Hi Moms -
I can hardly believe it, but my little guy will turn three in September. He's still sleeping in his crib, which is fine by me, but I'm pretty sure that we should transition him soon. Are most kids out of the crib and in a bed by three? Anyone have their kid sleeping in a crib longer than that? Should I wait until he brings it up - for now, he's not complaining about it. Finally, once I do have a bed for him, how do I keep him from getting up and taking advantage of his new freedom? Thanks!
My 3 year, 7 month old daughter is still in her crib, doesn't climb out (did twice in the last 6 months) and doesn't really want to transition. We put a twin in the room and she picked sheets, etc but still chooses her crib at night. We are working on it but not forcing the issue. She's safe and happy and it will happen when it does.
Good luck!
I transitioned my son right before he turned three. He never asked either, but he did like it very much when we got it. I let him pick out his new bedspread (among choices that I liked), which helped get him excited about it. My son has never really wandered too much. He's now 4 and we have gradually increased his freedom. So, for example, he stopped sleeping during nap time before he turned three, but we still made him lay down in his bed for an hour or so. Then after months of not sleeping, I let him have books on his bed during nap time. After months of that, I told him he could play in his room but had to stay there during "quiet time" except if he needed to use the bathroom. If he wandered out I just led him back. Now he knows what time he's allowed up in the morning and after quiet time, and he uses a digital clock to come downstairs at the right time. Firm boundaries and gradually increasing privileges are what worked for us. Good luck!
There's no big rush...In fact sleep therapists recommend keeping your kid in a crib until they're at least 3 as long as they don't mind bc once they have more freedom it's a whole new ballgame
My son was 38 months, I think, when we transitioned him. We would have kept him in longer, but we needed the crib for his sister. He has never really gotten out of his bed and wandered around. I think it just depends on the kid. If he hasn't even tried to climb out of the crib, he might not try to get out of bed.
I think our nephew is still in a crib, and he just turned 4. But his parents are... odd. (Not to say that all parents who keep their kids in cribs that long are weird, but my BIL and his wife definitely are.)
My daughter slept in her crib until she was four. Always a fabulous sleeper!
We transitioned my daughter at 16 months because she was putting her leg up over the side of her crib and I wasnt prepared to wait until she fell. It was a really tough first week when she discovered that she could get out and move around but after working with her at both nap time and bedtime things SLOWLY got better day by day. It was a trying time and I think every child is different but everyone goes through it and I think with your son being older it will be a bit easier to be able to reason with him so that he can understand you
Good Luck
My littlest was out and in a queen bed by age 18 months. I would start by taking the rail or side of crib off if you have a convertible crib---and skip the toddler boy bed--go straight to a twin/double/queen etc. Its much easier and you can put a guard on any of those beds so he doesn't roll out. GL
M
Get a big bed ASAP. Make sure to get a full size at least. If yo dont have enough space i would recomend those beds which the top is a full size and under the bed comes a twin bed...the price is almost the same as a regular bed and he can sleep in the botton at the beginning untill he is used to the bed... I got that kind of bed and when he is scare of he does not want to sleep alone.. i sleep in the one in the botton for a couple of hours without sharing his bed.
Good Luck.
