Toddler Bed

DS 19months old is going into his toddler bed for the first time tonight. Does anyone have any tips? Just wondering about what if he doesn't go straight down like he normally does, what if he wants to wonder the house in the dark just because he can. I don't really want to shut him into his bedroom. I will block all the danger areas ie. Kitchen bathroom toilet etc. I have also kept his cot up in his room just in case but just in case what? Should I take it down and put it away out of sight? Did anyone have a 19month old just got into a toddler bed and went to sleep the first night?

We went cold turkey.....straight into a big person's bed. I think he was about the same age as your little one. I preferred the option of him falling onto the mattress on the floor over falling climbing out of his cot.

The first night he slept through. The second night (and almost everyone since) he's gotten up and found his way into our bed. I just walk him back to his room and tuck him back in. The dark house never seemed to bother him. I have gotten up during the night to him playing with toys in the dark. Although he has a bedside light now which he knows how to turn on.

He can reach things now and can open every door in the house so it's a bit of a waste closing all the doors - I just have locks on the kitchen cupboard with nasties in it.

You know what I loved the most when he went into a bed....instead of laying in there crying and me struggling to open my eyes and go to him he just got out of bed instead and came and got me!

Have fun!

Cass72, Thanks for the info. I wanted to keep him in the cot until after Christmas but I found him with his foot over the edge of the cot the other day and I thought the same thing. I'd rather see him fall out of his toddler bed than get strung up from his cot.

I will get the locks for the kitchen and bathroom cupboard - even though I'm sure that I have protected everything anyway, you can never be too sure and I want to be able to sleep at night.

Here's hoping that he just goes to bed and stays there. Did anyone manage to teach their kids to yell out if they need anything instead of getting out of bed. I know my Sister did with her little girl, she's 4 years old and still waits till her Mum and Dad come to get her in the morning instead of just getting out of bed.

My kids all had torches and soft nights in their room none ever really wandered about other than getting up too early and into our room.

A torch! great idea. Might be something for the Christmas stocking. Thanks.

My DD didn't even think about getting out of bed, I think she thought she still had to wait until we came to get her just like the cot. I think the cot rail attached to the bed helped, not the actual cot rail but one of those lower smaller style ones that take up part of the bed.

Last night in the toddler bed went really well. I think the safety rails really helped to make him feel secure. He went off for a nap today without problems but when he woke up he got out of bed and came out of his room. Let's see what tonight brings.