As soon as you bring them home from the hospital, your baby's first bed will be their crib. It'll be their space wherein they can feel at ease, comfortable, and secure. However, as they get older, they will not be able to fit in their cribs anymore. And when they feel the need for more independence, they would want adult-sized beds too, just like their parents.
However, having them get used to a larger bed is easier said than done. Transitioning your kids from their cribs to a full-sized bed can be challenging, especially since there would be no more guardrails to prevent them from falling and exposing themselves to the bedroom without anything surrounding them.
To help you out, below are some tips on how you can smoothly transition your kids to an adult-sized bed:
Check First If They're Ready
Before rushing to the furniture store, keep in mind that every child is different. Just because their cousin of the same age could sleep peacefully in their adult-sized bed doesn't mean that your child is also ready for the big change.
Your child's sleep should be peaceful and calm. If you force your child to sleep in a bigger bed when they're not ready, it'll only cause them stress and anxiety. Plus, they won't get the proper rest they need.
Before you change their nighttime routine or purchase a new bed, you should first ask your child if they're ready and want to move into a larger bed. Watch out for some signs that send a clear message of their readiness. Once you see them, now could be the right time to start practicing.
Let Them Decide On The Bed
Remember, not every child is excited about moving into a bigger bed as their old mattress would always be their comfort zone.
To entice your children into moving into an adult-sized one, you should let them decide what kind of bed they'll have. This way, they'll look forward to sleeping in their new bed, which would help them feel more comfortable. While it might be tempting to interfere with their bed choices as you'd like to match it with the aesthetics of their bedroom, just remind yourself that it'll get them excited about their new bed and make the transition more seamless.
While you let your child decide on the bed, you should ensure that you purchase from a reliable furniture store to guarantee their safety. There are plenty of shops online like RJ Living beds that offer a wide variety of mattresses and bed frames your children can choose from. They can either go with playful colors or stick with plain prints.
You can even give them inspirations which they could copy for their bedroom. You can subtly fence their choices to more practical ones by doing so.
Make Them Comfortable
The next thing you should do to make their transition easier and seamless is by making them comfortable on their bed. You can purchase a very soft mattress that'll feel like a marshmallow as they sleep on it. You can also provide them with the high thread-count sheets and comforters they'd love to snuggle up on every time they go to bed. It'll be a great way to make them feel cozy and make them fall asleep faster.
Apart from purchasing the softest sheets, you might want to include some of their favorite stuffed toys with them. You can also add a body pillow that they can hug to help them drift off to dreamland.
You can also set up speakers to play soothing music and use essential oils to make them feel relaxed and calm. And on the first few days that they will be sleeping on their new bed, stay and watch them as they fall asleep as it will make them feel more secure.
Provide Reward
Another way to encourage your kids to switch to an adult-sized bed is by giving them rewards for how they're so brave and strong to face their fears themselves.
Every time they try to sleep on their own, tell them how much you're proud of them and how strong they are for trying to sleep on their big bed the moment they wake up. It'll be a great form of motivation to keep them going.
When using rewards for positive reinforcement, focus on verbal rather than physical or material rewards. This way, they don't incorporate getting gifts every time they sleep, especially if they'll be doing it for the rest of their lives. Voicing out how much you're proud of their achievements would be enough.
Practice Consistency
Finally, the best way to help your children move on their adult-sized beds is to practice consistency. No matter how tempting it is to take them back to their smaller beds, you should be consistent in getting them to sleep in their new bed. As you practice consistency, you should establish a new routine that they need to follow, making the transition a part of their day.
As you take this big step, you need to be firm and not easily give in to their requests. Soon after, they'll realize that sleeping on their big bed would be a nightly occurrence and not just a one-time event.
Takeaway
Transitioning your kids from their old bed to an adult-sized bed can be challenging, especially since it'll be a significant change that they might not be ready for. But with preparation, practice, encouragement, and consistency, you should be able to help them move on to the next stage of their lives seamlessly.
