Moms of Toddlers/Preschoolers

[lizlemon19]

1st time posting over here, but I know this gets a lot of traffic. I am in the process of adopting two boys are are 20 months and 4 yo. At what age did your child stop using:

a crib?
stroller?
high chair?
a toddler bed (or did you go ride to twin with side rails)?

Trying to decide on registering.

[Deleted]

For choosing beds, I'd try to get them whatever they're in now to minimize bedtime changes. Even if the crib is only used for a few months, it's worth it.

Stroller is a lifestyle thing. We never really used ours - very, very rarely. I prefer my carriers and the wagon and shopping carts.

DS already hates the high chair. A space-saver booster seat would be a better bet.

[elocrates]

Congratulations!

Crib: 2.5 for DS1 (when we needed it for DS2). DS2 is 28 months and still in a crib. We'll switch him to a twin bed with side rails when baby #3 needs the crib (or when he starts climbing out, whichever comes first).
Stroller: DS2 still loves the stroller. Every child is different. Could you borrow one for a little bit to see if your DS likes it before you buy?
High chair: A booster seat should be fine for your DS2 (will still keep him contained but saves lots of space compared to a high chair). Your DS1 should be fine in a regular chair.

Again, congrats! Hope to see you around here more.

[lizlemon19]

Thank you! IDK what they are in now sleeping-wise, I will have to talk to the foster parents. The littlest one is in physical therapy, so I am guessing he may not be a climber yet and could be in the crib a little longer.

I am thinking of picking up a used stroller --maybe an umbrella one for shopping and a jogger for long walks or outings like the zoo? WDYT?

I am hoping to be on the board more. I lurk sometimes, and like this board more than the bump. (I do post on the Adoption board on the bump, because those ladies are cool).

[pamela]

Congratulations and good luck!

We're about 21 months and just switched his crib to be a toddler bed with a side rail that he can climb in on his own. He would need help with a twin bed. We still use a stroller for long trips, like the zoo, where he'll tire from walking, but it's an umbrella style at this point. We stopped with the high chair around 18 months or so and just use a booster strapped to the regular dining room chair.

[satama]

I agree with keeping the kids in whatever type of bed they are in now.

DS1 was out of the crib around 19 months. He slept in his crib converted to.a toddler bed until he was gifted a twin bed a couple of months later. He is almost 3 and still uses a rail on his bed.

I would guess the little one will use a booster at least (I would get one you can strap him into) DS used a booster until about 2 and a half.

I still use a stroller with both kids on occasion. I would just get something lightweight of of craigslist or something. A sit and stand might be good for those ages. I have found around 3 or al a lot of kids will refuse to ride in a stroller, but may still be ok riding on the back of a sit and stand.

[h]

Congrats!

Crib -- Both of my kids moved out of the crib around 23/24 months. DS1 moved straight o a double bed with rails. DS2is in a toddler bed. But I agree with trying to keep them in whatever sort of bed they are in now.

High chair -- We used it until they were maybe in the 15-18 month range? I agree that a booster for the younger one should be sufficient. Depending on your table and chairs and his height, the older one might one something, too. Cooshees (foam booster with no straps) are good for preschool age kids.

Stroller -- Definitely lifestyle and kid dependent, but I think you'll at least want an umbrella stroller for the younger one. By 4 my oldest wouldn't sit in a stroller much at all, but the sit n stand was still nice for really long days at the zoo, amusement parks, etc. when he got tired.

[knitty]

Congratulations!

Will you have an opportunity to visit their foster home? Starting by copying what the foster family does could help with the transition.

You may even need a double stroller, some four year olds are really bad at holding hands and impulse control and need to be kept safe when you're walking. Other four year olds can ride. bike safely, it's very variable. You could investigate an ergo for carrying the 20 month old on your back, apparently it helps with bonding, too.

If the 20 month old is in physical therapy he may not be able to easily sit in a booster. IKEA has a great small high chair which allows them to be at the table with the family, they also do cool small but raised chairs which the four year old could use.

[madringal]

Nov 3, 2012 9:19:05 GMT -5 lizlemon19 said:

1st time posting over here, but I know this gets a lot of traffic. I am in the process of adopting two boys are are 20 months and 4 yo. At what age did your child stop using:

a crib?
stroller?
high chair?
a toddler bed (or did you go ride to twin with side rails)?

Trying to decide on registering.

Congratulations!!!

Crib - about 18 months my DD1 jumped out
Stroller - I stopped using mine when DD1 was about 3
High Chair - ours turned into a booster that we used until about 2
Toddler bed - we never had one. Our crin turned into a day bed with a side rail, and then we moved her to a twin with a side rail.

[mmmomof2]

Crib-At 2 we took off the front, and turned into toddler bed. At 2 years 4mos we moved and transitioned into a twin bed bc Dd2 was due at 2 years 6mos.

Stroller-Dd1 stopped using the stroller for errands and short walks between 2 and 2 1/2. We bought a Double Bob soon after Dd2 was born. We go to Disneyland regularly and do long walks to neighborhood playgrounds. Even for those sometimes Dd1 walks.

High chair- we transitioned to a booster around 2. Wish we started earlier bc our highchair is a big pain to clean. We still use our booster for our 3 yo so she can reach the table, but we don't buckle her in anymore.

[statlerwaldorf]

a crib? 18 months. I would've liked to keep her in it a little while longer, but she climbed out and I converted it right away.
stroller? Right around 2 I stopped using it on a regular basis. I still used it a little bit over the summer at the fair or zoo.
high chair? Close to 3
a toddler bed (or did you go ride to twin with side rails)? She is still in a toddler bed, but I will probably get her a bigger bed soon. DD's crib converted to a toddler bed. If it didn't, I probably would've gone straight to a twin bed. Toddler beds use crib mattresses and they are really easy to clean if she wet the bed.

[lizlemon19]

Nov 3, 2012 11:25:28 GMT -5 knitty said:

Congratulations!

Will you have an opportunity to visit their foster home? Starting by copying what the foster family does could help with the transition.

I am hoping to. We will likely have a 4 week transition period with visits, etc.

[katiescarlett]

a crib? With DS I stopped at about 22 months. DD slept with us and was never really in it.
stroller? DS will be 4 in 3 months and I don't see an end in sight for the stroller.
high chair? Around age 2
a toddler bed (or did you go ride to twin with side rails)? Both kids had the bed. Neither one seemed to like sleeping in it. I wish we had just thrown a twin mattress on the floor until they were ready for a real bed.

[GailGoldie]

a crib? - all 3 of my boys were out of the crib around 3yo. Keep him in a crib as long as you can - esp if he's in one now = less transition, which is always best for little ones.

stroller? - the 4yo won't need one but have one for the little guy for sure! and get a little handle that the 4yo can hold on to - my older son learned to hold on to a big caribener clip on my stroller- so he'd always be close by.

high chair? - you could get away without one... get a booster seat that has a tray- then you can use that without the tray as he's older.

a toddler bed (or did you go ride to twin with side rails)? We moved my older son to a twin at 4yo - with a thing on the side to keep from falling out. My twins are 3.5 and in toddler beds.


Best of luck to you- and congrats!!!!

[mie]

Crib - stopped when #1 was 2 years 4 months and #2 was 2 years old.
Stroller - #1 rode in the stroller when she was 3 and stopped some time during that year. Same for #2.
High chair - both of them stopped after they turned 2.
Toddler bed - we went from crib to regular twin bed.

[drloretta]

Congrats from another adoptive momma!

For cribs, it really depends on the child. I know some who have escaped early, others late. DD was 20 months. I'd go with what the 20 month old is in now and reassess later. If you can find a loaner, even better, since you might not use it long

Stroller: DD will be 3 in March and we still use it occasionally. For your 2, you might want to get a Sit and Stand so they can both ride in/on it

DD was out of a high chair by about 18-20 months, but again, it varies. I might go for a loaner with that too

DD has never used a toddler bed. First we took the rails off her crib, but she fell out. We ended up putting her crib mattress on the floor, then "upgraded" to a twin. We're going to an official bed (trundle) over the Christmas holidays

HTH!

[lizlemon19]

Thank you!

Luckily we were given a crib that can convert into a toddler bed. We have a stand alone toddler bed as well, but the 4 yo might be big for it. It may be time for a twin for him!

[whitepicketfence]

Crib: We transitioned DD1 to her toddler bed around 2 years. She never really tried to climb out but we just felt it was time to move her. DD2 is still in her crib at 15 months but she's a climber (she climbed up on our dining room table yesterday) so I highly doubt she'll make it to 2+ before trying to climb out of it. The plan is to keep DD1 in the toddler bed until DD2 needs it (her crib doesn't convert) and then we'll move her to a real bed.

Stroller: DD1 only rarely rides in it now at almost 3. We do still sometimes use an umbrella stroller for her if we're going somewhere where she'll be doing a lot of walking. We still use one regularly for DD2. We had a double stroller that we used a lot from the beginning but we dont get much use out of it now.

High chair: The one we have is a 3-in-1 and converts to a booster seat. DD1 started using the booster around 18 months. I want to say she used it until around 2.5. Now she just sits normally in one of our chairs.

Toddler bed: See crib repsonse.

Congrats on your adoptions!

[Deleted]

I'm a FTM and DS is only 8 months, so I don't have any advice unfortunately. I just wanted to thank you for adopting, especially two boys who will be quite a handful! That's fantastic.

[jena]

Congrats!

Both of mine were out of a crib by that age - we did twin mattresses on the floor - but I agree you should try to make it more like what they're used to.

I don't use a stroller every day, but DS just turned 3 and we do use it to walk to the park (half-mile) or even to pick up DD after school (only half a block, but it's right after he wakes up from nap).

For bigger outings like the zoo, I'd rather take a wagon at this point - the nicer ones have straps to buckle them in if needed and can have sun canopies, cup holders, etc. But 5yo DD would gladly ride in a stroller everywhere if I let her - so it really does depend on the kid as well as your lifestyle.

My kids were done with a high chair by their 1st birthdays, but were in booster seats where they could be buckled in until 2yo or so.

[dutchgirl678]

We have a 4yr old girl and a 18 month old boy. The girl transitioned to a twin bed at age 2.5. She did fine with it. We stopped using the stroller around 3 for her. The boy is still in a high chair right now, still in the crib and in a lightweight stroller. The high chair is $25 from IKEA. The crib was from IKEA too ($99 Gulliver crib).