When to move kids to reg beds

My b/g twins will be 2 at the end of September and just about everyone I know with kids their age have already switched to a reg bed. So far even though I think they COULD climb out they have not attempted and they are good sleepers.

I have always said that I'd keep them in their cribs as long as possible (aka until they started climbing out or when they turned 3) but now I am wondering if I should make the switch.

I know some people who waited until they were closer to 3 and said that naptime became a nightmare b/c they were sort of on the verge of not NEEDING to nap and the new found freedom of a bed meant that they boycotted it completely. So I wonder if I were to make the switch now while they still def NEED that nap if I might not run into that issue

On the other hand, they sleep great and have no problem being in their cribs so should I really rock the boat??

I would LOVE any advice, opinions, experiences etc.... to help!

Thanks ladies
Erica

 

When you say "just about everyone I know with kids their age," do those people have twins? Because that makes a BIG difference (IMO -- not that I've tried it with a singleton). My kids also loved their cribs and we had no desire to give them freedom before we thought they were ready. We moved them to twin beds at about 3y3m, and it was only because they were physically getting too big for their cribs (and I was afraid the cribs would break from all the jumping they were doing). Also, I had a desire to shop for new furniture. :ibiggrin:

The nap thing may be an issue -- Amy did start refusing the nap shortly after the switch -- but we also had the problem that Amy had been napping in the PNP, so she grew out of it at the same time that she grew out of her regular crib. Sarah would happily keep napping in her big kid bed if Amy hadn't started refusing to nap. So I think naps are going to go when they go, regardless of what age you move the kids. But I think we would have had more problems keeping them in bed if we had given up the cribs when they were younger -- for naps AND for nighttime.

 

I'm not moving my girls until they start crawling out. I know they CAN now, but they don't! I'm not really worried about napping later on. I'm more worried about sleep NOW!

 

I would leave them in their cribs for as long as possible! :wacko: We switched at 22 months because Jake was climbing out. Naps went out the window when they were sleeping for at least 1.5hrs everyday.

 

I would leave them in the cribs as long as you can. We moved Emilie out at 26 months because she was climbing out of her crib. We moved Trevor to a bed 4 months before he turned 3. Mine both still took great naps in their beds and Trevor still does. :good:

 

Leave them in cribs as long as possible. We switched at 2.5 years because A discovered she could crawl out. C wouldn't have it being stuck in a crib... so they both got 'released.' No fun for us keeping them in their beds.

 

Seriously -- "all the other moms" must not have twins!!! We're keeping ours in their cribs at LEAST until they are three. We have tents, so climbing out isn't an issue. I get some funny looks at times when people find out we've tented them in and aren't planning on big beds any time soon, but I realize they don't have twins and they have no freakin' clue what it's like. If we were to switch them now, naps wouldn't happen. Joel would keep Bryan awake and Bryan still NEEDS and WANTS his nap. Even today, in their cribs, I found Joel jumping up and down, screeching at Bryan, who would then pop up as to play "peekaboo" and then they'd both fall down laughing. So yeah, if they weren't in cribs, there's no way in the world they'd sleep. They're starting to calm down now (about 40 minutes after I put them in there) so that means Bryan's falling asleep, and then after that happens, Joel will too (or at least that's what usually happens!)

So don't give in to the peer pressure!!! Keep the cribs, keep the naps and be proud of it! :laughing:

 

I should also add that they are in seperate rooms so them playing with each other and keeping each other from sleeping isn't really an issue They have had seperate bedrooms since the beginning.... So I don't think it's much different (in this scenario) from moving a singleton to a big kid bed...

Does that change people's opinions or should I just stick with the cribs?

Oh and I guess part of my motivation is that we're going on vacation this winter for a week and it would be SO much easier if they could sleep in a reg twin bed and not need to bring 3 pack n plays (I have a 3 month old also who will obviously still need a pack n play)....

 

My kids have separate bedrooms and we just switched them to their toddler beds the other week. I have not noticed a difference in naptime or bedtime. I thought it would be a major battle to keep them in bed, but so far have done really well (knock on wood). The only reason we moved them now is because I caught DD trying to get out of her crib and she got stuck on the top rail. If she had fallen, she probably would have cracked her head on the window sill and that was enough of a scare for me.

 

Ours are in seperate rooms and I still have no intentions on taking them out of cribs anytime soon. In fact, DH & I have talked about doing crib tents if neccessary. It is still different than a singleton...they just have one 2 year old refusing to stay in bed, we have 2!

I can understand not wanting to lug 3 PNP's on vacation. We are leaving friday for a vaca & I posted a similiar topic a few weeks ago about whether or not we should take ours. We have decided to bring them with us. It'll probably be a pain, but I don't want our vacation ruined by them refusing to sleep! We are making several stops along the way (driving to florida) and we have decided at the one night stays to not lug in the PNP's. They will just sleep with us....a room with 2 queen beds. It is just for 3 out of 10 nights. I am hoping we won't regret that decision...that it doesn't cause bad sleeping habits. I, personally, wouldn't let a vacation speed up my decision in taking them out of cribs. If you decided you didn't want to take the PNP's, maybe you could get them each one of those tented travel beds. That way, it is just for a week & not for the rest of your life.....just a thought.

 

Thanks for ALL the replies I REALLY appreciate it all the responses...

thanks again
Erca

 

My decision has been to hold off on beds for as long as possible. I am happy knowing that they are safe and secure in their cribs with tents. They are happy to go to sleep in their cribs with tents. Why mess with a good thing? Plus, mine are in a big rebellion phase (especially Jackson), so I know it would be a power struggle (not that it won't be at three, but there is a chance it won't be and I know for sure it would be now). I figure that I would rather lose naps at age 3 than risk that happening now at age 2, if it's going to happen because of big kid beds. That way, if we lose the naps, they probably won't need them as badly as they are needed right now!

(all of this typed while my boys are screaming, jumping, and arguing in their beds instead of napping!)

 

I moved my son at 3 and it was smooth sailing, so I decided to wait as close to 3 with my girls as I possible could. I did and it went really good for us as well. So my experience with my singleton led me to wait until 3 with my girls. We have had very little problems and I really think it is because we waited until they were older. Mine were not trying to climb out of the bed, I just felt it was time, plus i was trying to potty train them, so for us, 3 was a good age and I didn't feel the need to switch before then.

 

I waited until age 3, and it went very smoothly. They had crib tents to keep them from climbing out.

They did stop napping shortly before 3, but it was prior to moving to beds (stopped napping while still in cribs).

 

Mine turned 3 last weekend and they are both still in cribs. I'll move them when they can't fit any longer.