Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cbneb.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!amd!dual!zehntel!ihnp4!mhuxl!cbosgd!cbscc!cbneb!adm From: adm@cbneb.UUCP Newsgroups: net.kids Subject: Re: From crib to bed Message-ID: <1134@cbneb.UUCP> Date: Wed, 1-Aug-84 09:19:33 EDT Article-I.D.: cbneb.1134 Posted: Wed Aug 1 09:19:33 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 3-Aug-84 02:13:55 EDT Sender: adm@cbneb.UUCP Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus, OHIO Lines: 52 Nf-ID: #R:homxa:-28800:cbneb:24300001:000:2470 Nf-From: cbneb!aud Jul 31 08:04:00 1984 We moved our 18 month old daughter from a crib to the bed much too early. She had returned from a stay at Grandma's and seemed to suddenly hate the crib (of course, love-hate relationships at this age are not unusual). Since we were expecting a new baby in three months times (and we were terribly naive), it seemed like a reasonable time to make the switch since then then wouldn't feel like the new baby took away her crib. Well, it was OK for awhile. We simply placed a mattress on the floor so we didn't have to worry about her falling out of bed. She was getting up in the middle of the night alot more than she did in the crib, but I wasn't sleeping well anyway so it was tolerable. Her getting up seemed to occur in spurts. Anyway, after her brother was born - it took a turn for the worse. Both kids were getting up twice each night (of course, they never got up simultaneously). We were exhausted, and didn't quite know what to do. In a moment of desperation, the solution occurred to me. We removed the mattress from her room and replaced it with a small tent (we are tent-campers and used this tent in our pre-children days). We decorated the tent by lining up on both its sides and back all of her favorite stuffed animals and dolls. Foam pads made it quite comfortable for sleeping. Then, we took her shopping to select her own sheets (cabbage patch dolls, wouldn't you know). She thought her 'new' room was really great!! All of her friends loved it too; they always wanted to play in her tent. There is a happy ending here. With the tent, she stopped waking up on a regular basis!! I guess this arrangement was alot more secure for her. About a month ago (she is now 2 years and 8 months old), we took down the tent and brought back the mattress. Haven't had any problems at all. Her brother will be one year old next month and we are really enjoying sleeping through the night. Needless to say, he will stay in his crib well past 18 months old. We pitched the tent outside for playing purposes, and brought back her bedroom furniture. A two-person pup tent looks small and obscure in a large campground but it sure fills up an average size bedroom. Oh well, that's the end of my story. Good luck in making your crib-to-bed transition. Audree Thurman AT&T Bell Labs Columbus, OH P.S. Just an addendum on potty training. Once we removed the night-time diaper, it was amazing how dry her nights became.