To be surprised these children don’t have proper beds?

[FlappyValley]

Out of DC’s friends whose houses we’ve visited, I’ve seen three who don’t have proper beds, just a mattress on the floor. I’m really surprised because these aren’t poor families by any means (professional jobs, foreign holidays, nice clothes, etc) and the parents all have beds themselves! AIBU to think a bed is one of the most basic things you’d buy your child if your standard of living is generally good? Or is this totally normal?

No money involved with grounding. It’s fantastic, have you never felt how good it is walking barefoot on the grass?

If you Google grounding and beds there seems to be many people trying to make money out of it @MyOldFriendTime

No connection whatsoever with sleeping on the floor 🤣

Ahh but there is a connection, many pp have said their kids sleep better being on the floor 🤷🏻‍♀️ Anyway I didn’t bring up grounding.

Yes ,but the accumulation of your child sitting on sofa, house rugs, car/bus seats, school carpets, gym mats, grass, mud, inhaling vehicle fumes, playing with other kids, touching pets, being in close proximity to 25+ kids most days makes your regularly vacuumed, cleaned carpet that's had only socks, inside slippers and clean feet on them look positively sterile...

Who wears shoes inside? Let alone in bedrooms?

Hate to break it to you, if you're wearing outside shoes in your bedroom, and there's dog shit on the carpets...then there's dog shit in your kids beds...

It's seems bizarre that you're simultaneously concerned about your child breathing in dog poo particles and also bringing them in by wearing your outside shoes in the bedroom...

Lol the majority of people in the UK, your confusion seems be utterly disingenuous.

Here, even people who say they don't do, sometimes. To me, even your post reflects that because I am from a culture that genuinely never, ever wears shoes indoors, and it would never even occur to me to make the distinction that it's better or worse to wear shoes into different areas of the house like bedrooms.

No way do the majority of peoplenwear shoes inside! And those who do even less would wear them in the bedroom....

Why would you knowingly traipse dog shit I to your kids bedroom??

Most people do

I don’t let children climb over beds and furniture in their shoes, do you? Bizarre. Sheets also washed at a high temperature weekly. I’d rather take my chances on a bed than lying on a mattress on a floor

My autistic son refuses to sleep in his bed and chooses to sleep on a mattress on the floor. Apparently, it's fairly common in the neurodivergent community and helps to make them feel grounded.

This. I see it on Instagram all the time. The ones where the homes are pristine and the decor is all in gray and browns and everything is organized and the mom makes homemade baby food, etc. Definitely a trend for quite a few years now.

Think it’s a terrible ’trend’ imo. How on earth does no divan become a thing? Unless it’s a futon!

Haha well, because I'm bored and over analysing I'll bite

I have seen it happen hundreds of times in the UK. Even just 1 time would be memorable for me.

A lot of British people SAY they don't but (1) they actually sometimes do, or change their policy for guests depending on who the guest is, it seems totally random

(2) if it really is part of British culture, why do I keep seeing people say they do? In all my years growing up in Asia, not a single person has ever proclaimed aloud that they take their shoes off at home. It would be like saying "we eat with cutlery"

(3) if it really is part of your culture you wouldn't even consider whether it's better or worse to wear it to your bedroom compared to other parts of the house. It's all just as bad. You just don't wear shoes indoors, full stop

Ok, well...I've seen it hundreds of times where people do take shoes off....

No.

But I don't allow any out door shoes in the house apart from the boot room/front door.

none of us have beds. So myself and DH also on mattress on floor. We are breadline and have never been able to afford it, but we are all happy with mattresses on the floor. It started as i co sleep with the babies (five children) and this is a safer option. My kids all thrash around in bed a lot and a floor mattress makes sense.

i had no idea about trendy but it works for us and just as well because we will
never afford beds.

we aren’t overly precious about bedding either - often the kids have a specially chosen blanket or a sleeping bag - whatever they feel like. I go round after everyone’s asleep and add blankets or duvets to anyone who is cold!

my kids are massively loved and well provided for despite our poverty - they get everything they need. I don’t think any of them mind or even think about the bed situation - it’s just normal, easy and practical. Can also be quite cosy and good for when we move - we rent unfortunately and this necessarily happens occasionally. Also saves space and we can move their bedrooms round easily whenever they feel like it!

Wow that last post got really complex didn’t it?

we dechemicalled/detoxified everything in our home years ago - all natural fibres, no chemical cleaners, and shoes off in house.

My sister did this as a 30 year old adult. I thought it was a little strange but she was happy with it and said it was better for her back. I can see how that might be the case, I suspect she got a better core workout getting out of bed in the morning too!

As long as there's no damp in the room, there really is no need for a mattress to be off the floor.

When I was 12 I thought it was the height of coolness to sleep on just a matress and not have a bed. I begged and begged my mum to get rid of the bed. She wouldn't amd so I just dragged my mattress on the floor. Kids are weird.

You will never know until you ask.
Both my sons would love to sleep on the floor and not even having a bed.
I had Japanese style futon before and I admit that I easily swapped my bed many nights for that because is extremely comfortable and I loved it. If I was alone and didn’t have to share a bed with my partner that would be my choice as well.

there can be so many reason why and I doubt is lack of money. I am sure is choice.

there can be so many reason why and I doubt is lack of money. I am sure is choice
Well, there's a poster upthread who claims to have five children and has never been able to afford a bed for any of them
So who knows?

Different strokes... but I think the principle of a bed us that it gives more cushioned support than a mattress on the floor, also, being older I find it difficult getting up from a low bed. I can see why youngsters might benefit from floor beds and floor mattresses but I wonder if there's any msk long term comparison.