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From: zonker@ihlpf.UUCP (Tom Harris)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: Crib to Big Bed advice needed
Message-ID: <219@ihlpf.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Nov-85 16:48:24 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlpf.219
Posted: Tue Nov 26 16:48:24 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 27-Nov-85 06:25:26 EST
References: <825@hou2d.UUCP> <1034@ihuxk.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 38


 > *
 > I am curious if any one has suggestions about when to
 > *introduce* a child to a normal bed- i.e. mattress and
 > box spring.
 >  
 > Our little girl is almost 30 months and with another
 > due in march, I have already purchased a good quality
 > twin, but have not put it up yet.
 >  
 > The new baby will get her crib.
 >  
 > The advice of periodicals and books is limited- and the
 > advice of the few people we trust is limited to bias.
 > 
 > Thanx in advance.
 > 
 > LWS
 > hou2d!lws
 > *
My girl was about 33 months when we moved her to a big bed.  (She
was probably ready for it earlier, but she wasn't a climber so she
never learned to climb out of the crib and so the crib was good
enough.  We were kind of worried she would fall and were waiting
till it looked like she was going to try climbing before we bought
the bed.  We finally broke down and bought a bed when we found one
on sale, even though she still wasn't trying to get out of the
crib.)  One of the things we did to ease the transition was to  
start her out with just the mattress and box spring (no frame).
This way if she had a problem staying in bed she couldn't hurt
herself.  We played up the fact that now her bed was accessable to
her i.e. she could get in and out as she wished (and we cold
heartedly used this fact to finish working on overnight potty
training).  We played up the size difference (there was much more
room for stuffed friends).  Finally we played up the fact that now
she was a big girl.  After about a month with no problems (i.e.
falling out of bed etc.) we put the frame on and she took right to
it.