The next change on the list is a more complicated matter. Jack sleeps in a crib right now (aside from being monkey in the middle when he's having a really bad night and wants to be with us). Kevin's niece, who is several months younger then Jack, is already in a toddler bed. And just recently, Jack's cousin, Will, has transferred to a toddler bed without any problems. He just happily goes to sleep in his bed! Jack, on the other hand, needs bars to keep him confined. Even when we sleep in the guest room where the mattress is just on the floor, Jack wants to get out of bed and explore. So, what do we do? Do we get a toddler bed and deal with him getting out of it, banging on his door, and crashing on the floor? Or do we continue with the crib that he loves so much?
Lastly, the next change I want to attempt is potty training. I know he's only 16 months old, but I read that the sooner you start the potty training, the easier it will be to transition. My sweet boy though has no concept of going potty, and I wonder if it would just be a lost cause. Can anyone recommend some good books on that matter, or offer opinions with experience in this field?
Thanks a bunch!!!
A very thoughtful blog this morning Chrissy dear. The bottle definitely has to go - it's time. It doesn't mean he's not a baby - you're 26 and you're still my baby - you don't need a bottle for that :)... anyway, keep one just for water if he needs to suck on it during transition, but if he can fall asleep without, he needs to do that.
ReplyDeleteThe crib issue is not an issue. If he's fine in it and not trying to climb out then keep him there for now. If it becomes a safety issue than switch. You may have to work on his bedtime routine that signifies it's sleepy time, but he will test you.
Potty training is a no brainer - he's not ready. Don't even think about it until he is two and half or so. Boys are way slower on that so don't rush it - you'll just frustrate him and you.
Love you guys.
I agree with Gramma Tutu on most points. Toss the bottles. A bottle isn't going to keep him a baby - nice try though.
ReplyDeleteDO NOT move him out of the crib until he is A)scaling the sides of the crib and getting out on his own or B) making it IMPOSSIBLE to get him in the crib. Believe me, you DO NOT want to make that transition before you have to. You hit the nail on the head; a crib contains them and when they are resisting sleep at all cost, they will eventually give in if they're in the crib, whereas they can get up and wander around their room for hours in a bed. Try that one on for size.
Potty training is not something you have to start thinking about yet. I got W a potty chair when she was 18 months old. She refused to even sit on it until she was 2 and didn't potty train until she was 2 1/2. S, on the other hand, was potty trained and completely out of diapers just after she turned 2. Every kid is different. What you can do is get a potty chair and introduce it to Jack. He may just decide that it's pretty cool and want to sit on it every time before bath... or he may want to put it on his head. There's no harm in introducing it, but don't expect him to communicate his elimination needs for quite some time. I don't necessarily buy into the theory that boys are slower than girls in this department. I've experienced slow girls just as often as slow boys. I think it really just depends on the kid.
1- The way I broke Staci from her bottle was she only got a bottle w/ water at bedtime, otherwise it was only a cup. And then I started narrowing down the number of them we had, and had her help me by saying "go throw this away for mommy, thank you". It actually worked really well, soon she started throwing them away herself!
ReplyDelete2- I only switched Staci to a bed at 1 because I wanted her to get used to being a "big girl" with Trinity on the way. I would think as long as he doesn't surpass the weight limit for it who cares! (Once Staci started sleeping on a mattress on the floor she actually fell asleep on the floor for the first week or so)
3- Uh! Don't ever start talking about potty training! Boys are "typically" ready to start later than girls (and Staci hasn't even started yet :P ). I asked Joy (seeing as she's potty trained 4 kids) and she says regardless, boy or girl, don't even start to try until around 3, because they just don't "get" the feelings.
Hope I helped!
I agree with Tutu and Madre, keep him in the crib until he is climbing out of it, bottle, yeah , he is ready for the sippy cup and as far as potty training goes, boys are slower, a good rule of thumb is, if he can tell you he needs his diaper changed or has to go potty, he is ready to be potty trained, I would say you have a good 8 months or more before you need to worry about it, one change at a time, maybe take all bottles away this month or keep one with water only at bed time and only one then worry about the next faze of changes as it comes along........smooches!
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