Kids grow up so fast, perhaps a little too fast. Your tiny bundle of joy is now a rambunctious toddler who has gained the ability to mischievously jailbreak their crib, scaling the bars with wild abandon. It might be time for the next milestone in your youngster’s life – the transition to a toddler-friendly bed.
Jennie Clarke, a certified sleep consultant for Good Night Sleep Site Florida, says the best way you can tell if your child is ready for the change is if they can follow a simple, set of directions and stick to them, so that when you lay out ground rules about the new bed they can better understand that they need to stay in their beds and get to sleep.
“Another clue is that they’re great sleepers,” said Clarke. “You can trust in their sleep, that they sleep through the night, they nap well and also, if they ask for the new bed, because if they want to go, then your success rate of a transition is much stronger.”
If you move your child when they can’t sleep through the night, this tends to make the transition more difficult. Making sure that your child is getting enough sleep during this process is crucial for their health and development.
Dr. Darlene Kertes, who is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Florida, says that by age 3, children still need about 12 hours of sleep, per night.
“Sleep is critical for physical growth,” said Dr. Kertes. “The hormones responsible for growing are released during sleep. Poor sleep can also have negative impacts on children’s ability to regulate their emotions.”
Clarke says one of the common errors she sees parents make in this transition, is the child being moved too soon. “Something that seems to happen at around 18 months of age, is kids like to get curious and climb out of cribs, and parents feel that’s the sign that they need to be in a big kid bed, but oftentimes, that’s too early for them to understand that they need to stay in their crib and go to sleep,” said Clarke.
Dr. Kertes recommends not moving your toddler simply because they are getting a brother or sister.
“Newborn infants require a great deal of care and attention. Toddlers notice this,” said Dr. Kertes. “They might refuse to ‘give up’ the crib for a new baby because they see the crib as a place where they can get the parent’s continued attention. That can set the stage for a more difficult transition.”
As adults, getting into bed for the night is simple routine, but for toddlers, this is a huge adjustment that can affect their emotional growth. Therefore, we must give it a lot of thought and know when making the move is right for the parent and most importantly, the child.
“Emphasizing, in an emotionally positive and loving way, the child’s big kid accomplishments will help them to embrace and be proud of themselves for making this transition,” said Dr. Kertes.
It’s important to make this change move as swiftly as possible for both you and your child. This, of course, isn’t going to happen overnight. Like most milestones, it’s going to take a lot of patience and support to help your child feel comfortable.
“For the children, there is a feeling of loss of security, as the four walls of their crib are gone and it’s all they’ve ever known. So, it’s a big transition,” said Clarke.
This is the bed that your child will be sleeping in after all, so do some research to find a sturdy, protective bed that will help your little one feel more secure. There are even some designed as race cars and elaborate princess castles, which can make this process a fun experience!
* Always consult your pediatrician with any questions about when to move your little one. Safety First!
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