PROS AND CONS OF DIFFERENT BIG KID BEDS
When you have multiple young children, finding room for them can become a challenge.
Many people skip toddler beds, and instead go from crib to crib-mattress on the floor. This gives the child time to learn how to sleep on a small mattress without falling out of bed.
For some kids this is a big issue! I think my daughter fell out once, but my son? Whoa! A lot of thuds in the middle of the night. Usually the impact was followed by a visitor to mom and dad’s room, but he did sleep through it on at least one occasion!
You can roll up a blanket or towel and put it under the bottom sheet to make a barrier to keep your child from the old floor dive. Unfortunately for our son, it took us a while to learn that trick.
At some point, you may decide to switch to twin beds, a bunk bed, or loft beds. It is not recommended for children under age 6 to sleep in an upper bunk or loft. The risk of fall and broken bones is too high in this younger group. That said, you may find that even your older child is too klutzy, impulsive, or wild for an upper bunk.
You also want to consider that changing the bedding in an upper bunk is not easy. If your child can’t help you with changing the sheets or if they are still wetting the bed at night, then maybe give a pass on elevated sleeping.
On the other hand, if these are not issues for you, then a bunk bed or loft bed system can offer much more floor space for the endless small plastic toys that are coming your way. In addition, a private play area under a loft can provide a child with a “space of their own.” This can be important for siblings who find themselves stuck with each other most of the time.
If you have the space, then giving each child their own room can be helpful. However, they still may wind up wanting to sleep in same room. They can easily sleep on the floor with a blanket, and that may be where you find them in the morning!
Another important consideration for both infants and older kids is what type of mattress to purchase for them. Flame retardant chemicals applied to mattresses, upholstery and some PJ’s are cousins of PCBs, which were banned in 1977. They persist in the environment for a very long time and can bioaccumulate in people.
These chemicals are carcinogens. We have more and more evidence that fire retardants are bad players that don’t really help with burn prevention. Many states are now changing laws to allow products to be made without fire retardants, however, sales people commonly remain unaware of the issues.
Europe is working to remove these chemicals from most products. Electronics are also a common source and remain only partially improved. While these chemicals are really impossible to fully avoid, you can reduce your child’s exposure.
Pick the right mattress. A quick online hunt will provide you with multiple options for both crib and twin mattresses that do not have fire retardants. Your kids will spend huge amounts of time over the years on these mattresses, and your careful choice can really help limit their exposure to these chemicals.
When they are older, use a latex twin mattress. If you can’t afford a full latex mattress, try a cotton futon with a latex mattress topper for extra squish. Look for a non-vinyl, non-toxic mattress and topper covers. Sweet dreams!
Kathleen Cawley is a physician assistant and author. She is a regular guest columnist for the Auburn Journal where she writes on parenting and childhood. Her book, Navigating the Shock of Parenthood: Warty Truths and Modern Practicalities — from a mom with twins, will be available in winter of 2022.
