Comments about toddlers in double beds

[User135792468]

I have a 4 and 2.5 year old and the 4 year old has had a double bed bed since he came out of the cot bed so I could use it for ds2. A few weeks back, we decided that it was time to get ds2 his first proper bed and also went for a double.

The amount of comments I’ve had about how a toddler doesn’t need a double bed and a bit of an eye roll that I got them one is starting to irritate me. I don’t understand why people care? We like the doubles as we lay in bed and read books before bed and the dc like having sleepovers with each other. It seems as though people think it’s an odd way to one-up someone though.

To clarify, I wasn’t discussing it, just had friends over for a play date who then saw it and mentioned it in a bigger group of friends when we were out and it became a topic of conversation. There’s plenty of space for wardrobes and floor space to play so I don’t get the issue.

Is it that odd to have a double bed for young dc who are either pre school or primary age? What does everyone else have out of curiosity?

Yabu - yes, toddlers really don’t need a double bed

Yanbu - people need to mind their own business

OK actually - I said it was fine to cosleep in a single - this was based on my experience with DS1 when I was 22 and very slim and his bed was an ordinary open one.

Flashbacks to trying to squash into DS2's mid sleeper with sides on it when I was 33, pregnant and bigger and it was not comfortable at all :o

Def wouldn't want to cosleep full time in a single bed but it's not too bad to squeeze in to cuddle them to sleep is probably what I meant really.

It’s perfect. If they’re ill you can sleep in with them.
Ignore the haters, they’re just jealous.

Iirc when DS was about 4 or 5 he wanted a bed with steps, we changed his bed for one of those cabin type midi sleeper things.

@OfstedOffred

Amazed by the number of people who think you need a double bed to co-sleep with a child

Never been an issue fitting in my toddler's single with them..... wasnt an issue with 6ft 3 boyfriend fitting in a single with me at university either.

People never used to need this until it became fashionable to have it...

Well, it's a hell of a kit more comfortable in a double bed. So why struggle in a small one when there's no need?

It's none of their business.

I let my then 7 year old move to a double bed when we were gifted a gorgeous double bed frame.

My 5 year old always makes his way into my double bed in the middle of the night! I'd have him in one in his own room if we had the space.

It's because when you see children's rooms on insta and pinterest and in storybooks they never have a double.
It's always cute singles.
It's an archetype and some people expect it and comment on when you don't have it.
Doubles are not associated with small children.

My kids have always had double beds. There's nothing showy off about it and I don't think anyone who hasn't been in my kids' bedroom even knows. But our logic was, it would be easier for DH or I to sleep in beside them if they needed that (the youngest does - he has ASD and often gets anxious at night), but also, visiting family could stay in their bed and the kids could bunk up together or one of them could sleep in with us.
We have family who live far away and no spare room, so it's handy they can sleep in the kids' beds.

my 2yo sleeps in a king size I share with him so we have plenty of space. I'm pregnant with no2 at the moment and we'll be buying a double for the new bedroom. we don't keep many toys in the bedroom but there is plenty of space left over.

When our kids were young and at home, we lived fairy near Gatwick inivitably ended up putting up lots of DH family, so gave our then youngest DD a double bed at 5, so we had guest bed. It was against 2 walls, and had to be pulled out to change bedding. The comments about it saving money, because it will fit them for years, you are meant to change mattresses at least every 8 years, unless your bed is cast iron, it will need changing every 10. Ours was from necessity. I wouldnt have done it otherwise.

I was wondering what bedding you use. Can you get children’s bedding in double size?

No wonder young people don’t want to leave home I was in a single bed, shared bedroom with my sister until I left home!

DH had a double bed when he was little but he shared the actual bed (top and tail I think) with his brother for a few years and used the smallest bedroom as a playroom. Also money was tight so would have saved on the cost of another bed.

DS had a cot bed so used that for a few years and then moved up to a cabin bed. His room wouldn’t have had space for a double bed plus toys. Although I am sure if we sold the house it would now be marketed as a double. And the smallest bedroom definitely doesn’t have room for a double.

@NatashaBedwouldbenice

I was wondering what bedding you use. Can you get children’s bedding in double size?

No wonder young people don’t want to leave home I was in a single bed, shared bedroom with my sister until I left home!

Yes you can. So there must be plenty of children in double beds as they wouldn’t make it if no one bought it!

Surely all these wains in Kingsize and Double beds are simply co-sleeping in their parents beds (it is MN afterall, everybody cosleeps).

@OfstedOffred

Amazed by the number of people who think you need a double bed to co-sleep with a child

Never been an issue fitting in my toddler's single with them..... wasnt an issue with 6ft 3 boyfriend fitting in a single with me at university either.

People never used to need this until it became fashionable to have it...

Of course you don’t need it. But it’s more comfortable, so if you’ve got the space and the money then why not? Or is it one of those weird puritan things where you shouldn’t do it because it’s too extravagant and showy?

I wish we'd bought a double bed, a single bed isn't big enough when the child insists on sharing with around 30 stuffed animals.

Mine went to a double from a toddler bed because we needed somewhere to but the spare double whilst decorating. It fit so it stayed and we just bought another double instead of a single.

The difference between the single and double mattress was about £30. Same with the bed.

The difference between a single and double duvet set is about a £4 in Asda (who do loads of cute patterned bedding)

Loads of places do their childrens bedding in double. Next do some lovely ones and it's cheaper than 'adult' (boring) patterns.

It also means the spare bedding can be used on either bed if needed.

I think it’s a bit of a flex to mention it (not saying that you did OP) cos you’re saying- yes I have multiple bedrooms big enough for a double and don’t have to consider that the bedding is more expensive and there’s a vague sense of ‘I’m willing to pay for my kids not to have to suffer even the most minor discomfort’ which some people find a bit… idk precious I guess. However realistically, no I guess it doesn’t matter. But even though I know that’s it’s stupid to judge I do kind of inwardly eye-roll about it - but I mean I’d never say anything and I also couldn’t quite explain why I think it’s a bit lame.

I wonder if maybe there’s a bit of an eyebrow raise cos double beds are associated with couples/sex??? Idk I’m just thinking about where my own instinct to eye roll comes from. I mean even teenagers don’t need a double bed - I sleep in a king size now but may as well be in a single as I don’t live with a partner and don’t use the whole bed. The only reason I have it is to share it/have sex in it. So maybe that’s just an association people have with big beds???

Yep agree. We are putting our DD into a double this weekend and so many people have told me it’s dangerous. It’s ridiculous.

@callingon yes I think it’s because doubles are literally designed for two people and children don’t generally sleep with someone else - even co sleeping usually means the child coming into the parent’s existing larger bed. So I guess it seems almost a bit wasteful.

Sometimes a double can fit the room better, we have a single bed in the spare room and it looks a bit lost up the corner and small children don't really play in their room much until they get older

I think a lot of people wouldn’t have room in the kids room for a double plus have space for them to play in there.
But I think it’s a good idea and we did it for a while in the old house because dds bedroom was also the spare room. So when friends came they slept in the double and she came in with us

Mine sleeps in a double bed too. Never had any comments. Very strange that they would! I would just ignore it and carry on.

We didn’t get the dses double beds until they were in their mid to late teens, because they didn’t have big enough rooms before that point - we moved house, and needed to furnish their rooms, and two of them chose double beds.

I think it is a great idea, if you have enough space - apart from anything else, it means you have a spare bed if a couple comes to stay!

I wouldn’t have the space. I don’t know any children, toddlers to teens, who had double beds. Mine were in single bunk beds until they moved out. But I can’t really see the harm. Maybe you lose the floor space for building mega marble runs or train sets.