"Big boy bed"

[jajbaby]

My son will be 3 in August and we are trying to switch him to a "big boy bed." As of now we have his crib in his room and a new toddler bed. We put his new bed up because we thought it might be easier if he got used to it before switching him over. It has now been over a month and no change. It is like the bed is not even in his room. I also put all of his stuffed animals on the bed to make it look friendly to him. He just says, "I don't want to," when we ask if he wants to sleep in it.
We are having another child this August, and will be using my sons crib for the "new baby" after the first 3 months. I was just wondering what anyone has done to switch their child to a new toddler bed? And if there was any children who didn't want to go along with it???

[Logan206]

I was in this exact situation.  My daughter was 2 when our twins were born and even though she loved to play and read books on her "big girl bed" (we set it up in her room on her 2nd bday), she refused to sleep in it.  She even got to the point where she was potty trained and not wearing diapers at night, yet was still in her crib.  She had to call for us to get out and use the potty--can you imagine?  It seemed so backwards-lol!  Anyway, I think she just really felt secure in her crib and was scared to "let it go".

Well, we got by having the twins share a crib for the first 4 months, but then we really NEEDED my daughter to pass hers down (I just couldn't imagine purchasing a THIRD crib!).  So, as a "special treat" we got one of those little toddler couch/chair that folds into a bed (cheap ones--made of foam and only like $20), and told her that if she was good, she could start taking her naps in it.  She was very excited about this and we made a huge deal out of what a big girl she was to sleep there.  It took about a week, but we finally convinced her to try to sleep in it overnight.  After she did that for a few nights, she was okay with trying the big girl bed.

You still have some time, and I bet your son will come around b4 the new baby is 3 months.  I wouldn't push it too soon, as he might be anxious enough about a new baby on the way.  If you get desperate though---you can try what I did!  Good Luck!

  

[jajbaby]

Thank you for responding, my mom also mentioned the whole idea about him being uncertain about a "little brother." I am for sure not going to push it, I don't want to cause any problems, he has been really sensitive lately...

[marsha_ann]

I got a twin bed for my son a few months before he turned 3.  (we didnt even use a toddler bed)  He was SO excited about it, and took a nap in it that afternoon.  But when bedtime came ... he wanted his 'baybay bed'.  We had already took it apart & put it out in our storage bldg.  It was rough the first week or two .. getting him asleep in the big bed.  But after we put several stuffed animals around him, he did great.  I think he needed that smaller, confined area to feel safe.  

There were nights that we had to make him cry for awhile ... even cry himself to sleep.  But that's part of change sometimes.  I never let my kids sleep in the bed with me, and I never laid in their beds for them to fall asleep.  I know lots of parents do.  That's their choice.  

Hope you have luck with your son very soon !!!  

[jajbaby]

We tried the other night to have him sleep in his toddler bed. It took 1 and 1/2 hours for him to fall asleep, he kept saying he was scared. In that last 1/2 hour, I went in there with him and finally got him to go to sleep.
The next night he refused to go in his room, so we ended up taking his toddler bed down and left just his crib in his room. I hated doing it, but I decided he needed sleep more than switching his bed right now.
We are going to put his toddler bed back up in his room and see what happens. I just don't know how to make him not scared to go to sleep in his toddler bed????

[steff23]

Have you tried telling him that babies sleep in cribs and big boys sleep in big boy beds? Or, Pick a few of his stuffed animals and put them on the bed with him and explain to him that his stuffed animals will protect him and he don't have to be scared anymore. Or, A night light.. Or, You could tell him that if he sleeps in his bed then in the morning you can take him to get a treat (Small, Cheap toy or ice cream or something). Maybe if you do that for a few days he'll get used to it! Or if you have a friend with a child around his age bring your son over there and let him see that his buddy sleeps in a big boy bed and tell him that "so and so is such a big boy for sleeping in his big boy bed". Sometimes it helps if they have a friend that is around the same age and does something. Kids love to copy!

I know I'm not much of help. It's kind of hard for me to try and give advice on this because we had no problem with our son. He actually told us at 1 1/2 that he wanted a big boy bed!

I hope something works for you!! Good Luck.

[jajbaby]

Any advice is good advice, thank you. I have tried all the tricks, I am going to give it some time and try again. All that I can do is try....