Need Advice - Twin or X-Long Twin for son

[Anjelica]

I know I am still years away from my son being a teenager (he is 2 now) but we are looking into moving him out of his crib/day bed into regular furniture (I skip the whole toddler bed stuff as I don't feel like spending money just to have to buy another bed in 2-3 years).

Here is my dilemma - should I buy a regular twin or an x-long twin? I'm a tad bit under 5'8" and husband - well he's actually "short" at 5'6" (funny story but when we first started dating I was shorter them him but then I wasn't done growing - I was 14 when we started dating). In any event - I don't think my son is going to be above 6 foot but he continues to be on the 50-75% track the last 18 or so months so I think he will be taller than I. I had a double growing up and it really wasn't long enough for me once I finished growing - I know a twin and double are the same length so I just wonder if I should go ahead and get the twin x-long.

Thoughts?

 

[Skatermom23]

Personally I don't think the twin extra long gives you much more room. I would just buy the standard twin since buying sheets for that size is easier. Now if you have room then I would just spring for a full size now. That's the kind of room a teenager wants! My kids both had twins when they were little but then we bought DD a full and DS a queen when they entered their teen years.

 

[janni518]

Go with a regular twin or a full. Boys lay diagonally across the bed when they are teenagers.

 

[ryanshana]

apparently at 2 you can multiply his height by two to see an average of how tall he is gonna be. My DS is 40" tall and only 31 months...I gotta an X-Long twin

 

[cepmom]

apparently at 2 you can multiply his height by two to see an average of how tall he is gonna be. My DS is 40" tall and only 31 months...I gotta an X-Long twin

we thought the same thing with DD...multiplied her height at age 2 and we thought she'd end up 6' tall! She ended up only being 5'7 1/2" and is shorter than me!

OP ~ I'd just go with a regular twin or full size...you can't always find the sheets you want in twin XL. My kids always wanted fun sheets, with their fav characters etc and I hardly see them in XL sizes

 

[janni518]

apparently at 2 you can multiply his height by two to see an average of how tall he is gonna be. My DS is 40" tall and only 31 months...I gotta an X-Long twin

That's not true, we did an extensive study at the pediatricians office I worked at and it was way off. You have to figure in age of puberty and other factors. My youngest was on track to be 6'4" and he hit puberty early. He's 5'10".

Not saying he won't be tall, just saying that that isn't an accurate way to figure it out. Even the curve/percentiles can be skewed.
But, hey, it couldn't hurt to get the longer bed right?

A better more scientific way to calculate potential height is below. And remember it's just an educated guess. I have 4 sisters and a brother and we range in height from 6'5" to 5'3" and everything in between.

To calculate your son's genetic potential, take Mom's height plus 5 inches and add Dad's height. Now average the two. For example, if Dad is 5' 10" and Mom is 5' 3" you would take 5' 10" and 5' 3" plus 5" (or 5' 8") and divide that answer by two. The average of 5' 10" and 5' 8" is 5' 9". That is your son's genetic potential.

So:

(Mom's height + 5 inches) + Dad's height = Son's genetic growth potential
2
To calculate your daughter's genetic potential, take Dad's height minus 5 inches and add Mom's height. Now average the two. For example, if Dad is 6' and Mom is 5' 2" you would take 6' minus 5" (or 5' 7") plus 5' 2" and divide that answer in half. The average of 5' 7" and 5' 2" is 5' 4½ inches. This would be your daughter's genetic potential.

So:
(Dad's height - 5 inches) + Mom's height = Daughter's genetic growth potential
2
If the math is tripping you up in feet and inches, these calculations may be easier if you convert all the heights to inches first.

 

[sksjasams]

Another vote for regular twin size. Even if you bought a really good, expensive mattress set, you can not expect it to last more than 10 years. He will only be 12 by then, and you can decide on a different mattress size at that point if necessary.

Enjoy the milestone of the big-boy bed

Julie

 

[NJGirl]

That's not true, we did an extensive study at the pediatricians office I worked at and it was way off. You have to figure in age of puberty and other factors. My youngest was on track to be 6'4" and he hit puberty early. He's 5'10".

Not saying he won't be tall, just saying that that isn't an accurate way to figure it out. Even the curve/percentiles can be skewed.
But, hey, it couldn't hurt to get the longer bed right?

A better more scientific way to calculate potential height is below. And remember it's just an educated guess. I have 4 sisters and a brother and we range in height from 6'5" to 5'3" and everything in between.

With that calculation, I'm supposed to be about 5' 7" and I'm about 5' 11".!! The twin XL I had in college really didn't make that much of a difference compared to my full at home. I prefered my full to stretch out, rather than have the few inches on the bottom.

 

[foltzy]

We just bought my ds (he'll be 2 in May) a regular twin size. We figure by the time he's a teenager he'll want a full size bed and so we'll upgrade his bed at that time. I was in a twin size bed up until I moved out of my parent's house. My bed in college was a twin size. I am 5'8.

 

[ryanshana]

That's not true, we did an extensive study at the pediatricians office I worked at and it was way off. You have to figure in age of puberty and other factors. My youngest was on track to be 6'4" and he hit puberty early. He's 5'10".

Not saying he won't be tall, just saying that that isn't an accurate way to figure it out. Even the curve/percentiles can be skewed.
But, hey, it couldn't hurt to get the longer bed right?

A better more scientific way to calculate potential height is below. And remember it's just an educated guess. I have 4 sisters and a brother and we range in height from 6'5" to 5'3" and everything in between.

Guess I should have written Old Wives Tale.

 

[horseshowmom]

Another vote for regular twin size. Even if you bought a really good, expensive mattress set, you can not expect it to last more than 10 years. He will only be 12 by then, and you can decide on a different mattress size at that point if necessary.
Julie

I agree, you'll need to buy new mattresses by the time he hits his teenage years, and as another poster said, the "cute" sheets generally only come in regular twins.

My daughter is about 5'9", and we got her an XL twin for her teenage years. The regular twin was too short for her by then (she had a daybed before).

 

[janni518]

With that calculation, I'm supposed to be about 5' 7" and I'm about 5' 11".!! The twin XL I had in college really didn't make that much of a difference compared to my full at home. I prefered my full to stretch out, rather than have the few inches on the bottom.

Like I said I have 4 sisters, same parents, and we are all different heights. I was the tallest as a young kid, taller than both my two older sisters, BUT I wound up being the shortest kid out of them all.

 

[StephMK]

I also vote for the regular twin. DH & I are both tall (6'8" & 5'10")but our kids have regular beds. We did get DD15 a queen 2 yrs ago as she had outgrown her twin. Her room doubles as a guest room so the larger bed is better for my tall in-laws as well. I figure eventually she can take her bed w/her to her first apt & a new mattress then.

You have many more years of cute bedding and I don't think there are many choices in XL! If he needs a longer bed down the road, you'll probably be ready to upgrade him by then anyway.

 

[Anjelica]

Thanks for all the responses!!!

My biggest thing is not so much the buying of a mattress in 10 years but rather I am wanting to get the bed frame now that he would keep throughout his life here at home. If we were to get a twin size bed frame now and then later had to get a double/full size or xl-twin because he became to big for the other ones then I would rather get what he will use as a teenager now. (Yes I'm compulsive).

I know it costs more to get a bed frame that will last that long but I'm not a big person on change - example we bought my daughter her bedroom furniture when she was 3 - she does have a double but that furniture will last well past her years in high school for either her future use or ours. Now I also don't want to necessarily get a bigger bed for him if it won't really make a difference when he is a teenager.

 

[dyna]

I'd go with a frame without a foot board. My DD's did not complain about width of bed they complained about feet gettin tangled up in foot board tho.

When they got new beds we bought them twin without footboard an they was happy.

 

[janiejake]

Here is my dilemma - should I buy a regular twin or an x-long twin? Thoughts?

I'd vote for the twin-regular length. Once he is older, you can upgrade to a larger mattress depending on your available space. You can get a 'universal bed frame' at Sam's club for around $32 plus tax. It works for twin thru Cal-King. (you mentioned a concern about having to purchase another bed frame in the future). We bought one, and are using it on our King bed. Plenty sturdy. So, it would work just fine for a twin bed.

 

[NHWX]

Regular twin now but with a frame/headboard/footboard set-up so that you can move into an XL later. Our two boys really enjoyed their space ship sheets when they were little. But now plain is just fine. And with a two boys sharing one bedroom (not a large house!) anything larger than an XL twin is too much space.

We already have one XL and are on track for another.

Note for those DISers with tall teens: the bunkbeds at WL do not fit a teen who really needs an XL twin.

NHWX

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Regular twin now but with a frame/headboard/footboard set-up so that you can move into an XL later. Our two boys really enjoyed their space ship sheets when they were little. But now plain is just fine. And with a two boys sharing one bedroom (not a large house!) anything larger than an XL twin is too much space.

We already have one XL and are on track for another.

Note for those DISers with tall teens: the bunkbeds at WL do not fit a teen who really needs an XL twin.

NHWX

I think this might be a good idea... or leave out the footboard all together.
personally- and this is just my opinion from my experience (with now 15yr old, 11yr old and 8yr old)- you really can't plan that far ahead. You're thinking in terms of "adults" and how they are with their furniture. You have a 2yr old son and you think his frame of his bed will last till he's a teen? Well maybe...... maybe not! LOL We've gone thru several with our son- the latest is METAL. That's right- red painted metal... let's see if he can tear that up. LOL (IDK but I've found boys can be harder on furniture... I can't tell you how many times I've said to him that the furniture is not a jungle gym and stop being so rough on it! I know it's not just MY son judging by all the boys that have came over/stayed over- they do the same stuff jumping and climbing/etc! LOL)

Our DD15 on the other hand- she has the same (nice wood- read: expensive even back then) bedroom set she got when she turned 4... but it's not exactly the nicest looking bedroom set anymore... understatement of the year award goes to ME! (in fact just this next week we're going to buy her a new bed... right now she has full bottom bunk/twin top- she sleeps on the top so we're buying one that is full futon bottom/twin top. It will take less room in her bedroom plus be like having a "couch" in her room which she'll enjoy to the fullest. LOL) I'm now wishing I could blow a couple thousand to rebuy her entire bedroom suit... oh the scratches and permanent marker and fingernail polish oh my.... it's a sight. LOL (of her own doing!) But hey man- that's a Disney vacation right there! So I think not. She can live with the results of her actions. LOL (her bedroom suit wouldn't have made it this long either- if it wasn't made with such high quality heavy wood. It may not be pretty to look at anymore- but it ain't broken! LOL)

Anyway my point is... at 2yrs old- please don't PLAN on whatever you buy now actually making it till teen years. That's all I'm saying...