If you’re like many parents, you’re a little nervous about changing your little one from his crib to a toddler bed. Many parents undress, either because they have a preoccupation in safe enclosures, or because they are nervous about how their little ones will make the change. If you’re worried that your little one won’t handle the transition well, here are 5 tips to make it easier.
1. Talk to him about it before bed timetime. Don’t just set up the bed, take the crib and wait for your child to happily jump into it for the first night. Like adults, many children are resistant to change. Remember, all your little-known cribs are the better part of two or three years. The manger, hopefully, is a place of security, comfort, and joy in the vigil, and he does not try to give it away. Tell him that he is starting to be such a big boy that he will soon get a special bed. Consider that you took him with you when you bought the bed, and you put him in charge.
2. Don’t take the crib away anymore. Ideally, you should set yourself up in his crib without encouraging him to sleep in it. It can be traumatic for a toddler to go into his room and find his crib missing and the bed in the wrong place. If you leave the baby bed in his room for two days, he may even ask if he sleeps in it. Be sure to point out his new “special” bed when you’re in his room.
3. Introduce that time in sleep. If the child is reluctant to sleep in a cot, introducing that time in sleep is the best bet. If your child can lie in bed during daylight hours, and you can scan the surroundings, he will be more comfortable with the idea. Don’t force yourself to sit on the new bed at night.
4. Use a side rail. Apart from the obvious safety benefit, using a side rail can give you the sense of security you had in the stall. He was surrounded by four high walls all his life. Placing the bed against the wall and using one side of the enclosure for the other side will keep him from feeling like he’s falling out of bed. (Note: Do not buy the rails in the second part. The best rails are the ones you bought for your bed. Make sure that all the screws are tightened securely and that there is no gap between the panels of the enclosure and the bed, as little as possible. Your child will get caught in full enclosures).
5. Endure. Although some children will jump into their bed and do not want to return to the crib, others will cling tenaciously to their original bed. In the first few days you need to be flexible and willing to allow him to return to his crib. If this seems to be the opposite, you may find it best to remove the crib altogether. Wait for your child to get out of bed. However, don’t indulge in a habit, or wear a habit… Even if you think it’s cute. Patiently place him in bed and minimize your verbal interactions with him in the process. Praise your child for staying in the new bed.
Making the transition to crib bedding takes adjustment time for both you and your child. You need to accommodate, because the child who used to stay in the crib for eleven hours straight can now go out. his room at any time of the day or night. Your child adapts to a change in location, routine, and mobility. If you remain patient, consistent and loving, you will make the transition into both easier.
