Parental guidance: Moving from crib to bed

Ideally, skip the toddler bed and transition to a regular twin box spring and mattress placed on the floor, Waldburger recommends. Push it into a corner so it's closed off on one long wall and one short one. Then, place a safety rail on the other long side. Let your toddler pick fun new sheets to put on it. Get him a new stuffed bear or dog to sleep with. Take the crib down and put it away. "Don't give them a choice, it's too confusing for them," Waldburger says.

Don't call the bed a "big boy" or "big girl" bed. Kids that age are vacillating between baby and big kid and it could add to their stress. Simply call it a "new bed." And don't transition during other life changes such as the arrival of a new baby, potty training or a move to a new house.