ds is 2.5 - I think he should be in a bed, dp disagrees

[BobPatandIgglePiggle]

We've only got one ds so we're fairly clueless and belong to the 'wing it' school of parenting. Mostly Iit works just fine

Ds is still in his cot though. He's little so size wise he could stay in it for ages yet but I think the longer we leave him the harder it will be.

I'd also quite like him to be able to toddle in and climb in with us as he always wakes 20 minutes before the alarm, one of us has to go and get him and bring him in for a cuddle and a natter.

Dp likes that we know he's safe in the cot. He's never climbed out

I'd like to take the bars off this weekend but dp would like to wait an indeterminate amount of time.

I also think that he'll be fine with a single quilt sideways on and tucked in. Dp thinks that when we do change it he should have 2 safety bar things on!

[ImATotJeSuisUneTot]

DD2 is the same age and still in her cot. We're going to wait until the days are shorter and shes going to sleep much quicker before we make the change. Its only a few weeks but I think itll make all the difference. Maybe suggest a comprimise with DP, say you'll do it in September?

[Mumof3xox]

My eldest two dc went into a toddler bed at 18 months and were fine

[Fairylea]

Personally I'm of the "leave them in a cot until they go to university" camp (ie as long as possible!)... too much stress and worry about what they'll get up to for me! Dd is now 11 and she stayed in until about 3 I think. Ds is 2 and no plans to move him at all.

Obviously if they're climbing out or potty trained and need to be able to access for a wee that's different.

[CallingAllEngels]

I would say if he's fine in a cot and ne hasn't climbed out, then leave him.

DS was a great sleeper, showed no signs of climbing out. DH insisted on taking the bars off. Cue 6 months of sleep hell from 2 to 2.5 when he realised he could climb out whenever he woke up.

[BobPatandIgglePiggle]

You might have a point there I'm a tot (I just sang 'tilly, tom and tiny...' in my head because of your user name)

Most people I've asked seem to have put their children in beds at about 18 months mumof

[BobPatandIgglePiggle]

Ooh calling I might just put his new 'big boy' quilt cover back in the cupboard then...

[CountingToThree]

Agree with Fairylea - don't think there's any rush unless they are unsafe (climbing out) or potty training.

My DD only went into a cotbed at around 2y 9 months but it took her a good few months before she twigged that she could get out of bed herself - so we still had to go to her when she shouted to get up.

On the otherhand my DS went into cot bed about 2yrs as he was climbing out, he realised that he could get out very quickly and then wouldn't stay in it! We had a stairgate on his bedroom door until recently (3yrs) so again we still had to go in to him in the mornings

[Smartiepants79]

What does your DH think will happen to him?
We moved my Dd at about 2.2. She transferred fine. No issues at all.
Not need for safety rails although I bought one we never used it and took it back.
She fell out about 3 times. No damage and it stopped after about 3 weeks.
She continued to stay in bed in the morning until fetched. She was very biddable! It never occurred to her to get out til she was 3 and a half!
I would expect he is ready and old enough.
I would agree that the longer you wait the bigger deal it could become.

[stargirl1701]

DD is 21 months and we plan to leave her in the cot as long as possible.

[Trollsworth]

Fuck no. Cot as long as possible.

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

I read the thread title as "in bed" as opposed to "in A bed" and thought FFS who has a two year old awake at 9 at night

(unless a special occasion of course)

Anyhoo, to answer your actual question, I agree with others. When it comes to sleep, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[threepiecesuite]

DD was just over 3 when we took one side off. There's no rush.

[WastingMyYoungYears]

Yes, cot as long as possible. DS was 3.5, then moved into a single bed without any problems (we put the cot mattress on the floor in case he falls out; it's only happened a couple of times).

[Theyaremysunshine]

Cot as long as possible. Moved DS at 2 and had 2 months of horrific return to bed training after months of great sleeping.

Tips from my mistakes when you do move him though would be to use the duvet in the cot for a while before taking the sides off, so it's more familiar, and take off just the front side to begin with, so it doesn't feel as scarily open for them.

DS was a climber. Otherwise he'd have been in there til he could no longer squash in.

If it ain't broke...

[cheesenpickle]

We took cot sides off just after 3rd bday but only because we were going away and he was too big for a travel cot so needed to get him used to a normal bed. Hes still in a gro bag- mainly because after 1 sleepless night with duvet we thought why are we trying something new when hes perfectly ok as he is.! Stay as you are there seems to be this rush to get kids to strive to the next artificial milestone as if they dont we will somehow damage them!

[CPtart]

Both DC in a bed at 20 months. Didn't want to risk any "attachment issues" with the cot.
Both completely fine. DS1 never ever climbed out. DS2 just twice!

[Thurlow]

DD is 2.5 and still in a cot. I am NOT taking those sides off for anyone until either she climbs out herself or she physically doesn't fit inside it!

It's one of those things that I don't quite understand the rush to do. Obviously if they climb out then it is a safety risk and the side needs to come off, but apart from that - what might happen?

I like that she can't get out and hurt herself in the dark (and her room is pitch black at night) and I especially like that if I put her down for a nap and she's a bit reluctant, she doesn't have much of a choice. I can imagine naps going to pot once the sides are off and she can just get out.

[bunchoffives]

Fuck no. Cot as long as possible. Trollsworth

I agree.

[merlehaggard]

My girls were nearer 2 but my son nearer 3. I don't think there's any hurry. I felt sure my girls wouldn't get out of bed but didn't so much with son, so left it later. Just do it whenever you feel comfortable. As long as they're not climbing out of the cot, there isn't a problem.

[lola88]

I have to agree with you I put DS in a bed at 17mo and never looked back I couldn't imagine having a 3 year old in a cot tbh. It made very little difference to DS going to bed and instead of shouting for me he comes to get me (or shouts if he feels lazy) there are loads of horror stories about children moving from bed to cot but when you look on here loads of threads saying no problems. We have bed pushed against a wall and a bed guard on he's fell out the bottom a few times but never been hurt.

[snowgirl1]

We took the sides off DD's (2.5) cotbed recently. It's been fine so far. She doesn't wake us any earlier than she would have if she'd been in a cot. The only difference is that now she wakes us by coming into our room with a big 'good morning' smile on her face, rather than shouting at us from her room. We did use a duvet in the cot for a six months before taking the sides off, so she was used to that.

[Notso]

DD asked to sleep in the single bed we had in her room at 14 months.
DS1 refused to go in his cot the first night in the new house so he slept on a mattress on the floor for a bit until we got him a toddler bed. He was 2.3.
DS2 went into a bed at 21 months because we needed the cot for DS3.
He slept just as poorly in the bed as he did in the cot
DS3 is 2.6 and is still in the cot. He is a great sleeper, he only settles in his own bed. When we have slept away he has been in a bed and hasn't slept very well. I have no plans to move him yet.

[KatyN]

My son 2.7 is still in his cot. Keep asking him if he'd like a bed he can climb into like mummy and daddy's and he says no. So no it is.

And he's in a gro bag.

[neversleepagain]

Cot until university for us too! DTs are 21 months and we plan to move to single beds as close to age 3 as possible.

I am with your dp on this one.