Get the timing right <\/span><\/h3>\nAs a Certified Sleep Coach, I generally recommend to wait until a child is at least 2.5 years of age to transition to a \u2018big kid\u2019 bed.<\/strong> Around that age, kids generally show signs of maturity and\u00a0have the level of verbal skills requested to understand the ‘big boy or big girl’ bedtime rules. They start to get the concept of ‘staying in bed until the next morning’.<\/p>\nAs an alternative, you can also check if the crib rail falls below your child\u2019s chest (the mattress should be dropped to the lowest position available) while standing in the bed. If so, you may consider it is time to transition.<\/p>\n
Too often, parents rush to get their child out of a crib and into a bed (especially when she is trying to climb out of the crib) and struggle afterwards to get her to fall asleep and remain in her room all night long. If this is your case, I recommend to put a mattress or soft foam mats around the crib to\u00a0prevent possible injuries when your child climbs out of it. To give you (even more) peace of mind, install childproof latches on chests of drawers and a gate in front of the bedroom door.\u200b Try to delay the transition as much as possible until your little one is 2.5 years.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nThe Montessori approach<\/span><\/h3>\nAccording to Dr. Maria Montessori, we should not force our children to sleep. They are naturally able to fall asleep when feeling tired. And, if they are not tired, they should get all the freedom to explore their environment. As a result, it is recommended for babies to sleep, as from birth, in a bed without bars<\/strong> (of course you should co-sleep or share the room until it is safe for your child to sleep in a bed in her own room). Personally, I understand her point of view. However, I consider that we, as parents, need to rest too! For our sanity’s sake, it is important that our little one goes to bed and gives us some “Me Time”, especially at the end of the day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dodocoaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Montessori-approach-300x215.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The key principle of the Montessori bed is to give the child the opportunity to move around the room, allowing her to get in and out of bed alone.<\/strong> By putting the mattress on the floor, she won’t need your intervention and won’t get hurt by climbing out of the bed. In addition, it gives her an overall view of her room. Her vision is not restricted by bars nor bumpers.<\/p>\nFor some parents, the Montessori bed offers some kind of relief. Their child no longer shouts in the morning or at the end of a nap to be picked up, she gets out alone. In the same vein, if she wakes up at night, rather than calling the parents, she can go to them (an advantage which, for many, can be seen as a disadvantage). Others also love that their child is given the opportunity to go to bed on her own when feeling tired. Moreover, she can stay in her room in the morning to play when she is awake.<\/p>\n
As an alternative, you can also check if the crib rail falls below your child\u2019s chest (the mattress should be dropped to the lowest position available) while standing in the bed. If so, you may consider it is time to transition.<\/p>\n
Too often, parents rush to get their child out of a crib and into a bed (especially when she is trying to climb out of the crib) and struggle afterwards to get her to fall asleep and remain in her room all night long. If this is your case, I recommend to put a mattress or soft foam mats around the crib to\u00a0prevent possible injuries when your child climbs out of it. To give you (even more) peace of mind, install childproof latches on chests of drawers and a gate in front of the bedroom door.\u200b Try to delay the transition as much as possible until your little one is 2.5 years.<\/p>\n
The Montessori approach<\/span><\/h3>\nAccording to Dr. Maria Montessori, we should not force our children to sleep. They are naturally able to fall asleep when feeling tired. And, if they are not tired, they should get all the freedom to explore their environment. As a result, it is recommended for babies to sleep, as from birth, in a bed without bars<\/strong> (of course you should co-sleep or share the room until it is safe for your child to sleep in a bed in her own room). Personally, I understand her point of view. However, I consider that we, as parents, need to rest too! For our sanity’s sake, it is important that our little one goes to bed and gives us some “Me Time”, especially at the end of the day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The key principle of the Montessori bed is to give the child the opportunity to move around the room, allowing her to get in and out of bed alone.<\/strong> By putting the mattress on the floor, she won’t need your intervention and won’t get hurt by climbing out of the bed. In addition, it gives her an overall view of her room. Her vision is not restricted by bars nor bumpers.<\/p>\nFor some parents, the Montessori bed offers some kind of relief. Their child no longer shouts in the morning or at the end of a nap to be picked up, she gets out alone. In the same vein, if she wakes up at night, rather than calling the parents, she can go to them (an advantage which, for many, can be seen as a disadvantage). Others also love that their child is given the opportunity to go to bed on her own when feeling tired. Moreover, she can stay in her room in the morning to play when she is awake.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The key principle of the Montessori bed is to give the child the opportunity to move around the room, allowing her to get in and out of bed alone.<\/strong> By putting the mattress on the floor, she won’t need your intervention and won’t get hurt by climbing out of the bed. In addition, it gives her an overall view of her room. Her vision is not restricted by bars nor bumpers.<\/p>\n For some parents, the Montessori bed offers some kind of relief. Their child no longer shouts in the morning or at the end of a nap to be picked up, she gets out alone. In the same vein, if she wakes up at night, rather than calling the parents, she can go to them (an advantage which, for many, can be seen as a disadvantage). Others also love that their child is given the opportunity to go to bed on her own when feeling tired. Moreover, she can stay in her room in the morning to play when she is awake.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dodocoaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/From-Crib-to-Toddler-Bed-7-Tips-to-Successfully-Transition-Your-Child-683x1024-200x300.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
<\/p>\n