New House, New Bed???

Hey C. :)

With the new house adjustment, having to adjust to a new bed too may be a little too much for the little guy. (we just recently moved too and I have a 4 yr. old who refused to give up his blow-up spiderman bed that his grandma gave him in exchange for a twin-sized bed so I know a little about where you're coming from)

But in any case, I probably wouldn't worry about it too much - sounds a little like he may be exerting his independence too? Give him some time and maybe he'll decide on his own to sleep in his toddler bed then he'll feel that he's made a "big boy" decison.

But if after a little while he continues to sleep on the floor & you feel like this will continue indefinitely then maybe think about putting his familiar crib back in his room until he asks for his "big boy" bed again. Maybe it just needs to be his idea -- as some kids get older they like for things like this to be their idea. I think you're doing great -- at least he's sleeping in his own room :) Best of luck to you! :)

Is your 2 year old potty trained? If so, did you do the incentive thing with him? Like buy him a special kind of undies and things like that? Maybe that would work with the bed. Let him pick out the linen or a new stuffed toy to sleep with as incentive and see if that works.

Just a suggestion.

What age do kids stop sleeping in cribs? His crib might help him get use to the new house, but you would still have to switch him to a different bed down the road.
Since he says he likes the new bed and he says he will sleep in it, then I would keep it. Sleeping on the floor won't hurt him, though I don't blame you for not liking it. Just give him some time. I'm sure he will get use to the move and new bed.

Both of my kids slept on the floor for several weeks when we first moved them to the toddler bed from the crib. They eventually quit. I wouldn't worry about it. He'll figure out that the bed is more comfortable.

My 3yr-old falls asleep almost every night on the floor in front of his door. When I go to bed, I just go in and put him in bed, and he sleeps there the rest of the night. Eventually, I've been told, he'll just stay in bed. So I'd say just let him fall asleep on the floor, but put him to bed once he's asleep. I wouldn't bring the crib back.
(My son started doing this after we moved him out of his big bro's room and double bed. He misses the company.)

We tried the same thing with my daughter and she did the same thing. I thought about putting her crib back up too, but then decided to wait it out. It took about 2 weeks before she would sleep in it and not on the floor. Just give him some adjustment time and don't give in and put the crib back up.

Hi C.,
I would continue with the toddler bed and putting him in there to go to sleep. Once he is I would just put him in bed once he is asleep and go on. I know it doesn't seem like the "ideal" thing to do but pick your battles and as long as he is staying in his room, falling asleep and going to bed, I wouldn't knock it. It's one of those don't fix whats not broke, leave it be. He will eventually fall asleep in his bed, it may take awhile but he will get it, W.

It sounds like you and your little one communicate well why don't you get out the crib and have it ready (so he knows you're serious) and ask him which he'd rather sleep in.? Someone else said their kid was sleeping on the floor recently and I think the mom's general concensus was that it can be normal. So, if he doesn't want the crib or big boy bed I wouldn't stress out it about too much. Good luck!

Maybe try to just have the mattress on the floor? Maybe he feels too high up? Not sure what a toddler bed is, exactly, so forgive me if my suggestion is not possible. With my oldest boy (now 4 yrs), we just had him on a mattress on the floor. Even if he "fell out" it was just a short distance to the floor, and I put pillows around the bed in case he did (he never did). Then when he was older and could navigate getting in and out of the bed adroitly, we added a box springs under the mattress. Then even later on, you could add in the bed frame ... or whenever you feel like he's used to the bed.

I wouldn't worry about it. My youngest rarely slept in his bed even though we would go through the whole tuck in routine with him. He eventually decided on his own that the bed was the place to be. He's 13 now and just fine. As long as he is sleeping in his room, it sounds as if he is doing well. Just think of all of the transitions he has had lately, new baby, new house and most likely a preschool routine. That's a lot for a little guy. I wouldn't go back to the crib, it sounds like he is adjusting on his own.

If it were me I wouldn't go backwards by putting the crib in there. It could be that he's just not used to it or it could be that it's too small. Both of my kids moved from a crib to a twin bed before they were 2 and I didn't have any problems at all. You could also try putting the mattress on the floor but I would leave the crib out. Good LUCK!!!!
Also - if you go the twin bed route there are bed guards to keep him in.

C., my sister-in-law did something of the same sort. When they bought their new home they converted their sons crib into the toddler bed. Well he freaked out and wouldn't even sleep in the room. She ended up putting it back into the crib and let him get adjusted to the room first. After a couple months she started talking to him about sleeping in the toddler bed. So when she converted it again he was ready. He does great in it now. They have been in their home for just over a year now and he loves him room and bed.
I believe you have to get a child ready for a big change like this. When we put our daughter in a toddler bed I set it up in her room but didn't let her sleep in it. She slept in her crib for 2 more weeks. After a couple weeks we started with naptime in the toddler bed. My the end of the month she was in her toddler bed full time and loved it. You can't do 2 major changes at once. Moving to a new house is scary enough for a young child and then taking away the only place they feel safe would be devastating. I would give him his crib back for a couple weeks and work him up to his new "big boy" bed. Make it an exciting thing for him. Talk up the bed, make him think that this is a big boy bed and it is all his. Good luck in what you decide. I hope it works for you.