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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

383 replies

FlappyValley · 23/02/2023 22:14

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
MeinKraft · 23/02/2023 22:33

Don't you need air flow around the mattress to stop it from going mouldy?

UserNameSameGame · 23/02/2023 22:33

Well, bed frames were invented to keep people away from rodents and drafts, so if their house is rodent free and insulated I don’t really see where there is a problem?

Beyond those requirements, bed frames are also a trend, just one that has persevered.

LucyLeave · 23/02/2023 22:34

All children should have a proper bed. I don't care how trendy it is to sleep on the floor.

SS would be all over a WC family if their children didn't have a proper bed.

HiddenGiraffes · 23/02/2023 22:35

@LucyLeave if they had a mattress and clean bedding they seriously wouldn't

GordonShakespearedoesChristmas · 23/02/2023 22:35

There's a risk of mould without air circulation under the mattress. Mainly in sweatier older teens/ adults. Otherwise fine.

VerityUnreasonble · 23/02/2023 22:35

DS had a mid sleeper for a while which he refused to sleep in as it gave him a "fear of heights" (4ft off the ground) so had his mattress on the floor for a while while we negotiated if he would consider conquering mount bederest and then us getting him a new bed.

HettySucks · 23/02/2023 22:35

I remember not having a bed in my teens for a few years, just a mattress on the floor. Can't remember why but didn't bother me and didn't make any difference to anything. We were financially stable. Probably just wasn't a priority when I was fine on floor.

toomuchlaundry · 23/02/2023 22:36

Isn’t there an issue with mould and damp if a mattress is just put on the floor

LucyLeave · 23/02/2023 22:36

HiddenGiraffes · 23/02/2023 22:35

@LucyLeave if they had a mattress and clean bedding they seriously wouldn't

Yes they would. It's a basic requirement for children to have a bed.

MillicentTrilbyHiggins · 23/02/2023 22:37

HiddenGiraffes · 23/02/2023 22:35

@LucyLeave if they had a mattress and clean bedding they seriously wouldn't

It was listed in my initial SS assessment. Even though they had bunk beds, mattresses and clean bedding.

It just so happened that the DC had pulled the mattressess off on the day the SW came and were making dens with them.

But she did put in the report that they didn't have beds!

Ducksurprise · 23/02/2023 22:40

LucyLeave · 23/02/2023 22:36

Yes they would. It's a basic requirement for children to have a bed.

Show quote history

No they wouldn't. The child has a bed and bedding, much of the world doesn't sleep on raised beds. Beds also take up a lot of space, in smaller rooms moving a mattress makes space

TeenLifeMum · 23/02/2023 22:40

I thought there’s an air flow/mould issue that increases risk of SIDS?

to be fair, dtd2 often sleeps on top of a blanket on the floor in her sister’s room but she does own a bed.

Mamai90 · 23/02/2023 22:40

LucyLeave · 23/02/2023 22:34

All children should have a proper bed. I don't care how trendy it is to sleep on the floor.

SS would be all over a WC family if their children didn't have a proper bed.

Don't be daft! That's rubbish!

I co-sleep with my 15 month old and while she's small and can roll out of bed or get trapped between the bedframe and the wall I've gotten rid of my bedframe and we sleep on a mattress on the floor. I can honestly say hand on heart that the bedframe made it no more comfortable and we're very happy on the floor.

LucyLeave · 23/02/2023 22:43

Well l if you are a 'nice' MC family it will be deemed ok to sleep on mattress on the floor. . WC family it would be seen as neglect..

mnahmnah · 23/02/2023 22:45

@ReadersD1gest

Yep, a current trend. Montessori inspired.

montessorifortoday.com/montessori-floor-beds/

Labraradabrador · 23/02/2023 22:46

as for mould issues - maybe if you have a damp home and/or a particularly sweaty child?

as an adult I have periodically had long stretches of mattress but no bed frame, and never encountered this as an issue. But I also haven’t had general issues with mould in other parts of the home (except localised issues in some bathrooms), so maybe lucky with housing?

MaryJean87 · 23/02/2023 22:46

DoubleFunMum · 23/02/2023 22:23

😂Yeah it's a trend. Obviously passed you by.

A trend for people who can't be arsed buying their kid a bed lol.

Maireas · 23/02/2023 22:47

FlappyValley · 23/02/2023 22:23

Not judging and certainly not saying it’s neglect as there’s no evidence of that! I’m just surprised as I’d never seen this before but suddenly it seems to be a thing..

Not judging?! Come on. Plus you're asking everyone else to!

quietnightmare · 23/02/2023 22:47

Why are you in their bedrooms? So weird

Anywhooooo I had a cabin bed when in primary school with a desk underneath that had a 'secret' gap that I would sleep in underneath my bed.

Some children just like it

DoubleFunMum · 23/02/2023 22:49

Google 'Montessori'.

JunkinDonuts · 23/02/2023 22:49

When my daughter was small, although she had a lovely comfortable bed, every morning without fail I would find her asleep on her bedroom floor, wrapped up in her duvet with just her head poking out like a blonde haired maggot!

PatientlyWaiting21 · 23/02/2023 22:50

FlappyValley · 23/02/2023 22:23

Not judging and certainly not saying it’s neglect as there’s no evidence of that! I’m just surprised as I’d never seen this before but suddenly it seems to be a thing..

You 100% judged them!

Original poster
FlappyValley · 23/02/2023 22:50

Why are you in their bedrooms? So weird

Really? Pretty normal for the kids to do a tour of the house with new guests in these parts!

OP posts:
TitInATrance · 23/02/2023 22:51

20 years ago we knew a family where the children did not have beds, or much other furniture. They kept two horses and it felt odd to me that they weren’t prioritising the children’s comfort.

toomuchlaundry · 23/02/2023 22:51

Don’t they feel draughts on the floor too?