There are no hard and fast rules on when exactly
you should move your child from the crib to a bed although most make
the transition between the ages of 18 to 36 months. Different children
react to this transition differently with some freely giving up their
crib while others stubbornly refusing to move no matter what you do.
Crib Tent
Parents too have differing views on this issue.
Some feel an early transition is good as it fosters confidence and
independence. On the other hand, others do not like to rush and prefer
to make the transition at the last possible moment when they feel that
their child is truly ready for the move. To keep their child safe in
the crib, they resort to a crib tent. Although some experts deem crib
tents to be hazardous as it can be difficult to get your child out in
case of an emergency, it is one way of preventing your toddler from
climbing out of the crib.
General Rule
Because transition to a bed may cause some
toddlers to feel distraught and may result in bedtime battles, some
parents tend to delay the move. However, the general rule is you should
move your toddler to a bed when he or she has reached around three feet
in height or shows signs of climbing out of the crib. The other good
gauge is you should move your toddler when the side rails come up to
less than 75% of your child's height when he or she is standing in the
crib.
One other question you should ask yourself is
whether your child is potty-trained and maybe better off sleeping on a
bed to enable him or her to get up and use the toilet as and when
necessary.
Readiness
The other view is you should assess your child's
readiness first before deciding when to move him or her from the crib
to a bed. Therefore, you do not need to rush out and buy a toddler bed
the moment your child shows signs of climbing out of the crib. This is
because being able to climb out of the crib does not mean he or she is
ready for a bed. Not all toddlers can sleep soundly throughout the
night on their own and it may be equally dangerous to have your child
roaming the house in the middle of the night when you are fast asleep.
Bear in mind that your toddler can easily get on
and off a toddler bed once you make him or her move out of the crib.
You would have to assess the risk of keeping your toddler in a crib as
well as shifting him to a bed and put in place safety measures to guard
against injury. The above are just some of the factors you should
consider when confronted with the issue of transition.
Free Up The Crib
One other common reason parents move their child
to a bed is because they need to free up the crib for the new baby.
However, to force your child out of the crib to accommodate a new baby
will only cause resentment in the process. If you really need to get
your toddler out of the crib for the new baby, try to do so weeks
before your baby is due. This way, your toddler is less likely to feel
that he or she has to give up the crib for the new baby. Otherwise, you
may be better off getting another crib, especially if you know your
toddler just isn't ready for a bed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while there is no necessity to rush
your child to a bed, there is also little reason to delay the
transition when the need arises. A way to help your toddler along with
the move is to ease him or her into the idea before it becomes
absolutely necessary to make the transition for obvious safety reasons.
By doing so, your child would be less likely to reject the new bed as
the move does not seem sudden and forced.
Article Source:
http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/transition-from-
crib-to-bed-when-is-the-right-time-484253.html
About the Author
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