Soapbox

Night-night Games

So I’ve got this kid… and we bought him a mattress and box springs: a “big boy bed” so that he could get used to being out of the crib well before the new baby arrived and get started sleeping there. He thought the new bed was pretty neat, and used it as a play platform for his myriad of stuffed friends. We didn’t bother with a bed frame because we thought putting the bed on the floor would make it easier to get into and less frightening to fall out of. He took to it right away. Looks like we did everything right, the way all the baby books say. Right?

So how come the kid sleeps on the floor? Night after night he drags his pillow over to the doorway and lies down on the carpet to sleep, with his head almost out in the hall. I’m frankly afraid that some night I”m going to kick him in the head on my way down the hall to the baby’s room.  If we move him into the bed after he falls asleep, he’ll just move back to the doorway later in the night. No fussing or crying; just quietly gets up and transfers himself, pillow and the occasional stuffed animal down to the floor.

My brother had a great idea. He bought the kid a sleeping bag. Now at least I don’t worry that he’s cold, so I just walk softly and let sleeping boys lie.