Transitioning from Crib to Bed

I’ve been told there is no set time to transition my toddler from a baby crib to a regular bed, but let me just tell you… This is an area I didn’t know I had preconceived ideas about, until I did.

Since before #MyBoy turned two, I felt the need to get him out of his crib. This urge to get him into a big boy bed just creeped in and wouldn’t leave. It was probably me worrying about what other people thought more than anything, but I’ll tell you this… you can’t make parenting choices based on other people’s opinions. So, I chose to look for a few signs before transitioning #MyBoy from his crib to a bed, and I feel comfortable with the timing and results.

1. Is he climbing out of his bed? I knew once this happened, we had safety concerns on our hands.
2. Does he get out of bed at naps or bedtime? Once he started showing signs that he was becoming more confident climbing and getting in & out of the crib was approaching, I tested his obedience. Test him in a regular bed (at home or away) during bedtime (naps too). Does he stay in bed without testing authority or does he get up and down, drawing out the bedtime process? I tested this theory during a 3-night weekend away. We were lucky because #MyBoy stayed in the bed when I laid him down for naps and bedtime.
3. Does he get excited when you talk about a big boy bed? If he gets excited when you mention a big boy bed, he may be ready.

As I waited for the safety need to arrive, I enjoyed the phase of having an immobile toddler. In other words, he wasn’t getting out of bed after naps or first thing in the morning without my knowledge. If you’re living it, enjoy it, right?  However, my intuition slowly informed me that it was time for the transition. I confirmed his readiness by testing the three areas mentioned and BOOM! We successfully transitioned him this past weekend.

We live in a 2-bedroom space, but we have extra space in a small 10x8 room. I used the small room as his baby room to designate our 2^nd room as a guest space. Since it was time to transition and we already had a king size bedroom suite in our guest room, we transitioned him straight to a new room at the same time. I am happy to report that this has been a parent win! He is sleeping great in his new space and his old space is the perfect playroom, housing a lot of the toys that use to take up extra living room space.

Now, let me acknowledge that my theory may not work for your 2.5 year old. Ages for making this transition vary from home to home, family to family. There is not always an easy answer. While I was trying to make the best decisions for our family, I read the different blogs & baby-site articles. You may find your answers elsewhere. For instance, CaféMom.com gives 5 signs your toddler is ready for his own bed, and BabySleepSite.com says the average age for making the switch from crib to bed is between 3 and 4 years. Regardless of where or who you get your encouragement, trust your gut. A parent’s intuition will guide you through those choices that don’t need to be perfect. So give yourself a little grace, time to be sad when the time comes to move your toddler from a crib to a big boy bed because it is sad, and then move on. Enjoy the win and the next stage.

Tell me how you knew your child was ready for this transition.