Until recently, our daughter was still snugly placed in her crib.
Excuse me? Yes, you there in the well-coordinated ensemble. What’s that? How old is she? glances away, whispers She’s thrmmhmm.
What’s that? You didn’t catch that? She’s…she’s 3 1/2. Almost 4, alright?! She was 3 1/2 years old and still happily contained in her crib.
I know, I know. It’s a small miracle we’ve not been reported. But somehow, this same child who fearlessly flings herself off couches and navigates play structures never once considered escaping her crib. Without an older sibling, she simply didn’t realize there was an alternative. So, we decided to keep her there.
This decision wasn’t just due to convenience; we actively chose to extend this phase for as long as we could. Many of our frazzled friends with children warned us against transitioning, sharing tales of sleepless nights spent corralling their little ones back into bed, pleading for us to keep our daughter in her “baby jail.”
There was a deep sense of comfort in knowing she was safely tucked away each night. Our routine was simple: shower, brush teeth, read a bedtime story, and place her in the crib by 8 PM. Twelve hours later, we’d find her on the monitor, entertaining her stuffed animals with books, patiently waiting for daybreak.
Then came the weekend that changed everything. We traveled, and the only sleeping arrangement available for her was a standard bed. When we returned home, she confidently announced her readiness for a big kid bed, and we, foolishly, believed her.
At first, the transition seemed smooth. She was excited about her new setup, and for a brief period, she maintained her previous behavior. But that once comforting routine? Gone in an instant. I was soon tormented by vivid nightmares of her sneaking out in the middle of the night or causing chaos in her brother’s room. My nights of restful sleep quickly turned into a series of light dozes punctuated by worry.
As soon as she realized that she could escape, our peaceful nights were over. The baby still wakes up once or twice each night, and he’s become the easy one. The miraculous 12-hour stretches of sleep are now a distant memory.
Every night, as we tucked her in, she would appear multiple times with various requests: “I need another hug,” “I’m thirsty,” or “Did you hear that noise?” What used to be cherished alone time for my husband and me transformed into a workout routine of running up and down stairs to return her to bed.
When the house finally settled into darkness and silence, I would try to rest, only to be jolted awake by her close presence, whispering, “Mooommm” in a raspy voice. The adrenaline rush from such surprises meant sleep eluded me for hours. On particularly exhausting nights, I would stumble to the bathroom only to find her lurking in the shadows, reminiscent of a scene from a horror film.
This nocturnal pattern has persisted, with her rising with the sun at 6:30 AM, often rousing the baby along the way. We’ve tried everything—bribes, stern warnings, reasoning, and even a special alarm clock that lasted two days before she figured out how to ignore it.
In our most desperate moments, we’ve even fantasized about returning her to the crib, regretting our decision to transition her to a big kid bed. Why didn’t we keep her there until college? It could have been perfectly normal, right?
So here I stand, your weary companion, coffee in hand, urging you: Unless your child is actively attempting to leap out of their crib in a dangerous manner, hold off on the transition to a big kid bed. There will be plenty of other milestones to celebrate. I know they seem to be growing up so fast, and you’re excited to see them in a larger bed, but trust me, they are not ready. And neither are you.
For those of us who are sleep-deprived, I implore you: please, promise us you’ll hold on a little longer.
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Summary:
In this lighthearted yet earnest exploration of the trials associated with transitioning a child from a crib to a big kid bed, the author shares personal experiences and the significant challenges faced during this phase. The narrative emphasizes the importance of considering the timing of such a transition, advocating for parents to maintain the crib arrangement as long as possible for their own peace of mind and their child’s comfort.
Keyphrase: Delaying the Transition to a Big Kid Bed
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