Toddler bed versus regular bed

amother

Lemon

Sun, Nov 12 2023, 5:40 pm

So happy we got a toddler bed. We used it for all our kids, so it was in use for twelve years. Then we passed it on to family. When we had a kid who was pretty much ready to move out of the crib and another kid on the way, it was very helpful- we never needed two cribs at once. And it was helpful for a couple of the kids to transfer into something less overwhelming/the size they were used to and not so high.

amother

Pear

Sun, Nov 12 2023, 5:41 pm

I bought a toddler bed for my then 3 year old cuz my baby needed the crib. Toilet trained but never needed to come out bh. Crawled in and out but no midnight trouble bh.
I think the toddler bed was a mistake. While it's still I use, I should've bought a half a bunk bed for a local Jewish store. I would've put my money towards something that can be used in the next house.
I wouldn't put my now 18m old in a bed. It wouldn't last more than 30 seconds and we'd have trouble.

amother

Purple

Sun, Nov 12 2023, 6:06 pm

I didnt waste my money on a toddler bed that she would outgrow in a few months. my delta crib didnt have an option to convert to a toddler bed anyway. I bought a nice double bed on wayfair for $100 and mattress and spent under $400, but this is what DC will use until shes in HS iyh

amother

Poinsettia

Sun, Nov 12 2023, 7:14 pm

Ema of 5 wrote:

Even in a small apartment I never used a toddler bed, I find it’s just a waste of money. We had beds in our guest room, and when my oldest, the only one to live in that apartment, was ready to be out of the crib, I just moved him to the bed, with a rail. My others also went straight into beds.

then your apartment wasn’t that small Smile

amother

Aubergine

Sun, Nov 12 2023, 7:26 pm

I switch my kids to a toddler bed at age 2.
They’re dirt cheap.
If your daughter climbed out as a one time thing you can keep her in the crib.

amother

Arcticblue

Sun, Nov 12 2023, 7:31 pm

amother Copper wrote:

I found the opposite. The younger I switched my kids the easier transition they had. An older toddler who already knows how to “make trouble” will keep coming out every 5 minutes while most 18 month olds rarely will (I’ve seen this play out many times).

If the only way you got your toddlers to nap was by sticking them in a crib they couldn’t climb out of till they fell asleep then you had bigger issues. My kids all napped in toddler beds because they were tired. Not because they were jailed bored in a crib.

I guess it depends on the child's temperament. My toddler ( & most of my previous ones) just never acts tired. He can be up from 6am till 10pm without a nap & show no signs of being tired. As soon as I switched him out of the crib there were no longer any naps.

amother

Tuberose

Sun, Nov 12 2023, 8:03 pm

We transition the kids to a regular bed at 2yo. It just makes more sense financially for us to buy a bed they will sleep in for two decades instead of buying a toddler bed and then a regular one a couple years later. I also find the kids handle the transition much better when they see it's an actual big bed like mom and dad, it makes them happy to feel grown up

Ema of 5

Sun, Nov 12 2023, 8:27 pm

amother Poinsettia wrote:

then your apartment wasn’t that small Smile

Um….it was a 2 bedroom, and the second bedroom was very small. Pretty much just space for beds. I wasn’t going to waste space with a toddler bed. We got a hi- riser, and he moved into our room and we took off the bar when we had company.

GLUE

Sun, Nov 12 2023, 11:10 pm

I know I am going to sound like a terrible person, did you ever think of putting a tent on your crib. I have put them on with a few kids.

I never brought a toddler bed I just got them from people giving them away, I happen to like them they are useful for a few years.

amother

Hyacinth

Mon, Nov 13 2023, 12:14 am

shabbatiscoming wrote:

But to me its just a wasted expense. A regular bed will have to be bought at some point. So why an added peice of furniture that wont have use for all that long?

Really depends. If you plan on having a lot of kids and you buy it for your oldest, it will just keep getting passed down to the next kid.

Honesty here in Israel people are always giving them away or selling them for like 100 shekels where I live.

We have the IKEA kura bed hacked as a floor bed and someone was giving it away used for a year in New condition cuz her kid didn't like it anymore.

I don't know if is go out and spent 700 shekels on a toddler bed and Matress, but if someone was giving it away or selling for 100-300 shekels for the Matress and all.... Why not?

I also like the fact they can be independent and get in and out themselves.