No-Cry Sleep Solutions Part 3: Moving From Crib to Bed

It was 3pm. Nap time was over, and I had just finished the monotonous task of folding the laundry. This day I speak of started off like no other. This particularly horrifying day was the day I walked in on my 3 year old dangling half of his body dangerously over his crib railing.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!” I screeched, hastily untangling his sticky peanut butter-and-jam fingers and yanking him free. What I got in return from him was a fit of giggles and a wan smile. What could have happened if he fell to the floor? Heck, how did he even scale his crib railing? I had taken off his bumper pads months ago, and his mattress was as low as it would go. After deciding to enroll my little monkey in rock climbing lessons, I went about re-assembling his crib into a toddler bed.

Whether you are using a toddler bed with railings or a good ol’ single or twin sized bed for your child, the transition for a child from his crib to a bed can be rather daunting and downright scary – for parent and child alike! Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to ease the process and tear-free:

The "Big" Appeal

Tell them all about the “big kid” bed. Most children absolutely LOVE the idea of “growing up” and being “big”. Before you lay your child to rest in a “big kid” bed, be sure to talk about it for at least a couple of days beforehand (preferably a couple of weeks) and let them take part in choosing the sheets – or even the bed itself! The more you have your child involved in customizing their bed, the more likely they will feel it is their own and the more easily they will transition to using it.

Familiar Placement

Put the bed in the same spot as the crib. If at all possible, try to place the bed exactly where the crib used to be. That way, even though there are no bars and your child may not be as elevated, he or she will still be familiar with the “view point” from his or her bed.

Familiar Bedthings

Use his or her former bed linens and blankets. Even if it is just an old blankie or a doll or a pillow that your son or daughter are used to being in his or her crib, this will go a long way in helping them settle down in their new bed. Not only do such items feel familiar, but they smell familiar too.

Patience

Lastly, realize that your son or daughter just may not be able to make the transition from crib to big kid bed quite yet. So what if your friend’s child was using a bed from the age of 1 1/2 ? If you find that they are endlessly crying, wandering around at night, or have switched from being an easy-going sleeper to one that never seems to sleep a wink, you may need to take a step back and let them sleep in their crib for the next couple of weeks.

Remind yourself that all children develop at a different rate, and that all children deserve understanding, love, and patience. Remember that tears mean that your child feels unsafe and insecure and needs your help. Soon before you know it, you’ll be the one in tears as you remember when you first built that crib for your little one before they even entered this world.

photo by Nyboer Creative