Toddler decides enough is enough - now what? (crib vs. bed question)

[castlegazer]

Wow - I had never heard that either - I know that my DS only sleeps on one end of it - I wonder if I just turned the darn thing if it would be OK for potential DS/DD number 2. It is rock solid firm.
Man, just another thing to wig out about as a parent.

Thanks JetMom - that is a very nice offer. I went home last night and started measuring and contemplating the issue. I think I am going to go with a big boy twin bed without a box spring to make it lower to the ground and just put a piece of plywood down on the frame to make it firm enough.
We actually own two toddler beds already that we picked up at tag sales - one for a summer home in Maine that's locked up up there because I thought we wouldn't need it until the spring broke, and one at my parents's house which we travel to about once a month. So if need be we do own these things and if it were only warm enough for tag sales I am sure I could pick one up very easily.

I really am starting to feel that this was the biggest purchasing mistake we made as new parents - everything else has gone swimmingly - I have been able to pre-buy clothes and toys on sale, appropriately judge what things he will need, but this crib thing really makes me think we made a huge mistake. We bought a very, very nice Pali crib because we wanted to have a great quality crib. But I looked at the convertible cribs in a magazine last night and if had one of those we would have at least been able to go another year in this crib.

Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[TINKTWINS]

Well Ive got 4 yo twins. Both in toddler beds and have been since they were 2. I bought DD's at toys r us. Not an expesive on, and she still has her crib mattress. DS's bed is the Little Tykes race car bed that once belonged to my nephew. They share a room, each has their own side, but space is limitted and it will be hard when I need to get twin beds. So I opted for smaller beds so toys and stuff can fit in the rooms too!!

They both still fit fine and sleep well in thier beds. Side note, all of DS's big brothers ages 17, 15, 12 as well as DH and myself have cuddled with DS in his car bed. Its extremely sturdy.

 

[my3kids]

If the side of the crib won't come off, just put the crib mattress on the floor, and get rid of the crib. Strangely, he might try to climb back in and hurt himself that way! Then just buy a twin bed when you see the one you really want. There isn't a reason to hurry as long as the child is safe on the crib mattress "bed" on the floor.

When I had to move my oldest out of the crib once he learned to climb, believe it or not, I just put him on the bed and said "This is just like being in the crib. You need to call Mommy when its time to get up." Unbelievably he stayed there until I came to get him up in the mornings!!!

 

[CajunDixie]

My kids never do the normal thing. When younger DS started climbing out of his baby bed we tried moving him to the bottom bed of a set of bunkbeds. Being the lil climber that he was he'd climb up to the top bunkbed and sleep there. DH's mom about flipped out when she came one day and he was taking his nap on the top bed. After awhile of sleeping on the top bed he started getting up every night so we convinced him to try the bottom bed to avoid him falling while climbing down at night....that didnt work either. We changed the mattress on the bed and still he wouldnt stay asleep all night. He now still to this day sleeps on the sofa in the LVRM all night. I mentioned this to our Dr. one day and he shrugged and said he's getting the sleep he needs and went on to tell us how his father always sleeps on a sofa so knows DS isnt the only one to do this.