Sleepy Time: Getting Your Child in Their Own Bed

Most children are adventurous. It’s fueled by innocence, an inability to see risk. So they take the dive with glee. Often, transitioning a child to their own bed can be as simple as showing it to them. If the bed’s carefully selected to elicit a positive reaction — the right bed sheets and comforters or the appropriate surroundings — most children will look forward to nightfall. Boys can get excited about racing car beds. childrens loft beds will thrill them with the idea of climbing. Girls might appreciate a lovely princess or doll house motif. Not that they wouldn’t look forward to a bed that resembled a racing car any less than a boy…

Of course, everyone’s different. What works with one child may not work with his sibling. Transitioning a child to their own bed could require a little finesse.

A situation where the child doesn’t like sleeping alone isn’t unusual. Tired and overworked parents will let a child sleep with them if it means getting some rest themselves. This isn’t necessarily wrong. It’s when the practice is overused and the long term consequences aren’t given real considerations that there can be problems.

Children appreciate structure. If she’s used to the warmth of a parent nearby and comfortable with the last things she sees before falling off to sleep — like the parent’s face or room — it could be difficult to tell her that has to stop. Age has nothing to do with it. It’s conditioning. Babies, toddlers, preschoolers and even young children that are in school crawl under the parents’ sheets frequently and with little resistant from the parents. Studies have revealed that many children spend at least a part of the night in their parents’ bed.

Create a new structure. Spend as much time as possible talking with the child about your expectations when it comes to sleeping arrangements. Don’t wait until he’s climbing into your bed. As we tend to not like having our rest disturbed that might be the worst time to enforce the law. If anything, he could associate sleeping alone with admonishment.

Develop incentives for good behavior. For sleeping in her room without disturbing Mommy and Daddy offer a little reward. Every three or four successful nights, take her to the zoo or aquarium. Ask what she wants for dinner. Pizza it is! Be careful with this tactic. Set limits well beforehand or you’ll find yourself paying that child to sleep in her own bed after graduation.

There’s also helping the child develop a great attitude about sleeping alone. Give him something to get excited about. A new bed or sheets can be quite encouraging. Include him in the process. Ask what would help him sleep better. Now go on the Internet together. Make him part of the shopping process. Let him open the packages. Have him play a part in putting the new bed together or putting on the new sheets. He might rest better with a nightlight or a little music. Work with him and let him know how proud you are of his progress. You can also create a better transition by decorating with bed accessories.

Give the child time to get comfortable. There may still be a few nights when you find her at your bedroom door. There might even be a legitimate reason. A storm, nightmares, sickness, restlessness or anxiety over the new situation could keep her awake. There might be monsters in the closet. If you honestly can’t get her back in bed wait until the next day to talk about the agreed arrangement. Another, probably better, alternative would be to sleep in her room. Not in the bed, on an air mattress or, if you can stand it, in a chair. At least until she’s fallen back to sleep. Give her something to think about as she nods off, a memory that she’s fond of or a story that makes her happy.

Certain types of beds can help children transition better. Kids bunk beds or even a trundle day bed allows others to sleep in the same room. This is particularly helpful if your child is afraid. These extra bed spaces can also be used when friends are over.

There are many effective ways to get your child to sleep in their own bed. It’s going to require perseverance, patience and time. It will require encouragement and grace on the parents’ part. But then, that’s the job.

Kids Bedroom Decorating Tips

For many parents, decorating a child’s bedroom is among the most fun of all home decorating projects. Kids’ rooms can make ample and creative use of colors, textures and materials to create a space that is perfectly suited for the child and yet that is also fun and inspirational. Whether you are planning to redecorate your toddler’s room, your teen’s room or the room of a child any age in between, there are a few key tips that you can follow to ensure you create a room that is functional, fun and beautiful for your child.

 

Create Zones

In many homes, a child’s room is used for sleeping and changing clothes, but it also is used for playing alone or with friends, for relaxing and more. To create a room that is fully functional for all of these needs, a great idea is to create zones in the space. You can and should choose a theme for the room as well as stick with a color scheme when decorating. However, the zones of your room can be decorated according to the theme and colors selected. These zones may include the bed or sleeping area, a work area like a desk or an art table, a quiet area with a book shelf and bean bags or comfortable seating options and more.

 

Use Space Wisely

Whether your child has a larger or smaller room, using space wisely is critical if you want to maximize the functionality of the space. Before you begin shopping for new features and looking at paint samples for the walls, consider sketching out the layout of the room on graph paper. Consider where bookshelves, a desk, the bed and other furnishings may be placed to maximize the use of the space while creating the desired zones. Keep in mind that you may benefit from purchasing furniture that is more suitable for kids’ rooms. For example, a loft bed elevates the bed over the ground while allowing the floor space to be used for a desk, a book shelf or other areas. This is a great way to maximize space, but there are other creative options that can be explored as well.

 

Keep Safety in Mind

Kids will spend a lot of time in their rooms, and they will not always be supervised in this space. Therefore, planning a room with safety in mind is critical. If your child is younger, avoid using furnishings that have sharp edges if possible, and avoid using glass such as mirrors or other breakable objects when decorating. Electrical cords should be placed strategically so that they do not cause a tripping or fire hazard. If kids will be climbing a ladder to access a bunk bed, it may be wise to place a plush area rug underneath the ladder area. As a parent, you know that if there is a way that kids can get hurt, most kids will find that way. As you make purchases and make decorating decisions, think about how your kids will behave in the space, and make wise decisions to promote safety.

 

Think One Step Ahead

While decorating your kids’ rooms can be fun, it also takes a lot of time. You may also be investing in new furnishings, decorative items and more to redecorate the space. Kids grow and develop quickly, and you don’t want them to quickly outgrow the functionality or décor of the space that you are creating for them now. With this in mind, it is wise to think one step ahead when it comes to decorating the room. Consider buying furnishings that may be used in one way now, but that may be used for another purpose in the future. For example, a desk may be used by an elementary age child mostly for art projects, but as the child ages, this may be the ideal place to study. You can have a great time decorating your kids’ rooms in the weeks to come, but you do want to ensure you make the best decisions possible with regards to room décor. Keep these tips in mind, and you will create a space that you and your kids will love for years to come.  

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Choosing the Best Bed for your Child

Whether your little one is outgrowing their crib or you simply want to remodel their room, choosing a bed for your child can be difficult. As any parent can attest, selecting the perfect kids’ bed is no small task. The most important part is finding a bed both you and your child can be happy with. For you, that probably pertains more to safety and size and to your kid, it has more to do with style and comfort. With so many options available, it shouldn’t be hard to find a bed that fits the requirements of both you and your child.

Safety

This is probably the most important thing on your mind. Some beds are safer than others. Even though bunk beds, for instance, are great space savers and loads of fun for your child, they should also not be given to children under 6-8 years old. Specific rules should be set as your child moves to a new bed. It’s very important that the bed you select is approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).


You will want to make sure the bed is stable and sturdy as well. When you decide the bed you may buy, inspect the quality of its construction. Give the bed a firm shake and make sure nothing feels loose. If your child moves a lot, you may want to consider buying rails to put on the sides of his beds. This is highly encouraged for top bunks as well.

Space

Given a bed’s size and style, some beds can definitely be better space savers than others. Obviously a twin bed is going to take up less room that a full bed, but bunk beds, loft beds and captains beds save a ton of space. Bunk beds and kids loft beds allow you to utilize the vertical space that gets wasted with a normal bed. Captains beds feature storage drawers under the frame of the bed.


Having more space for your child to play or just additional room for furnishings can be a huge lifesaver.

Long Term vs. Short Term

This is a very important when considering the finances. If you are looking for something for your child to use for the next few years, you will likely have a completely different bed than a parent thinking long term. If you want your child to have the same bed until they graduate high school, you’ll probably want to get them a full-size bed that is fairly neutral in design to match their changing taste. If you are looking for a true kid bed, go for that race car or princess twin-sized bed. They’ll love it! Just keep in mind they won’t love it forever.

Tips

✓ Consider adding a railing to your child’s bed
✓ Keep the bed close to the ground
✓ If your child is in between the crib and a big kid’s big, consider a toddler or junior bed
✓ Talk to your child about how they would feel in each bed considering size, design and style
✓ Don’t forget how all the other furniture will fit in the room

About the Author: Kids Furniture Warehouse Orlando is the best place to buy kids furniture in Florida. With stores in Orlando and Tampa, you are never too far from the highest quality selection matched with the best prices and top customer service on kids bedroom collections. We are simply the best place to buy kids bunk beds, loft beds, captains beds and more!

Space Saving Ideas for Kids’ Rooms

As your child gets older, you may notice that they are accumulating more and more things. This can make space management very difficult. Between toys, clothes and books, things can get pretty cluttered. One of the most important aspects is helping your child understand how to keep their room orderly. You want to help your child keep a tidy and spacious room. Along with getting the right furniture, one of the best ways to do that is to allow your child to help in choosing the different pieces and accessories of their room.


This article describes a few options that can save a ton of space in your child’s bedroom. Unlike adults, there a variety of bed types that makes space management easy. We want to help you make the best decision for you and your child.

 

Bed Types

The type of bed you choose can really save a ton of space in your child’s bed. Below, we have listed the top four space-saving beds.

Bunk Beds

By utilizing the vertical space, bunk beds can provide you two beds with the space required for one. This is ideal if you have multiple children in a room. Kids will also love climbing on the top bunk. We just recommend that you set rules so no one gets hurt. If your child wants a bigger bed, you can find a number of twin over full bunk beds too.

Captain’s Beds

Captain’s beds are the type of beds that have drawers below the mattress. These drawers are great for storing toys, clothes and different odds-and-ends that normally end up on your child’s floor.

Trundle Beds

Trundle beds are great if your child has a friend stay over a lot. These are the type of beds that have a pull-out bed directly under them. You can also get pop-up trundle beds that allow you to not only pull the bed out, but elevate it so it is closer to the same level as the bed.

Loft Beds

Loft beds are similar to a bunk bed in that you utilize the vertical space in the room. The difference is instead of a lower bed below, you have space for a desk, chest of drawers, futon, etc.

 

Utilizing Wall Space

A great way to create more space in any room is to utilize the wall space. Hanging shelves, for example, is a great way to display trophies, specialty toys or even awards. Hooks can also be used for bags, coats and backpacks.

Bedroom Organizers

Use bedroom organizers such as totes and plastic bins where kids can store their things in a single place. These can be stored under the bed or in closets. Some bedroom organizers can be displayed in the room as well.


About the Author: EKids Rooms is a premier place to buy kids bedroom furniture online. Here you will find a great selection of high quality kids’ furniture online that you can trust. We offer free shipping on all of our products and top customer service. With 2 locations in Florida, we know how to help you find what you need.

Bunk Bed Safety

Bunk beds are popular bedroom furniture as they allow more open space in a room and can be fun for children. Unfortunately, every year thousands of children go to the hospital because of a bunk bed injury. Many of these injuries can be prevented through proper instructions, vigilance and child education.


Many of the recommendations made here are based on the standards of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). If you are serious about buying a bunk, be sure to make sure that the structure meets the CPSC standards. This is generally verified by a tag on the bed. We also strongly advise considering only bunk beds with stairs.

Make Sure Your Child is Old Enough

The child that sleeps on the top bunk should be at least 6 years of age. Children under 6 are much more likely to roll off in their sleep and may not have the coordination yet to go up and down the ladder every day. If your child is at least 6 but it particularly small, you may want to wait a year to two more.


Younger children can be on the bottom bunk, but you may want to consider a low-profile bunk bed that is closer to the ground. It’s best to have the older or more responsible child on the top bunk.

 

Educate Your Child

One of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent bunk bed accidents is to properly explain the rules and consequences of having a kids’ bunk bed. Let your child know that injuries can happen from bunk beds. Below are some common rules that parents make for their child to remain safe.

Rules for Bunk Bed Safety
✓ Always and only use the ladder to reach the top bunk
✓ Absolutely no jumping from the top bunk
✓ No rough play on the bunk beds
✓ Only the child that sleeps on top bunk is allowed on the top bunk OR only one person allowed on top bunk at a time

 

Using Guardrails

Guardrails help keep your child safe on the bunk bed. Guardrails should be on both sides of the bunk bed and should have no gaps more than 9 cm apart. Be sure that the foundation as well as the entire mattress is at least 5 inches below the top of the guardrail.

 

What You Can Do to Protect Your Child

• Make sure the ceiling is high enough for the child that will be on top. 30 inches of headroom is recommended.
  
• Place the bunk bed away from ceiling fans, windows, doors, smoke detectors, etc.
  
• Remove furniture, hooks or protruding objects that your child would hit should they fall
  
• Buy a bunk bed from a trusted, and well-recognized retailer
  
• Install a nightlight so your child can safely come down the stairs when it’s dark
  
• Ensure that the bunk bed is safe over time by checking it’s sturdiness with a firm shake
  
• Make sure the structure is completely against the wall to avoid your child getting caught between the bunk and the wall.

About the Author: EKidsRooms.com specializes in kid’s furniture online. We are committed to providing you a variety of furniture and beds with everything from kid’s loft beds to trundle beds. We encourage you to browse our site and find the bed you’re looking for!