Child sleeps on a mattress on the floor

[Ovenpizzasarerank]

Went for dinner and a playdate with my Ds new friend. Mum is very nice, child lovely. Ds called me upstairs to show me his friends lego building and his bed was a mattress on the floor, is this normal? Mum very bohemian, house very messy and not well looked after-I am not judging and these things don't bother me, my house needs painting and some new furniture, so I get it, but is a mattress as a bed ok?

Okay for who?
A young child sleeping on a mattress on the floor isn’t uncommon.

Of course it’s ok. It’s quite common. Floor beds are trendy these days. And they’re just mattresses on the floor.

What practical issue do you see in a child sleeping on a mattress on the floor? It’s less far to fall if they fall out.

I wouldn’t want that but it might be all she can afford.

How old is the kid?

No, it's not okay. Mattresses lying on the floor get mouldy.

You have no idea whether the bed is broken and they’re getting a new one; or perhaps the child actually prefers to sleep on a mattress on the floor. If the family seem otherwise nice and the child is happy and well cared for I’d try not to judge.

We did this when DD was too old for the cot but constantly fell out of bed, bed on the floor is fine if it works for some families. If it has no bed sheets or anything then I’d probably worry

Well it depends on whether the mattress had clean sheet, duvet and pillow?
If so I don't see anything wrong with a mattress on floor. My son sometimes likes to do the same for a 'den'.
If just a mattress with no bedding and dirty etc then I would be concerned. Otherwise wouldn't think anything of it. Everyone is different

8

Its not ideal but perfectly workable and if there is nothing else amiss and it is clean I wouldn’t get excited about it. Very possible she can’t afford anything else.

My son had just a mattress on the floor for a good few weeks recently, he bounced straight through his bed and finding a replacement that suited was harder than I thought! Presumably you know something like this wasn’t the case?
I couldn’t get particularly worked up about this.
Out of interest, if everyone said it was awful, what would you do then?

Pillows and throw, no sheet

Absolutely fine, probably semi cosleeping (yes, even at 8)

No it’s pretty disgusting. Mattresses need air to circulate round them and they easily become mouldy when on the floor directly
Those posters excusing it probably live in complete chaos themselves … it’s not the norm.

but if the house is a tip in general then sounds like it’s just an extension of that? I wouldn’t be concerned if the child was clean, tidy, well looked after etc etc .. I would be concerned if there was a general air of neglect

only you know which it is.

So a bare mattress? That’s not a good sign generally of care

Yes, it’s fine. In fact, whilst I have a bed, as do my children I’m not entirely sure what benefit the bed does! Especially for a small child I wouldn’t have thought it mattered. Happy to be corrected

Honestly, how anyone could think a mattress on the floor is acceptable for a young child, is beyond me...

Pillows and a throw and no bottom sheet? No duvet? That isn’t right.

I think no bed sheets or duvet is more relevent than no bed frame personally

I don't think i'd do anything, I
just havent seen it before, wondered if some people do this as a low bed maybe, i'm not sure!

Oh crikey, I missed this bit. I think that changes it to quite dirty.

We had to switch to a floor bed when my DS kept falling out! It’s fine

It’s not ok to keep the mattress on the floor long term. There’s no airflow between the floor and mattress so there’s a big chance of mould growth if it is not aired out often

Mum very bohemian, house very messy and not well looked after-I am not judging and these things don't bother me, my house needs painting and some new furniture

If you're not judging, why mention it?

What does any of that have to do with her DS sleeping on a mattress on the floor?