Set Your Price. Choose your Advertisers. Sign up for SocialSpark!
Looking for something on North Jersey Mom? Search for it here.....

Search This Blog

Thursday, July 21, 2011

How I Knew When My Toddler Was Ready for a Bed



This article, (c/o Circle of Moms) is relevant in my house right now.  To crib or to bed?  Comment with your opinion....
sleeping boy
We hear it all the time: Babies grow at different paces, get weaned from the breast or bottle at different times, start eating solids at various ages. The same, of course, is true for the question of when to transition your toddler from a crib to a real bed. Should you wait until he can climb out of his crib? Or until she no longer wakes you up in the middle of the night asking to get in your bed? Or is it a simple matter of practicality, as it is when you need the crib for a newborn who's coming soon?
Circle of Moms members' thoughts on the timing of this transition vary widely, with a range that starts at six months and extends to three years. The lack of a single, definitive answer to this question can be frustrating  or at least it was for me. I didn't know how to decide when to move my toddler out of his crib, so I wound up doing what I usually do: waiting for my son to give me a sign.

Why Risk Life and Limb?

Olin's on the small side for his age, so he wasn't able to climb out of his crib until about 18 months. At 20 months we decided to float the idea to him. We told him that we were going to take the mattress out of his crib and put it on the floor (knowing there would be no risk of falling out because there would be nowhere to fall). He seemed to like the idea — until it came time to make the change. He seemed very disoriented by the rearranging of furniture, and he refused to even try it.
We didn't push the issue. (As Circle of Moms member Tiffany G. says, "why mess up a good thing"?) It was true: we had a good thing. Even though Olin could crawl out of his crib, he never seemed interested in actually making a break for it. If he wanted us, he called us, and we came. Why risk life and limb when your parents are at the ready?

"I Am a Big Boy"

Everything about our current situation had, indeed been working fine. But when Olin turned two, I figured he should be in a "big boy bed." I'm not sure why this arbitrary marker seemed compelling to me, but it did, and I decided to up the ante.
After more discussion with my toddler (who loves to discuss everything), we agreed that we would leave his crib as is, in case he ever wanted to go in it, but that we would say goodbye to it as the place he slept every night, and start "going night-night in the big boy bed." This language resonated with him because his mantra had become, "I am a big boy," meaning, "Don't hold my hand down the stairs," and "I can walk across the street by myself." Needless to say, he jumped on the idea of sleeping in a bed as a way to demonstrate what a big boy he was.

The problem is that he would sleep in this bed only once he had fallen asleep somewhere else and was transferred. He wouldn't go down there from the outset.
It finally dawned on me: He'd never gone to sleep in his crib, either. He always went to sleep with a book while cuddling with me on the couch or on our bed. Why should this transition to a big bed change that part of the routine? Once I returned to our ritual of retiring with a book after bath — we call it "getting cozy" — he suddenly was fine when he woke up later in the big boy bed.
Now I transfer him after he's fast asleep, and if he wakes up, he's more readily able to put himself back to sleep than when he was in the crib, maybe because he no longer feels (and literally isn't) trapped. He still sometimes calls out for us or comes into our room, but he isn't frantic when he does so. He just wants to get cozy.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Looking for Prenatal (or Mommy and Me) Yoga?

Try You Yoga~ they offer group (with inexpensive drop-in rates), small group, and private one on one classes.  Whether you're a beginner or have a little more experience, instructor Diane Lutz will take you on the road to "Enlightened Motherhood".

DianeLutzYoga@gmail.com  
201.655.9500
Serving Northern NJ and Southern NY




TumbleBee July Specials....


TUMBLE BEE GYMNASTICS of Emerson
201-967-7188

*WEEKDAY BIRTHDAY specials for the months
of July and August*

*OPEN GYM*
*Wednesdays 12:30 to 2:00*
*Fridays 10:30 to 12:00*

*DATE NIGHT - Friday, July 29th -6:30 to 9:00  call to book your reservations*

*Mini Camp - Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 to 12:30 (drop off) great weekly rates*

*Mommy and Me classes - Wednesdays and Fridays still plenty of room to join*

CONCERT IN THE PARK, Memorial Park, Lodi

July 27, 2011. 7:30pm- 9pm. The INFERNOS. FREE. Bring Chairs. For more info, call Boro of Lodi: 973-365-4005. 

PARAMUS BANDSHELL TERRIFIC TUESDAYS CONCERT SERIES

FREE summer concert, July 26, 2011- SMOOTH: Motown, R&B Classics. 7:30pm, Paramus Bandshell, located behind the Paramus Library, 116 E. Century Rd, Paramus. For DIRECTIONS GO TO www.paramuslibrary.org, for more info or in case of rain,call: 201-599-ARTS(2787)

BORO OF FAIR LAWN SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

Sunday, July 24, 2011. THE CAMEOS (Doo Wop/oldies). 8pm FREE summer series concert at Memorial Park, Berdan Ave, Fair Lawn. Bring a chair. If rain, held in Memorial Middle School Auditorium.

Fort Lee Film Commission "MOVIES & MUSIC UNDER THE STARS"

Saturday night, July 23, 2011, Music: "THE CHICKLETTES", Movie: SON OF FRANKENSTEIN. Located outside at the Jack Alter Fort Lee Community Center, 1355 Inwood Terrace. Music from 7-8:30 p.m.; films at sunset. Bring a chair! Bring a blanket! In case of rain: show will be upstairs in the Community Center. For more info call: 201-693-2763 or go to: www.fortleefilm.org

WESTWOOD COMMUNITY BAND SUMMER CONCERT

FREE outdoor concert, Fri., July 22, 2011. SHOW MUSIC FROM OPERAS, MUSICALS, MOVIES and TV. Bring a blanket or a chair. Starts at 8pm in Veterans Memorial Park. In case of rain concert will be held in the Community Center, 55 Jefferson Ave, Westwood. For more info, visit www.westwoodcommunityband.org 

"LITTLE DEUCE COUPE" at Ramapo College

July 21, 2011 at 8pm. The Beach Boys tribute. Ramapo College TD Bank Summer Concert Series hosted by The Ramapo College Foundation on the college campus. Concerts held at the campus Bandshell at 8pm. Concerts are FREE, parking is $5.00 per vehicle. In case of rain, concerts will be held in the Bradley Center Arena. Ramapo College is at 505 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah. For ADA info or related accommodations requests, please call 201-684-7093. 

Westwood Summer Concert Series

Thursday July 21st, 2011. 8pm. CARNABY STREET (Beatles). FREE. Bring a chair. Veteran's Memorial Park, Westwood. For more info, call: 201-664-7882.