Parenting Problems: Choosing A Bed For Your Child

As an adult, bed shopping seems a fairly standard process: you measure your room, go to a store and have a lie down on some test beds, choose what you want and wait for it to arrive. Choosing a bed for your child is less easy - for one, it will have to last them years of growing. While there’s a lot more to consider, the process is pretty similar - just make sure that your child is involved in the choice too.

Safety First

The first consideration when buying a child’s bed should be safety - this is an investment for the next 10 to 15 years of their life, so choose wisely. If opting for a standard single bed, you have little to worry about. Cot-like frames are available if your child worries about falling out, and these can be customised over time. When choosing a bunk bed, keep an eye out for quality materials and EU quality standards marking to show it has passed the required safety tests.

Choosing A Mattress

Children are very resilient, but a softer mattress is more of a guarantee of them getting a good night’s sleep, while supporting their growing bones. The Sleep Council advise taking your child to a store to lie down on some of the test beds and see what they like, but remember to check in regularly over the coming years to ensure the bed still serves them well. After all, a teen who is suddenly 6ft tall won’t sleep well on a short bed.

Storage Solutions

Fortunately for parents, there are plenty of different beds that combine sleeping with storage, perfect for two children sharing a room or for small bedrooms. Kids Beds Online offer standard bunk beds for sharers; while their cabin or high beds have space underneath for a wardrobe or desk. Some cabin beds have shelving units on the bunk alongside the bed, creating a bedside table to safely keep a glass of water and a reading lamp.

Working Together

It’s hard to overstate the importance of working together with your child to make decisions about their comfort and future. Although it may well be your house, their sleeping space is their chance for privacy, and it’s important to respect that. You might find the decision making process easier if you narrow down a few choices and allow your child to choose from those, and be sure to let them choose their own bedding - for younger children this creates a sense of security, and for older kids it’s a chance to exercise their budding independence.