Big-boy Bed Time

Young C is sleeping soundly for the first night in his new-to-him big-boy bed right now. He’s been sleeping really well (i.e. through the night) in his crib for almost a year now and still loves it and doesn’t try to climb out at all. Still, as of April 29^th he’s a bona fide two-year old and it feels like the time is right. I’m also four months pregnant, of course, and we want there to be ample time for Young C to forget about his crib before the new baby arrives on the scene. And it’s getting a little hard for me to hoist him in and out of the crib several times a day right about now. So new bed it is.

This is the way you’re supposed to make the crib to bed transition: You hype up the new big-kid bed and include your toddler in the purchasing of new bedding. You keep everything else about their bedtime routine and sleeping environment the same. You keep them safely in place with a guardrail. You make sure the timing doesn’t coincide with any other major changes in your kids routine. I really did intend to follow those guidelines, but … well, this is how we did it: We accepted an offer for a hand-me-down bed and didn’t get around to purchasing any special new bedding before the bed got here. We had family over for dinner the same night the bed arrived and didn’t have time to remove his old crib from his room before bedtime. In place of the guardrail we haven’t yet gotten is his old crib mattress on the floor beside his bed to cushion his inevitable tumble. And, just to seal the deal, he’s set to start daycare for the first time ever on Friday. (Yes, the Daycare Despair is finally over and he’ll be going to Novus Day Nursery three mornings a week so I can try to make a buck or two.)

Despite the lack of special new bedding and the presence of his old crib right in the same room, Young C really was eager to get into his new bed. He kept breaking free from the dinner table to run to his room and get into bed and happily read his bedtime stories all tucked in. It was only when we reached the tail end of his bedtime routine and the tell-tale words, “Here’s your snuggly blanket …,” triggered the realization that he was actually supposed to fall asleep in this new bed that all hell broke loose. He screamed “No!” and jumped out of bed and ran out of his room. We then repeated our goodnight to Dad and the end of his routine and I put him back into bed where he started screaming and crying. After one more escape attempt was quickly intercepted he just stuck to the crying. I waited by his door for him to calm down. I listed all the animals at the High Park zoo that were sleeping and I even tried singing. After more than 30 minutes of alternating crying and sitting up to name some more animals that might be sleeping (“And bugs, Mom. Is the bugs sleeping too?”) I lay down beside him. Happily, this worked like a charm and he calmed right down and snuggled in under his covers. He kept reaching over to make sure I was there, though, and eventually backed me right off the edge. So I sat on the crib mattress and reassured him that I was still there until he finally fell asleep.

I hope that after a few days he’ll feel secure enough in his new bed to fall asleep on his own and this won’t compound the difficulty he’ll have adjusting to daycare. Like his reaction to his new bed, Young C seems happy enough about daycare. He’s been there before and knows that there will be other kids and toys for everyone to share and that Moms and Dads are not allowed. Still, when I walk out the door and leave him in the company of total strangers there are bound to be tears. In the meantime, I’m preparing myself for some nighttime visits and early morning wakings. And I’ve really got to find a guardrail to fit this bed.

(Image courtesy of www.dn.anglican.org.nz/resources/liturgical/arts/clipart/)