night, gets out of bed many times, or wanders around the house, he's probably not ready for his own bed.
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