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January 14, 2018

8 Ways to Know You’re Ready to Move Your Child Into a Toddler Bed

When is my child ready for a toddler bed?

Conventional wisdom says you should move your toddler out of his crib and into a big kid bed when he can climb out of the crib.

That seems smart. #Safety.

But did you know that you can move your child into a toddler bed even sooner if you find yourself in any of these eight situations?

This post contains affiliate links.  As an affiliate, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases. 


Your child might be ready for a toddler bed if…


1. You suddenly decide that you hate sleep.

There’s too much life to live! What does your house look like at 2:30 am? Does your toddler have any important questions that he didn’t have time to ask in the daylight?

Make good use of all your hours and get that toddler into a bed. You can sleep when you’re dead.


2. You’d like to test your toddler’s durability.

Cribs are great, but how will you know if your child can withstand a 7-inch fall several times a night if you don’t rip that band-aid off?

Kids these days are getting soft.

Shop Toddler Bed Rails


3. You’re questioning whether or not you should have a third kid and want to see what it’s like to wake up three times a night again.

Babies are sweet and cute and cuddly. Maybe one more? Can I survive the newborn stage again?

Easy way to figure it out – give the toddler a bed! Toddler beds answer a lot of questions.


4. All intimacy in your marriage has died.

Things in the bedroom slowed down to a halt? Might as well lean into it and make sure your toddler is awake at all times and able to walk into your room at any given moment.

Shop Door Locks


5. You have a day off during the week and it’s too cold to go outside.

Project time! Get out that drill, convert the crib into a toddler bed, anchor the furniture, screw with your family dynamic!

Watching television all day is for lazy people.

Shop Furniture Straps


6. You get lonely during nap time.

Where is that little bugger? Why does he need to nap so much?

I really want to play Hot Wheels and be told that I cut his apple slices incorrectly.

I wish he could sit in his bed for 12 seconds at nap time before deciding he isn’t tired and waltz down the stairs to keep me company…


7. You’re considering getting new carpet.

You walk on your carpet every day, but have you slept on it recently?

If not, you really don’t fully understand how worn or not worn your carpeting truly is. Get that kid into a toddler bed, give the carpet next to his new bed a real test drive while you try to convince him to stay in that bed in the middle of the night, then make your decision.

Shop Sleeping Bags


8. Your life is free from regret.

So far you’ve made a lot of great choices. No questionable hair cuts, good looking resume, your walks have been free from shame.

That’s boring!

Other people must find you insufferable. Take a chance and get your toddler out of that crib. It will make your memoir more interesting.


There might be more reasons to make the move. But I’m too tired to think about them, because if it wasn’t super clear, we gave our toddler a bed.



8 ways to know you are ready to move your toddler from a crib to a bed
When to move your child into a toddler bed.

Read More Toddler Posts:

21 Hilariously Relatable Toddler Memes for Parents

The Best Toddler Products on Amazon that Will Save Your Sanity

The Magic Words that Will Help Get a Toddler to Sleep


Filed Under: Family, Laughs Tagged With: best of, Big Kid Bed, Funny, Humor, Kids, Toddlers

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. SewGeekMama says

    January 14, 2018 at 9:20 am

    Lol!!! I am holding out as long as possible on this crib thing! Do they come in teen size? 😂

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 16, 2018 at 2:53 pm

      #RealThingsIGoogledThisWeekend

      Reply
  2. lazysundays says

    January 14, 2018 at 9:29 am

    All the truths! The crib to toddler bed conversion was years ago for us but I remember every excruciating detail. Good luck!

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 16, 2018 at 3:08 pm

      So you’re telling me you survived and this too shall pass? Excellent news.

      Reply
      • lazysundays says

        January 16, 2018 at 4:23 pm

        It might feel like forever but yes, this too shall pass. #parentsdontneedsleep

        Reply
  3. Darlene Dee says

    January 14, 2018 at 10:16 am

    HAHAAHAHAHAHAH. At first I was like, there is no way she has EIGHT good reasons. I was wrong. You are amazing. Number three might solve the world’s overpopulation.
    The ToddlerMonster told her older sibs yesterday that when we move to Colorado (which btw is in like five minutes I should be packing rn!!), she is going to have a big girl bed right next to mommy’s bed. I’m excited about this because she currently sleeps with me while dreaming her kickboxing dreams.
    So. Um. I think I need to order a toddler bed from Amazon today.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 14, 2018 at 9:07 pm

      Congrats on your upcoming sleeping freedom and safety! And good luck with your move. Packing is super fun, right?

      Reply
  4. Kimberly McGraw says

    January 14, 2018 at 1:33 pm

    Haha!! So much YES!!!!

    Reply
  5. Alison says

    January 14, 2018 at 1:37 pm

    There is nothing quite so terrifying as hearing the door to your toddler’s room open at all hours of the night or to wake up and find him standing right next to your bed and are entirely unsure how long he has been standing there.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 14, 2018 at 9:05 pm

      Hahaha oh man… that second one is totally going to happen this week and I’m going to freak out…

      Reply
      • Cindy Chodor says

        January 15, 2018 at 2:56 pm

        And just so you know, your toddler will NEVER go to Dad’s side of the bed…EVER!!

        Reply
        • Becca says

          January 21, 2018 at 7:57 pm

          So far, very very true!

          Reply
  6. Denise Smith says

    January 15, 2018 at 9:14 am

    Haha this is very I informative and fun to read at the same time. I have a one year old whose feet are in my face all night long because she refused even a crib next to my bed. I guess am in for a long while. thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 21, 2018 at 7:58 pm

      Oh boy! Sleeping with toddlers is no joke!

      Reply
  7. Erin says

    January 15, 2018 at 7:04 pm

    haha! We haven’t made the transition with my youngest yet, been putting it off!

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 21, 2018 at 7:57 pm

      Keep putting it off! Maybe 18?

      Reply
  8. Erika says

    January 15, 2018 at 11:45 pm

    Baby Girl stayed in her pack-n-play (my stepmom thinks I’m a monster for that, but it had a real mattress and she hated the crib) until she was 3. She was too short to climb out, but it was still time since it’s easier to lay down a sleeping toddler in a bed than a pack-n-play.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 21, 2018 at 7:57 pm

      Those mattresses for the pack ‘n play are great! We have a mattress for ours too if we are traveling somewhere driveable. So I’m Team Erika is Not a Monster. Fo sho.

      Reply
  9. Jasmine says

    January 16, 2018 at 12:02 am

    I am so glad to have had two boys who weren’t all that interested in climbing out of their crib. They were both in there until they were almost three!

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 21, 2018 at 7:55 pm

      My little man is almost three too and he wasn’t climbing out – why did we move him? Why!? Haha

      Reply
  10. ijustwannafinishmy says

    January 16, 2018 at 10:30 am

    Hahahaha, oh you just solidified the fact that baby #2 is staying in his crib as long as possible. I had to move his older sister to the toddler bed because she was just so big that I was about to throw out my back putting her in the crib. And now? Somehow we end up with 4 people in the queen sized bed. Eeesh.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 21, 2018 at 7:55 pm

      #TeamCrib for sureeeeeeee! Thankfully it has gotten better since last week, but the new found freedom is still slightly too invigorating for the little man.

      Reply
  11. Erin says

    January 16, 2018 at 2:35 pm

    These are all great tips/ideas. We actually didn’t move mine until 4 and 3 because they were not ready. It was the perfect time for our family. Ours are both girls, which probably made a difference haha! Thanks so much for sharing these great ideas!!

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 21, 2018 at 7:54 pm

      It’s gotten so much better since that first night but I wouldn’t have minded waiting until 3!

      Reply
  12. Caitlin says

    January 16, 2018 at 7:58 pm

    Oh my gosh, so funny! I have been considering the move to her own room, but she remains in the crib!! haha

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 21, 2018 at 7:52 pm

      #TeamCrib!!

      Reply
  13. Path of Presence (@pathofpresence) says

    January 16, 2018 at 8:10 pm

    Great questions to consider. This gives every mommy reason to do what feels right for them, no guilt , just practical advice <3 Thanks!

    Reply
  14. Daniel Flatt says

    January 17, 2018 at 11:25 am

    This article was informative, but mostly hilarious. Good stuff, great acerbic wit.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 18, 2018 at 8:02 pm

      Thanks so much for reading and laughing with me!

      Reply
  15. thismessyseason (@messyseasonblog) says

    January 17, 2018 at 1:12 pm

    oh my god, this has me crying laughter tears. SO,SPOT.ON.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 18, 2018 at 8:01 pm

      Haha! Thanks for laughing with me! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Jalisa Marie says

    January 17, 2018 at 8:44 pm

    The intimacy is ironic but actually is what suffers sometimes. We lived in a one bedroom before living where we are now so he ends up in our bed halfway through the night.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 21, 2018 at 7:51 pm

      Toddlers are tough cookies! And very tough to share a sleeping arrangement with!

      Reply
  17. themindfulmomblographer says

    January 19, 2018 at 12:59 pm

    We have the ‘ok to wake’ clock but my son comes out to tell us it is not green yet…🤔😒

    Reply
    • Becca says

      January 21, 2018 at 7:41 pm

      Haha! We have the ok to wake clock too. It worked pretty well with the crib, 50/50 so far with the big kid bed.

      Reply
  18. Melissa Javan says

    February 3, 2018 at 11:24 am

    On point! I need to move my toddler

    Reply
    • Becca says

      February 3, 2018 at 9:21 pm

      Good luck!

      Reply
  19. Emily Bendler says

    June 5, 2018 at 10:35 am

    I’m holding out as long as I can, but when #3 outgrows her bassinet, everyone is moving down the line…

    Reply
    • Becca says

      June 5, 2018 at 10:48 am

      Godspeed, my friend. Godspeed.

      Reply
  20. Birchi (@mybirchi) says

    July 22, 2018 at 6:24 am

    Thanks Becca for sharing such a good post on Furniture specially for kids . I have several customers need kids furniture occasionally and I found this post and tips for my business very useful. Thanks

    Reply
  21. Samantha says

    October 20, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    I was actually thinking about changing my daughter to a toddler bed. Now I know to hold off as long as possible! She doesn’t climb out of the crib (she’ll be 3 in January), so we’ve been pretty lucky.

    Reply
    • Becca says

      October 23, 2018 at 10:17 pm

      Hahaha! #KeepTheCrib

      Reply

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Meet Becca

Career Coach | Mom | Writer
Welcome to With Love, Becca! I'm a career coach, working mom of two, and writer dedicated to helping women find more fulfillment and joy in their work and lives. Stick around for resources (and lots of humor) to help you manage motherhood, manage careers, and manage to laugh through it all.
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