The funniest things toddlers do when transitioning from cot to bed

Just when you’ve finally got your little one sleeping through the night (or at least found some sort of rhythm), the next phase comes along to rock you to your core. The dreaded cot to bed transition. It’s a bittersweet time for parents because your baby isn’t a baby anymore – they’re growing up!

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On one hand, you’re sad to say goodbye to the cot that your baby called home for so long (not so much the many MANY sleepless nights you spent next to it and sometimes maybe even in it…) But on the other hand, you’re excited to get them a big bed and see their own excitement with becoming a ‘big girl’ or ‘big boy’ and having a bed all of their own. Plus it just gives you another chance to redecorate their room!

So you think, how bad can the transition from cot to bed really be 😅?

Well like anything to do with toddlers, they’re all different and for some, it’s a walk in the park… But for others, it’s a trip back to sleepless nights, bedtime negotiations that put ASIO to shame, unwanted visitors in your bed and hilarious sleeping positions that surely can’t be comfortable.

To make you feel a little less alone we’ve compiled a list of some of the funniest, weirdest and yep we’ll say it; annoying, things that happen when toddler’s make the move to a bed.

1. The weird sleeping positions

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You’ll go in and find them in any matter of weird positions. Feet up the wall, sitting up against the wall, half on the bed, half off the bed… Pretty much the only place you won’t find them is lying straight with their head on the pillow.

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2. Sleeping anywhere

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This is when you will wonder if you have a little sleepwalker on your hands! Some parents report finding their sleeping beauty on the floor, in the toy box, under the bed, behind the bed, in the cupboard, in the hallway… you name it.

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3. Escape artists

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Their newfound freedom is an enticing treat that toddlers can’t resist, so bedtime often becomes a power struggle between you and your tiny sleep terrorist. They will use any manner of sneaky tricks to resist bedtime, their bed and their bedroom. Don’t be fooled into thinking just because they’re quiet they must be asleep! They can be cunning little things that won’t play by the book – stay strong.

4. Nighttime adventures

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If you leave your little one’s door open (or they can open it themselves) then you might just find them asleep around the house – or up watching TV at all hours. Cheeky little things. Don’t forget to make sure anywhere they can access at night is toddler-proof and safe.

5. The strange requests

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Yep, everything under the sun will suddenly be wrong – from their pyjamas being too pyjama-y to their bed being too hard. Or was it that the dinosaurs were having a tea party and kept them awake? During the day we marvel at their imagination, but nothing is more frustrating than trying to reason with an unreasonable toddler about a dinosaur at bedtime.

6. Hunting and gathering

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You might find them in the morning with weird objects in their bed – whether it’s a plethora of toys they’ve grabbed from around their room or maybe even a kitchen utensil or two, shoes or even the dog bowl… Toddlers are weird.

7. The endless to-do list

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You’ve heard the saying ‘no one is busier than a toddler who’s been told it’s time for bed’ – and it’s true! Everything from needing to go to the toilet (5 times), to being hungry, thirsty or even feeling the need to tidy their room. Did we mention they’re cunning little things toddlers? Although if they’re going to do something, tidying their room is at least constructive…

8. The midnight lurker

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You’ll find them staring in your face or hovering over you while you sleep. All those horror movies you watched when you were younger have nothing on waking up to find a small person standing over you while you sleep. Yep if they can get out of their room themselves then you should expect to have visitors, so prepare accordingly.

9. The noisy beast

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Toddlers struggle with the concept of being quiet at the best of times. Somehow their whispering and tip-toeing even manages to be louder. And you bet it’s the same during the night. When they’re not doing their aforementioned midnight lurking then they’re sure to wake the entire household.

10. Up with the sparrows

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Even if you’ve done everything “right”, they’ve got the Rolls Royce of comfortable beds, a dark room and the fancy clock that tells them to wait until the sunshine comes up. They will STILL wake at the crack of dawn with boundless energy to boot. Because they can. If only we could bottle that energy for ourselves…

Making the transition from cot to bed is a big, exciting milestone for you and your little one, but like anything to do with kids, it takes time and patience to get through it. Suddenly going back to sleepless nights and entering into bedtime warfare can be difficult, but remember it won’t last forever. Stay strong with your negotiations and check out our articles on transitioning from cot to bed and taking back control of bedtime.

Be sure to check out ergoPouch’s gorgeous new toddler bedding collection to get your little one set up for sleep in their new big bed!

This is a paid partnership between Kiindred x ergoPouch.

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