When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

I know lots of you move your DC to big girl/boy beds early on because they try to climb out, or you need the crib for another baby or whatever the reasons are. But when is enough enough? I'm trying to decide when to move Mollie to a big girl bed. She's 3 1/2 and still in a crib...and happy as a clam in there. Never tries to get out, nothing. But...do I get her a bed anyway? Let her stay in the crib longer? How long? Other than stupid comments from people as to why she is still in a crib...is there a reason to move her out?

ETA: It's 6:30 and I just heard her awake...so I went to her room. I said ok, lets get up and get dresses and she told me, no not yet. So, I went back to my room to finish getting ready for work. And...she will stay in her crib playing/talking for another hour until I'm done...this happens pretty much daily

Message edited 1/28/2010 6:36:55 AM.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

Good question. I am not sure. My DS is 27 months and he is still in his crib. He is definitely staying in his crib until at least 3 years old. iI was looking at him in his crib the other day and he is starting to get too tall for it. I think I am definitely going to transition him into a bed next this fall when he is 3 years old. I have definitely heard of people keeping their DC in cribs past 3 year old.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

For us we wanted him out at 2 yrs old. He never tried to climb out but I knew he was very capable of doing so. I didn't want to worry about it happening and him getting hurt. Plus, I liked him having the independence to come into our room in the morning or if he wasn't feeling well to come in and tell us, etc.

I will be doing the same with Alexa.

Andrew is 3 1/2 now and is a little boy now and should def be in his own bed. For some reason it just seems weird for him not to be.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

if she is happy there, I don't see anything wrong with it. Who cares what other people think

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

How does she go to the bathroom in the middle of the night or when she wakes up - does she have to wake you to come take her out of the crib? I think as soon as they're potty trained they need to be in a bed.

DS was 18 mos and I was honestly about 6 weeks late (waited until we moved) - he was literally flipping himself out of the crib, not climbing. I needed the crib at 18.5 mos so it worked out in our favor anyway.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

My DD just got a toddler bed at 3 and the only reason she did was because her friend got a bed and she kept asking for one because her friend kept calling her a baby for still being in a crib. She wasn't trying to climb out or anything and I probably could have kept her in the crib longer, but we felt bad for her because her friend made her feel like a "baby"

If she's happy I'd leave her there. I would have

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

Not a parent yet, sorry for crashing.

I think that once she starts noticing that she is still in the crib, its time to switch! Due to lack of space and money, I was in a crib WAY past when I should have been. Let's just say that I was hopping out on my own to go to the bathroom at night and then hopping back in. I remember kind of understanding that I shouldn't have been in one and it was embarassing for me

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

Posted by rose825

if she is happy there, I don't see anything wrong with it. Who cares what other people think [/QUOTE


exactly]

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

You know my answer to this, we are going to be looking for colleges with cribs installed in the dorms
I really feel like it is up to you and your DC. There is no right answer to this! DS1 is the same age as your DD and he LOVES his crib. We already ordered his "big boy bed" but I am dreading putting him in it! I just have a feeling he will not sleep as well and we will have all sorts of problems. DS2, on the other hand, we will just have to see!

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

I think its fine. Christopher could still be in a crib, but he loves beds, so we switched him (it was painless too!)

Plus Mollie is a peanut, so it isn't like she is outgrowing it, you know?

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

My DD was in a crib until she was 3.5. And probably still would be if we hadn't gotten a bed from a good friend. She loved it, never had an issue.

And she was potty trained at 2.5. Even at night. She would just wake and call me to come get her. And you know what? She's been in her bed for months, and still calls me at night if she has to pee! So I don't think the potty training thing really matters.

My son always just got up himself to use the bathroom at night, I can't wait for my DD to do that too!

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

My son will be 3 in May and LOVES his crib. I dont see myself switching to a toddler bed until he is fully potty trained

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

I think once they are fully potty trained they should be able to get out of bed to go to the bathroom. everyone is different if the both of you are happy and comfortable with the situation you should keep it that way until you feel you should move him out.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

Message edited 1/28/2010 9:16:00 AM.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

I think at 3 years the transition to a toddler bed / big bed is appropriate. However every child is different. If your child does not climb out, fits in the crib comfortably then I don't see anything wrong with her staying there until those issues present themselves.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

I plan on keeping my kids in the crib as long as possible. It seems like the safest option to me...unless of course they crawl out then they will be getting beds.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

My feeling is, you do whats good for you and your DD.
DS just turned 3 a few weeks ago.
He started sleeping in his Big Boy Bed New Years Night.
He never showed interest in climbing out, he LOVED the crib.
We had to move him because DD needed to move into the crib.
He LOVES his big boy bed! He asks for it! He was ready and I would not have known because he loved the crib as well.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

Posted by luvsun27

Posted by Leeners

How does she go to the bathroom in the middle of the night or when she wakes up - does she have to wake you to come take her out of the crib? I think as soon as they're potty trained they need to be in a bed.

We're still working on this one I did say that she would get a big girl bed when she learns to use the potty She will use the potty when I put her on it...but she doesn't tell me that she has to go until after when she asks me to change her diaper or give her a new pull-up because she is wet.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

I am keeping DD in as LONG AS POSSIBLE. DD is so nosy and loves to route through drawers, shelves, you name it, and I just know that once she is out of the crib, I will catch her at 2 am tearing apart her room.

She is very content in there, and loves to play and sing to her "babies" in the morning and after naps. I guess we will need to move her to the bed once she is nighttime potty trained, but don't foresee that happening anytime soon.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

DS#2 will be 3 next month and has no interest in climbing out of the crib. So I'll keep in it a little longer. I plan to buy them bunk beds later this summer, so that's when we'll make the transition.

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

Posted by rose825

if she is happy there, I don't see anything wrong with it. Who cares what other people think

Re: When is it too old to still be in a crib for DC?

Posted by chelle

Posted by rose825

if she is happy there, I don't see anything wrong with it. Who cares what other people think

ITA!!!

I'm in no hurry either