opinions please - 2.5yo bed or cot

[omama]

Ds is almost 2.5, still in a sleeping bag, still in a cot (cotbed type). All of my friends lo's, some younger some older, are all in toddler beds or single beds already. Am wondering if i am babying him by keeping him in a cot & if he is of an age now where he'should'really be in a bed.

He's never tried to climb out (due to being in bag) & naps only in his cot. He settles well at bedtime in a matter of minutes & often sleeps in til 8-9am (he's dropping his nap)

Dh is concerned that a bed will mean fun & games at bedtime, no more daytime naps (which he very much needs a couple of times a week) & early mornings again & after suffering a year of 4-5.30am starts already we don't want to go back to that thanks! I do share his concerns, & have held off as a result but surely there has to come a point where he is too old & needs to be encouraged to progress. Opinions please?

My opinion was always "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

We only just moved DS into a proper bed 2 weeks ago. He's just turned 3. He wasn't a climber, loved his cot and slept really well so I didn't see the rush.

As it has turned out, he loves his big bed and even though he could get out on his own, he hasn't done it once. Even in the morning, he still calls us and waits for us to come and get him. I think being a bit older means they are more able to understand when you explain that they have to stay in bed etc. That's certainly been our experience.

Presumably you'll be toilet training soon, so at that point he'll need to be out of the bag and cot so that he can wee in the night if he needs to - I think that will be the natural point at which the cot sides will come off.

FWIW my DS was in a bed with a quilt at 18 months, and the novelty of getting out of bed wore off within a week! He was dry at night by 2.2 and now at 2.5 still naps for 2 hours every afternoon and goes to sleep at bedtime within 10 minutes.

My DD is 22 months old, and has always slept well in her cot. She moved into a toddler bed 2 nights ago - i was dreading it, as i was imagining my quiet peaceful evenings being destroyed by her constantly getting out of bed, playing up etc etc. She's an - erm - boisterous child through the day and i was worried that she'd be relishing her newfound night-time freedom!
Infact, i had the toddler bed for a month before i put it up as i really was trying to delay it!

However, both nights she has gone to bed at her normal time and gone straight to sleep, and slept through until morning - just as she did when she was in the cot.
I'm hoping she's not lulling me into a false sense of security!

We are still in a cotbed at 3. Have a cot bed duvet now but that's recent. Has been potty trained in day since 20 months, but haven't attempted nighttime as pull up always wet in am. I did ask if he wanted the side off now ( as converts), but he got all upset and wanted it in. He does climb in and out himself now so it's not really a 'hold' ( but also only learnt last few weeks.

I would leave until too big for bag, then poss add a duvet but keep in cot/ cot bed if happy

( ours also still nap every day and friends don't since in a bed so don't fancy changing yet)

Thanks for your replies everyone.

samsmalaidh yea i def want to have him in a bed before we start PTing. He's starting to stay dry for hours at a time during the day so i dont think he'll be too much longer now.

the sudden nap drop is def a big worry. But its reassuring that several of you still have naps/reasonable bedtimes!

glory is your dd still settling/sleeping ok? Does she nap in the cot?

Ds has a bad cough today & i've just had to go up & settle him. As i was cuddling him, completely unprompted, said "i want to take off the bars mummy i want to go in a big boy bed". We have talked about it before, but not recently, so looks like we may be doing it tomorrow!