What is too old for a crib?

[veronica]

DD will be 4 in a bit over a month (yikes!) and is still in there. Shes doesn't climb out or fuss-she likes it in there and fits fine. Her front rail comes off so it will look like a toddler daybed. We have talked about it but she does not seem to be in a rush.

I am fine with her staying since I fear the transition will make her realize she can walk around on her own and get out. DH seems to think that she should "grow up" and transition and thinks it is a baby thing.

thoughts?

[infocrazy]

We transitioned DS1 to a toddler bed at around 3.5 or a little less. We went on vacation and he slept in a twin so it seemed sort of silly to keep him in the crib when he did so well. He wasn't complaining, never tried climbing out, etc...

FWIW, it took us about 6 months to convince him that he COULD get up on his own! He normally stayed there in his bed and yelled I'm ready to wake up now! Come get me! Waking up his room sharing brother in the process.

[HIU8]

If she likes it in the crib, why not just take the side rail off and maybe put up a toddler bed rail in case she rolls around a lot (to prevent her from falling out). We did that with DD and she is totally fine (although we did this age age 2 b/c DD was ready and was asking for a bed like her brother--DS is in a twin).

[Jo..]

If it aint broken, don't fix it. ;)

It works for you. Leave her there until she asks for a big girl bed. There's no rush.

My DS got kicked out of his crib at under 2 because DD came along and took it over. She will stay in there (with a crib tent, because she is a climber) until she begs for a bed. I am thinking age 4-5.

[ett]

Honestly, if she's happy in there I'd just leave her there. She'll move out of it eventually.

[egoldber]

Personally, I do think that 4 is too old for a crib. I don't think that a child who is approaching Kindergarten age should be in a crib. JMO.

Although I am one of those people who hates the crib and ditches it early, so take that opinion FWIW. :)

[Piglet]

I don't mess with sleep if I can help it - we ended up buying a 2nd crib for DD since DS2 was still contentedly using his. He transitioned at 3.5 but only because he wanted to be like big brother.

[elektra]

when the mattress falls to the floor due to the child being too heavy??? ;)
We just started the toddler bed thing and it's no fun.
My DH was also the most excited about the rail coming off too, BTW.

[MamaMolly]

DD loved her crib. She only ever tried to climb in, never out. About 4 months before we moved we took the side off and she used it like a toddler bed and did just fine. During our move we were 5 weeks in hotels and she slept on a pull out bed and did fine. When we arrived at our new house her crib was fully set up, side back on and everything, and she insisted on getting in. She flat refuses to go sleep in her big girl bed and says she wants the baby bed. I was all for taking down the crib (it felt like going backwards to me) but DH said if it gives her comfort in all this transition then I need to let it go.

So I say move them when they either try to crawl out or no longer fit. If you think she's ready, then have her help you take the side off and put the little rail on. DD always stayed in her bed for night time sleeping, it is only fair to mention that the end of the crib was the end of naptime at our house.

[sariana]

I would say let her stay there as long as she wants, but the truth is that if she has any playdates or other children in her room for any reason, they will probably question her being in a crib.

Kids pick up on things like this so easily. It may be time to convert the crib to a toddler version or even start looking for a twin.

[JBaxter]

My brother was almost 5. He slept in a crib in my parents room till moved into our house.

[mom2binsd]

My DS will be 4 next March, he is happily sleeping in his crib, we aren't going to switch until we have to, he doesn't have playdates over in his room, and honestly we all sleep better knowing he can't get out and wander the house!

I'm sure at some point in the next 12 months he'll be out of his crib, I love that I don't have to make the bed either!

[Gena]

Personally, I do think that 4 is too old for a crib. I don't think that a child who is approaching Kindergarten age should be in a crib. JMO.

Although I am one of those people who hates the crib and ditches it early, so take that opinion FWIW. :)

I tend to feel this way to. But I think the right age can vary from one family to another.

I remember reading the autobiography of Florence Fisher (the founder of the Adoptee's Rights movement) about how embarrassed she was that her parents made her sleep in a crib until she was 10. That's definately too old!

[Katigre]

My DS moved to a regular bed at age 2, I can't imagine him at 3.5 sleeping in a crib.

[jse107]

Personally, I do think that 4 is too old for a crib. I don't think that a child who is approaching Kindergarten age should be in a crib. JMO.

Although I am one of those people who hates the crib and ditches it early, so take that opinion FWIW. :)

Ditto for us. DS was out right after his 2nd birthday, and we're aiming for close to that with DD.

[Ceepa]

If a kid doesn't mind it and everyone is getting sleep then so be it. I'd start gently mentioning a big boy/girl bed after a child is 3-1/2 or so. We did this and then threw down a twin mattress in the room with the crib (side down) to offer an alternative. No worries. After several months DC chose to move over from the crib without any problem, any wandering, any tears. We all rested easy before and after the big transition.

Good luck!

[ncat]

We moved DD to a twin at 2.5 years. She was showing awareness of needing to get up at night to use the potty. She had also outgrown the limits of the crib (though I don't remember what these were).

[Melaine]

I would mostly be worried about my back, if I were you!

We have the same situation as pp, the girls call us to "get them out" of their toddler beds.

[cvanbrunt]

Does she call you to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night? My DD just turned four and has been in a toddler bed for almost two years now. She goes to the bathroom by herself then hops back into bed and has never wandered around. You might get more sleep if you don't have to do bathroom escorts.

[veronica]

No bathroom escorts. She is dry overnight and has been for about a year, yippee.

I mention the big girl bed and she says, "soon, mommy". DH has a long weekend next week so we might just take the rail off one day and I have new bedding and see how she likes her big girl room......

[nfowife]

My DD is 4.5 and is in her crib with one side off (there's a rail there instead). She is perfectly happy with it and is quite tall for her age- she fits just fine. We took the rail off when we moved overseas. We travel a lot and she sleeps in a twin, pullout, air mattress, etc. just fine then. When we move back to the states next summer, she will go to a regular twin bed then.
DS is 2.5 and still very happy in his crib. Neither of my kids have ever tried to climb out of their cribs. But, I have a crib tent I got from a friend ready to go just in case I need it!

[alexsmommy]

If there is no height/weight limit issues and she's happy, then probably the absolute latest I would transition out would the the summer before kindergarten. She may realize her friends don't use one any more before then, in which case I'd transition out when she decides it's "babyish".

[alien_host]

My 4.5 year old DD is in her crib with the toddler rail on it. We just switched rails maybe 3 months ago? We are going to move her to a double bed soon, I just need to get the room organized and wash the new sheets. I think she is looking too long for it (mostly b/c she has 1000 stuffed animals at the bottom), the weight thing isn't an issue b/c she's only 32 lbs.

I see no harm in letting your DC stay in the crib, that's what she is used to etc. I have a friend that made a comment and honestly, I don't care what others think, it works for us and DD is a great sleeper (knock wood).

I too was worried about wandering around when we put the toddler rail on it but she doesn't wander out (knock wood). She finally gets out of bed herself in the AM, for over a month she would call me to "get her out of bed".

So I agree with PPs, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" ;)

[hollybloom24]

Let her stay!

Ours were climbing out and falling so we got twin beds, and life has never been the same since - they run around their room all night!

I miss the crib!

[hellbennt]

:wavey:hi there! ds2 is still in his crib & I don't see an end in sight, lol...
he was 3 in july...he loves his crib...and so do we;)