Time goes by far to quickly at times, and far to slow at others, though none quite as fast as a growing child. You remember getting the news you were going to have a child, which then turned into the actual birth. Those times seemed to be just yesterday and look at you now, sitting down to determine if you want to move your previous newborn, now toddler, into a bed. What do you choose you wonder? Toddler bed or regular bed? This isnt a yes or no type question so to help here is a list of the advantages of both. With that you make the decision based upon your intimate knowledge of your child, living situation, finances, and space available.
Toddler Bed:
Toddler beds utilize the same mattress as a crib does and so theirs no need to get a new one. The bed will be lower to the ground allowing the youngin to climb in and out of much easier. Some even have handrails to stop them from falling out. If by chance your child does fall out they wont fall as far making injury less likely. Toddler beds being small they are great for those families low on space. You can save even more money since theirs no need to be buying new bedding. There are many theme oriented beds that can be purchased if you want to liven up the room some more as well.
This all being said toddler beds are designed for children one and a half to three and a half years old. So while your bed may be 15 years old (and you thought your toddler needed a new one!), the lifespan of these are short in comparison. While easier to climb into and out of that can be a hassle when they should be going to sleep and stubbornly choose not to. Some companies also use off sized mattresses which force you to buy sheets and bedding from them only. Standard crib sheets are 52 x 27. The usefulness of these beds goes down even more if your child happens to be tall for their age.
Regular Beds:
By changing to a regular bed now you only deal with the emotional attachment to the previous bed once. You can also use this bed for a long period of time, until the child goes to college or moves out in most cases. It may even reduce the number of times your child gets in and out of bed as its higher off the ground than toddler beds. While it may be more expensive initially to go with a regular bed it is cheaper in the long run as theres no two step move to it. Its going to save time as well in changing the room, doing something with the old bed, making trips to the store or computer for information (though for some this may be part of the fun so carry on).
Regular beds while great height for teens and adults are quite tall for a wee 1 and a half year old. The lack of guard rails can cause a bit of a head bump during a fall, obviously something to avoid. You can cut some cost in this regard by simply pushing the bed against a wall or using surrounding desks, bookcases as makeshift rails.
There are many factors to be considered when deciding between toddler beds and regular beds and only you have all the facts in order to make that decision. Make the one that feels right for you based on all the facts at hand.
