Say Goodbye to the Crib in a Special Way
When you decide on a day to move the crib out of the room (whether you've had both crib and bed in the room or you are replacing one with another from the get-go) mark the event with some celebration. Let your child know what is going to happen to the crib after it leaves her room. Is it going to a friend or in the attic for a future sibling? Are you going to sell it and use the money to help pay for the new bed? Share these plans and let her see the crib one last time before it's taken away. Resist the urge to spring a new bed on your toddler by surprise. The reaction may be one of disappointment and rejection rather than excitement and acceptance. She's spent a lot of her life in the crib and to see it abruptly gone can be a shock.Stick to the Old Routine or Wait if You Don't Have a Routine
abbybatchelder / Flickr
If you have a bedtime routine that works, it's best to continue that routine as she moves to the new bed. You want to make the transition as complication-free as possible so if everything is business as usual, your toddler will feel more secure and accept the changes more readily. If, however, your bedtime routine is chaotic or the only reason your child stays in her crib is because she can't manage to get out, you might want to rethink making the move just yet. Try to create a routine and follow it through to fruition and then make the move to the bed. The unseen boundaries of the new bed may already present a problem, but it will be worse if your toddler presently stands screaming in her crib as you leave her each night.