Archive for August, 2009
Decorating your daughter’s first bed can be a colorful and exciting process that shouldn’t cost you a fortune. Fancy designer bedding is extremely overrated and overpriced, any smart shopper would agree. And because toddlers are rarely potty trained upon transitioning from a crib to a big-girl bed, why would you want to spend extra cash on something that will most likely be soiled then washed repeatedly. Affordable sheets, comforters and pillows galore are easy to find, you just need to know where to look.
Start by making a mental note of your colors of interest; pink, purple and yellow tend to be the most popular amongst young girls. Do you want a floral print? Polka dots? What about mermaids! Toddler girl bedding comes in countless patterns and colors to make her room fabulous. And if you can’t make up your mind, you can always mix and match!
Change isn’t easy to accept – especially for a temperamental toddler. It’s no surprise then that toddlers often resist the transition from their crib to a bed. Parents generally find that forcing a toddler bed on the child before he or she is ready can be a disruptive and alarming experience. The best way to facilitate the transition is to make the bed seem more appealing than the crib.
This goal can be achieved in a number of ways, but perhaps the most effective is to outfit the new bed with toddler bedding that piques the child’s interest. Try shopping for the kid’s favorite color, for example. If the bedding isn’t enough to persuade a stubborn child, try slipping the bed into conversation during the day. Talk about how “big kids” sleep in beds, but don’t refer to the crib as a place for babies. That tactic could set you back days or weeks in the transition process.
For some parents, one of the joys of having a baby is to find out whether it’s a girl or a boy. Many mothers and fathers can’t wait to find out whether they can expect a son or daughter, so they check with the doctor right away. Others prefer to defer the elation until childbirth, when the pleasant surprise is even more suspenseful. In either case, it’s critical that new parents plan well in advance to outfit the child’s nursery with all the essentials.
Foremost among these is the baby’s crib and bedding. Although some babies spend their first month or so in a cradle, they graduate to the crib in no time at all. Unisex baby bedding makes for a solid choice for several reasons. First, since it’s suitable for boys and girls it can be bought well in advance of the birth – even if parents wait to find out the child’s sex. Unisex bedding can also be reused by another child should parents choose to have a larger family.