When Do You Move Your Kids To a Toddler Bed?

It’s not as hard as you think...
if you are willing to put in the hard work for about a week.

This question comes from a Mother of twin boys in Seattle. For one thing, it’s going to be twice as hard... especially if they share a room. Since my second kid, I have always had two in a room during this transition stage. It was always hard, but very entertaining.

First, you need to mentally prepare the kids that they are growing up and it’s time to get the “Big Boy Beds”. To me it didn’t matter if they transitioned to a toddler or twin bed. All my boys went to twin beds (I just didn’t want to spend the money on another bed later down the line) The girls were a different story. I did buy toddler beds for them because their room is quite small. The girls are pretty tiny too. I think they will be in toddler beds until Kindergarden!

Okay... so make a big hoopla about the beds... get them new sheets. Just make a big deal about it!!

All my boys were under the age of two, by the way. This was a personal choice for me. I felt I had too because there was always a baby on the way that needed the crib. So if your kids are climbing out of the crib, that is a good sign that they are ready.

Down to business. You can do this two ways.

I was lucky enough to get one of those TV monitors 8 years ago at my first baby shower. I have used it with each child for this process. I set up the camera in the room, and placed the TV monitor right outside the CLOSED door. Do your normal bedtime routine and walk out of the room. I would lay down right outside the door and watch the action. The moment they would pick up their head off the pillow, I would call out...”LAY DOWN.” It was like some strange Mommy Voice from above. I would bring a book, magazine or catalogue to keep me occupied. It only took a week of constant watchdog behavior for them to get it!!

If you don’t have or can’t borrow a friend’s monitor for a week, I suggest just sitting outside their room. If you hear any noise, just shush them until they fall asleep. It could take up to an hour though. That’s why it is hard work for the first week.

If they try to get out of their bed and bolt for the door, just pick them up, tell them it is bed time. That’s it, NO CONVERSATION! Any more than that and you are rewarding them with attention. Put them back to bed and walk out. If you can get help from the hubby, grandma or Aunt Sue for the week, that would be great too. It’s not to help kick the boys back to bed, but for moral support and to keep you focused on the task at hand. If it is just you, prepare yourself mentally. Plan to sit outside the door for hours, and when it only takes one hour, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Well, there you go. If anyone else out there has any great ideas, please let me know. I am a true believer that it takes a village.

Muthahood Ain’t For Sissies | Motherhood Ain’t For Sissies

Comments

[Mama G]

No further suggestions here, just wanted to say that I, too, put my little man in a "big boy bed" before the age of two and followed along with basically everything you said, which worked perfectly! I cannot stress enough the NO CONVERSATION point you brought up. Critical, if you ask me!