I just don't get it - how to convert to a big boy bed?

Question

Maybe I am missing something here, but I just don't understand how you safely transition from a crib to a toddler bed. Right now my son is 23 months, in a crib with a mesh tent over it because he can climb out (since 16 months). His bedroom is upstairs and ours is downstairs. If we let him sleep in a bed where he is not confined, won't he get up and run around all night? I don't allow him to run around the house unsupervised now, why would that be okay at night? We have stairs that are gated. He can open doors and climb over baby gates with ease. And I suppose we can't lock him inside his room for fire reasons. This just sounds like a fiasco. I don't even know how to go about this. Please help and share your ideas on how to keep him safe while getting him into a bed.

He sleeps throught the night in his crib currently, but I suspect that will change when he's no longer confined.

Answer 1

Make his room the safest you can and transfer him to a bed when you are ready. If he can already climb out (our eldest daughter did at that age) lower the side of the cot so that he doesn't hurt himself if he falls and put pillows on the floor there. From his room, take out anything he can get his hands on if you think he could. Secure chests of drawers and shelves to the wall, cover sockets, remove chairs (so he can't reach to open a window) and breakables. Don't give him access to any belts/ties or cords, especially the ones on window blinds. Keep his room to a minimum then you won't be stressed about what he "may" be up to out of sight. Leave him plenty of soft but boring toys (so he's not up all night playing) and a small quilt or blanket somewhere that he can use if he wants to. If you are potting training too then set up a lidded potty chair on a towel in his room. Leave a nightlight on if necessary, but hide the plug/socket behind a heavy piece of furniture so that he can't pull it out and use the lowest wattage you can find (not the 25w).

Screw a small hook and eye at the top of his door/door jamb, but on the outside. This is not to keep the door tightly closed, but to allow him to open it an inch or so but not get out without your assistance. Being out of reach you can be sure that even if he chooses to sleep on the floor, he's not all over the house. At his age the stairgate won't present much of a problem for much longer anyway.

This really worked for friends with a very adventurous toddler, they have a sprawling bungalow, but even the windows were no challenge for their son! Best of luck.

Answer 2

once they start climbing out of the crib, it's time for the big boy bed. Talk the big boy bed up like it's a great thing and it shows how he's growing up. If you are worried about him rolling out of the bed, many trasitional beds have those little guard rails near the head of the bed to keep the child from rolling out.

As for him getting up and wandering around the house at night. Is there a large/tall baby gate you can get to put in his door so he can't get out of the room? Make sure his room is babyproof and that it is safe for him to play in it if he wakes up at night and gets out of bed. Continue using your baby monitor so you can hear him in his room if he hurts himself.

Also it might be time to cut back on his nap time during the day so he is more likely to sleep the whole night. If he's been napping 4 or 5 hours in the day, maybe he only needs to nap 2 or 3 hours.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

We still have a baby monitor in my son's room. That way, if he starts to play in the middle of the night we know what he's up to. Can your son open doors yet? I'm sure he can but if not just close his door. There are also extra tall baby gates that you can put outside his door to keep him contained.

At this age, as long as you have the baby monitor I think he will be fine if he's in his room. I'm sure he knows how to walk up and down the stairs too. I guess I might just not see the concern here. My son was sixteen months old when we transitioned him from the crib to toddler bed. It was a rough few nights getting him to stay in bed but it all worked out.

Just keep the moniter turned up in your room and if he stirs go into his room and make sure he goes back to bed.

Answer 4

Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be fine. Unless you want him to sleep in a crib until he's 10, you'll have to make the transition sometime. Unless he's very small for his age, he's probably at least approaching the height limit for a crib. The fact that he can climb out means he's definitely ready for a toddler bed. Most kids make this transition between the ages of 18 and 24 months. It may not be easy, but it's something he'll have to do. As long as your house is properly baby proofed, he'll be fine. If it makes you feel safer to sleep with a baby monitor, go ahead.

Answer 5

Keep toys out of his room, put a lock on his closet door, lock his dresser drawers with child safety locks, make sure his furniture is anchored to the wall. Most kids, when transitioning, are afraid to get out of their beds. If you've got him in his crib in a tent now, what is the difference if you lock him in his room? He can't get out now if there were a fire. I'd lock or double gate his door until you know what he's up to. If you can, put books in a drawer or in a cabinet so you can make the sleeping space as less interesting to him as possible so he's not worrying about what he can get into.

Answer 6

No problem!
First establish a night-time routine after a certain hour turn down the lights, tv, anything loud or distracting, and start winding down, give him a luke-warm bath with chamomile and lavender, get him sleepy with a massage (rub down his feet, legs and head with lavender/chamomile lotion), fresh pajamas, bottle or sippy cup of milk, story-time, as he gets sleepier, read softer and softer, all the while in your arms as you rock him gently to sleep. Once he is really out, lay him down in his toddler bed!

***Important: The key is to stay with him till he falls asleep. Leave the night-lite and his door alarm on, and LOCK the Door. If he know how to open the door read #4 below If he wakes up repeat the process, keep this up, and hang on for a week, and you'll have established your night-time routine, and he'll get the idea!

1.) Buy one of those in-expensive door alarms. They usually come in a pack. So when he opens his door to his room, it will go off and alert you immediately.
2.) www.twilightturtle.com, I recommend to buy the constellation turtle night light. It keeps them fascinated in there room staring at the ceiling. It makes there room fun to be in. It works wonders read the reviews.
3.) Buy a baby monitor they have inexpensive ones that simply allow you to hear what's going on his room. That way you know if he's sleeping or playing.
4.) If he knows how to unlock the door. Remove the stair gate he will only climb over it and then REALLy hurt himself. Instead opt for a wide bookcase. Keep it near the entrance so that way at night all you have to do is slide it over. If it's loaded with books simply slide a mouse pad with the rubber side up and the slippery side down, place underneath bookcase and it will slide effortlessly for you! Great tip for moving heavy furniture btw. IMPORTANT: It must be much wider than the stair entrance and too heavy for your toddler to push. It will loom over him, and he will walk right past it if it's blocking his way downstairs. The key is to make it a daunting challenge. You'll be up to start the routine over before he even gets to the staircase anyhow but it's good to take extra precautions.

Answer 7

I had a similar problem with my son. We bought him a twin bed at 20 months and we put a bed rail on the side of the bed and put the foot of his bed against the wall. He to climbed out everynight and came out of his room. I understand you don't want to lock him in his room but what we did is we put one of those door know protecters over the inside of his door so he couldn't get out. We don't leave it closed all night when i go and check on him at night we leave his door open slightly so incase of a fire u know. but if your son can get those protectors off we superglued the latches on the protecter so he can't get it apart and off his door. and if he climbs over baby gates put 2 up one on top of another. unless your son is superman he shouldn't be able to climb or push the top one out. i hope this helps. Good Luck

Answer 8

Take the stair-gates down, since they're obviously pointless and if he falls climbing over one he'll break his neck.

Put him in his proper bed (forget the silly toddler ones, they're a waste of money) and tell him if he plays up, he's back in the baby cot. Leave the cot in his room. Carry out the threat as many times as it takes. If you think you won't hear him, use a judiciously-placed baby alarm, he'll be about 6 before he realises you aren't just psychic.

Personally, I'd be looking for a more suitable house, but that might be a bit of a luxury and/ or cop-out LOL.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

wow I was getting ready to answer, but scanned the other answers first.

Elizabeth V has got all the info you need! :)

Just make his room safe for him, and let him be... he has to learn on his own. If he spends the whole night sleeping on the floor on the other side of the room with a little blanket and stuffed animal, thats ok.