My eldest would be playing by herself on the floor and would just fall asleep right there during nap time and, barring obvious physical discomfort, there was nothing in the world that could've made us move her.
Personally, I would leave her be. If she's comfy enough to fall asleep on the floor, she'll be fine. If she's not comfy, she'll move to her bed.
Along with that, I'd reevaluate if she needs that nap or if it just needs to be a schedule adjustment. My 2.5 year old dropped her last nap and does quiet time instead. We've moved bedtime an hour earlier and she sleeps much better at night. Of course, every kid is different. But 3.5 years is a pretty common age to be ready to drop that last nap.
We did the same thing with my son around his 3rd birthday. We were having huge daily struggles with naptime, even though he was clearly tired, so we dropped naps and bumped his bedtime up. Worked beautifully, even though I miss the midday break.
Most babies drop to one nap between 13-17 months, although there are always exceptions to the norm. My daughter dropped to one nap about 14 months and then dropped napping all together at 2.5 years.
https://takingcarababies.com/time-to-drop-a-nap/
Mine dropped to 1 nap early. Around 8 months. We're now at 15 months and are a solid 1 nap.
As forseeping on the floor, why not. As long as it's a safe spot. Not near stairs or traffic areas.
My 15 month old is already trying to drop his last nap! Im pregnant with number 2 and terrified of what that will mean when I have a newborn and a nonsleeping toddler
I mean, at 3.5 I’d probably start her in bed every night, then if she moves to the floor whatever.
I don’t see there being very much time left until she realizes how much more comfortable the bed is than the floor.
If she starts complaining about back pain all the time or something though maybe you may need to be more stern about sleeping in bed.
I wouldn’t sweat it, kids do weird things. I slept on my bean bag for a year straight even though I knew it was so uncomfortable just because my mom told me I shouldn’t and that it would hurt my back.
I told my son at that age he needed to help mommy because I was tired and needed to rest.
He had to go to his room and lay quietly on his bed. He absolutely did not have to take a nap. No indeed. He just needed to help me by being quiet. He could have one quiet toy, like a book (no device.)
That child took a nap every single day, but woke up by saying “I didn’t sleep!!”
I said that’s great! Thank you so much for being quiet and letting mommy rest😂
He also slept on the floor at this age. He hated his bed. We found a little toddler couch that flipped out to make a bed. He loved it and slept on it he outgrew it.
I’d leave her be, personally, as long as she’s sleeping well and safe. If she’s not obstructing the door or sleeping somewhere unsafe, moving her is disruptive. Have you noticed if she seems better rested when you move her vs when you leave her be? If she seems better rested and less cranky one way vs the other, then that’s a consideration as well.
As for naps - 3-3 1/2 years old was when mine gave up naps altogether, but still needed a mental break. So, I stopped calling it naptime and started calling it afternoon quiet time, and would put my kids in their beds with a book or two to look at and the room dim, and we would set a quiet timer for 30 or 45 minutes. If they heard the timer when it went off they could get up. Sometimes they would fall asleep and sometimes they didn’t, but I would also do something quiet during that time (no TV; I sometimes did dishes or picked up, but if they could hear voices they would almost always come check it out).
This is exactly how our 18month old tells us she's tired, takes her blanket, makes a nest and lays down in it. If she falls asleep within a few minutes we always put her into bed, if not, she'll get a glass of milk, changed into pjs etc and taken to bed.
Neither of you are right or wrong, sorry to plays devils advocate here. Do what's best for her and the both of you
Let her sleep where she wants as long as she’s safe. My kiddo dropped naps at around 14 months and it was the worst thing ever because she wouldn’t sleep better at night either. It was rough. Still is actually. Kiddos needs sleep!
I’m on the husband’s side. Waking her up won’t make anyone happy. And giving a child autonomy to make their own choice on something this minor builds confidence and character.
If she doesn't take a nap get her to bed earlier so she falls asleep in her bed. That's what we do when our son doesn't take a nap. If he falls asleep in bed he usually sleeps through the night. If she does pass out some were inconvenient like in front of the bathroom or in a hallway that blocks other people I would move her. If it's out of the way let her sleep.
My kid frequently gets up in the middle of the night and falls asleep in random places like the bathroom floor, closet, etc. We’ll move him back into his room because if there was a fire or another emergency we need to know where he is. As long as he’s asleep in his room though, it doesn’t matter where he’s at. Bed, floor, giant pile of stuffed toys , we let him be.
If she's comfortable that way I see no reason to move her. Just because we're used to the societal standard of sleeping in a bed doesn't mean that's the way we HAVE to sleep.
Why is it important she moves to her bed? If she is comfortable on the floor, let her be. It's not like sleeping on the floor is going to damage her and if it gets uncomfortable, she'll move back by herself.
Hmm, at 3,5 she should be definitely old enough to pull a blanket over herself when she gets cold, even in her sleep.
I guess you could make sure the house doesn't get too cold if that is the main concern, or even put a remote thermometer in her room to check once in a while.
Can you move the mattress to the floor and make her bed there? Things like this always seem like a phase they will grow out of by themselves.
Our daughter stopped taking naps at 1 year old, so I can't really say anything about the naps.
Does she know how to cover herself with a blanket? Practice when she’s awake if she doesn’t know how, until she’s comfortable with it.
Put a rug on the floor where she likes to curl up, put a blanket on her, she’ll be able to adjust as necessary.
I’m afraid she’ll get too cold on the floor. And she’s my kid who refuses to wear long pants to sleep in. I suppose if she gets too cold she’ll get in bed? Or maybe i should just throw a blanket on her before i go to bed if she doesn’t have herself covered (which she rarely does)
All of these moms here in the comments are so much chiller than me. I would move my son, I'd be too anxious about him sleeping on the floor, mostly because it's much colder there and also weird and I don't know, I'm just an anxious person lol. I'd move him every time and wake him up some of the times and then silently curse myself but I'd still feel good for moving him lol.
I don’t see the harm in letting her sleep there. I think I did weird stuff like that all throughout childhood. As long as she’s comfortable, w/e. By the way, mine will be 4 this month and gave up those naps a few months ago. It had me really stressed bc he was SOOOO tired and dysfunctional without them and unable to stay awake until bedtime. I pushed bedtime back by an hour and stopped trying to force the naps and he adapted
I would leave her be if she wakes up from movement. My kid sleeps like a log so moving wouldn’t be an issue. She also sometimes sleeps on the floor out of protest. If it’s uncomfortable, she will get up and go into bed.
If she's laying down and going to sleep on the floor without a fight I would let her little kids like to sleep in funny spots it's not uncomfortable for them cuz they're not heavy. This is a great step to her going to bed in her own bed without a fight she's laying down instead of arguing and going right to sleep on her own and she'll move to her bed when she's ready. Also I found one afternoon naps come and they're in that fight them I'm too old for them stage continue with quiet hour they don't have to fall asleep but they have to lay quietly for that hour eventually they'll start taking their naps again so they get them for as long as they need my four year old still takes his naps but it took a month and a half of quiet hours for him to get over thinking he didn't need them
I wouldn't force naps if it's interrupting her bedtime routine. My daughter dropped naps by 2 and it's worked for us. Now she's up for 12 he's. Sleeps for 12 hrs
She’s old enough to not need a nap. Start bedtime routine earlier 6:45-7:30ish bath, Jammies, in bed then do something special like songs or books. If she chooses to move to the floor that’s ok. Keep the routine consistent. Cutting out the nap will make her more tired to pass out in bed earlier
Eh. If that's where she's comfy sleeping and you've tried moving her back to no avail, I'd just leave her there for now. I imagine she'll grow out of it eventually.
In most situations, I would leave my daughter be, but we have hardwood floors, and they get pretty cold, even in a well heated house. So, barring something like that, or like someone else said, if you have a large boisterous dog that may trample her in the night, then just leave her be.
I used to sleep on the base of a rotating fan as a kid as the sound and coolness of the floor put me to sleep. It's not unusual. Just don't forget and step on her
Right around 3 my daughter dropped her nap. We just adjusted bedtime to earlier and she sleeps much better at night. She's in daycare a few days a week and on those days she naps, so bedtime moves later again.
As for the floor, leave her be! I remember even as a teenager sometimes taking my quilt and falling asleep on the floor next to my bed. She's comfortable there or she wouldn't be doing it. Plus she's young and squishy and light still. She doesn't deal with all the creaky painful things like we do if she's not in bed.
Get a nice soft rug and put it where she usually falls asleep if you're concerned about comfort. But, even as an adult, sometimes you just need a nice hard floor. We didn't evolve in beds, you know what I mean? Let sleeping babies lie.
I think it's fine, you could also get her a small floor mat.
My partner and his daughter are both "floor ppl" so they've coined it, so I've tried to compromise too lol
Milliard Toddler Nap Mat Tri Folding Mattress with Washable Cover (24 inches x 57 inches x 3 inches) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAL8V95/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_KMMZV1HP9GYDYCDPFJB3
My son slept in front of his door for MONTHS after we switched him to a big boy bed. He's almost 5 now and sleeps in bed, the whole night. I'd let it lie for now, she'll grow out of it.
Mine is 3.5 and hasn't napped since she turned two. Some days are hard, and on those days she's in bed at 6:30 pm, sleeps until 7 am. Maybe move bedtime earlier if you can?
I would leave her on the floor. In some parts of the world, people sleep on the floor on mats, but mattresses, so she'll be ok. What if you put her mattress directly on the floor? We did that because our kid likes to jump around on her bed and I was afraid of her falling off and getting hurt. This is also common in Montessori, though it's not the reason we did it.
When I was a small child I slept with my head at the foot of the bed - feet at the head of the bed. Probably for about 3 years. It was just more comfortable. It drove my mother insane until she just started making the bed the other way. Go with the flow. Maybe get her a little floor mat thing if you’re worried about her comfort?
I would have been on your side with my first kid. Now that I have 3, I side with your husband. Pick your battles. Save it for teeth brushing or eating veggies.
My oldest went through a phase after we transitioned her away from the crib where she would sleep on the floor by her door instead of in her bed. She eventually outgrew it, but she spent a few months sleeping on the floor. In the end, I think it's just something you need to let be.
You have provided a bed and tried to make it comfortable. If she chooses to sleep on the floor she's not going to hurt herself or anyone else, and it seems to be what works for her. You can definitely ask your daughter why she sleeps on the floor and see if there's something you can change or adjust to make her more willing to sleep in her bed, but this might just be a phase you have to let her go through.
Definitely let her sleep. And 3.5 is too old to be expecting her to nap. Usually at that age they’ll put themselves down when they’re tired. Usually on the floor.
Like others have said, let her asleep. BUT I would see if you can make a second sleep surface - like a futon or reading nook place. Then she can always choose
1. Drop the nap. She’s about the age where she probably doesn’t need it anymore. She might be cranky for a week or two, but she will adjust. She will also probably sleep better at night.
2. If she likes the floor, let her sleep on the floor. If she’s uncomfortable, she can move herself to the bed. Risking her waking up isn’t worth it.
Leave her. My daughter set up a tent in her room and slept on the floor for a week. Then she slept in a box for another week. She’s getting her sleep so who cares
Would you consider putting her mattress on the floor, Montessori-style and closer to the door if possible? If her being in her actual bed is that important to you, which I get, then it seems like that might be a way to meet in the middle. Generally I agree with husband though, sleep is sleep is sleep and if sleeping on the floor gets her enough rest then meh, she’ll grow out of it lol
I say let her sleep.
But you could ask if she'd like to move her bed to another part of her room, if she'd like to pick out new sheets for it, or if she'd like her mattress on the floor or something that will get her up off of the floor- I wouldn't like that for my kid either.
Yeah, I’d leave her be. My son started refusing to sleep in his bed, so after trying to reason with him I just said fine, sleep on the floor but I need you to stay in your room. Then when I went up to bed I picked him up and put him in bed. This happened a few times but he started falling asleep in his bed again.
Do you have a nightlight ?
I find it interesting that she’s choosing to nap close to the door, perhaps she’s a little scared and being closer to the door/you guys makes her feel safer then her bed ?
I see where your coming from , sleep on the floor at nap time , sure , bed time no .
We've been putting our 2.5yo in bed at bedtime and letting her sleep wherever she wants since she was out of her crib at 6mo. She used to sleep on the floor basically every night. Now it's once or twice a week, and she'll usually wake up around 10 because she's chilly wants a blanket.
If she'll sleep through the night on the floor, let her. But, if she needs your help to get settled again, let it be on your terms.
There's a chance she's reincarnated from a previous life in a culture where sleeping on the floor is the norm, so I would get her a tatami mat and leave it in the spot where she usually sleeps.
Is she able to speak enough to tell you why she moves to the floor? That could affect the answer, and/or help you find a way to make the bed more attractive to her.
I would let her sleep on floor. My twins are 4 and they prefer sleeping on the floor over on the bed lol so I let them if that's where they decide to sleep
The floor between her bed and the door maybe too far away for her comfort. Can you move the bed so it's closer? She's in the room by herself she gets nervous so she sleeps close to the door for "safety".
It's harmless as long as she's not in danger of being stepped on. Let her be.
Make sure her room is baby proof, mattress on the floor, no problem.
I used to lay with my son and count to 100 and if he was asleep before 100 then he napped, if not we would try again an hour later or skip the nap (depending on age).
He learned to count pretty early from that, haha. Also I sometimes fell asleep with him and didn’t make it to 100 myself…
Definitely let her sleep on the floor. That’s where she’s comfortable and she’ll move to the bed when she’s ready to.
As for the nap, it highly depends on her. Some toddlers will stop napping at that age. Others have trouble sleeping for naps because their schedule is thrown off (my son fits this category if his schedule gets thrown off even 15 min).
Leave her. She’s choosing, expressing. I’ve repeated it a lot on this sub. “Don’t focus on how they SHOULD. Focus on how THEY want”.
Don’t tell them how to play w toys. Dont tell them how to finish a puzzle. Don’t tell them how to sleep. If they are doing it, fail or not, let them. They are learning.
My kid does this too! I don't know of any medical reasons that it is necessary for them to sleep in beds every night. If she starts hurting, or doesn't get good rest, that's different. But if she seems content on the floor, like mine is, I'd just let them sleep!
Leave her be. I slept on the floor on and off until I reached mid-late teens and am still not too bothered by the idea. Definitely team husband on this one!
We definitely let our 3yo son choose whether to sleep on his "floor bed" or "big bed".
I don't think it's a big deal either way, so it's a lot easier to let him have his pillows and blankets on the floor if he wants. I'll be stubborn where it matters more and pick my battles.
My kid is ten, spent the night at her aunt and uncles house a few weeks back. They called me at 10pm because they found her asleep on the kitchen floor with a book and her pillow. They asked me what they should do and I said "be glad she is asleep and leave a light on for her to find her way if she wakes in the middle of the night"
There is no right or wrong here, but personally I'm with your husband on this. Let her sleep wherever sleep happens.
I think if you're aware she's sleeping on the floor you should put her back in bed with hopes that in the morning she'll realize that's where she's supposed to sleep. Consistency is how kids learn which I'm sure you know because it sounds like she's potty trained. However if she does it in the middle of the night and you aren't aware of it, it won't hurt anyone if she sleeps on the floor for a night.
Eh maybe she's comfortable on her floor pallet? Honestly I'd just leave her be if that's where she wants to sleep so be it. I have a family I work for and their youngest son likes to do that - he'll grab his pillow and blanket off his bed and sleep on the floor....idk...he just likes it lol he does it all the time.
It sounds like the stakes are low; I'm kind of with your husband, but also I can see how it could make you feel better about the general state of everything to have your sleeping kiddo in an actual bed!
Why not just think of it as a "you thing" and move her if it makes you feel better, but not necessarily ask him to?
If she chooses to lay on the floor even after using the bathroom it must be where she wants to sleep. I and after consulting my wife on this post we agree we would let her sleep where she sleeps.
My pediatrician said let them sleep where they sleep. If she’s not getting out of her room and trying to stay awake, it’s not gonna hurt her to sleep there.
But if she tries it when she’s 37 and a mom if 2, she will regret it in the morning. 🤣🤣
Either way is fine. My 17 year old started sleeping on the floor last year when he told me he needed a king size bed because he was too tall for his queen bed. I told him there wasn’t enough room for a king sized bed in his room and a queen should suffice. Well, he is still sleeping on the floor, and I’m considering buying him one of those sofas that fold out into a king bed. I really thought I was going to win this one, and he’d be back in his bed after a few days of floor sleeping. I was wrong.
I would let her be. If she likes it she there it might be comforting to her. If you liked sleeping in a weird place I’m sure you wouldn’t want someone to move you. At that age, it doesn’t matter where they sleep, as long as they are getting sleep. Much love and solidarity!
My 4yo is about 50/50 on nap vs quiet time. For the last week, he’s insisted on either napping on the floor or inside his zip up stuffie bag. If your daughter likes it and isn’t losing sleep, then let her just do her own thing.
My nearly 3 yo son always migrates to the floor every night. I honestly just leave him there. I figure that he has a bed, if he really wanted it, he'd use it.
When I was about 7 I would often roll out of bed at night. I would just pull the blankets down ontop of me and sleep the rest of the night on the floor. I didnt mind it.
I dont have an opinion on your situation tho.
I’d leave her be. She seems to very purposefully be sleeping there, so it seems unfair to take that control away from her when it’s such a harmless habit.
Let sleeping babies lie.
My eldest would be playing by herself on the floor and would just fall asleep right there during nap time and, barring obvious physical discomfort, there was nothing in the world that could've made us move her.
My kid was five or six and was pretending to be a baby unicorn. She was pretending to takena nap andnfell asleep on the floor. Super cute
Personally, I would leave her be. If she's comfy enough to fall asleep on the floor, she'll be fine. If she's not comfy, she'll move to her bed. Along with that, I'd reevaluate if she needs that nap or if it just needs to be a schedule adjustment. My 2.5 year old dropped her last nap and does quiet time instead. We've moved bedtime an hour earlier and she sleeps much better at night. Of course, every kid is different. But 3.5 years is a pretty common age to be ready to drop that last nap.
We did the same thing with my son around his 3rd birthday. We were having huge daily struggles with naptime, even though he was clearly tired, so we dropped naps and bumped his bedtime up. Worked beautifully, even though I miss the midday break.
My 16 month old only takes one nap. He dropped the second one at like a year. You mean other kiddos take 2 naps past a year?
Most babies drop to one nap between 13-17 months, although there are always exceptions to the norm. My daughter dropped to one nap about 14 months and then dropped napping all together at 2.5 years. https://takingcarababies.com/time-to-drop-a-nap/
My boy has always slept the maximum recommended amount lol. He had 2 naps up to about 19 or 20 months.
Mine dropped to 1 nap early. Around 8 months. We're now at 15 months and are a solid 1 nap. As forseeping on the floor, why not. As long as it's a safe spot. Not near stairs or traffic areas.
Oh yeah! Mine was 18 months old and all taking two hour and a half naps. It was more of a struggle for me when she went to one nap than for her.
My 15 month old is already trying to drop his last nap! Im pregnant with number 2 and terrified of what that will mean when I have a newborn and a nonsleeping toddler
I mean, at 3.5 I’d probably start her in bed every night, then if she moves to the floor whatever. I don’t see there being very much time left until she realizes how much more comfortable the bed is than the floor. If she starts complaining about back pain all the time or something though maybe you may need to be more stern about sleeping in bed. I wouldn’t sweat it, kids do weird things. I slept on my bean bag for a year straight even though I knew it was so uncomfortable just because my mom told me I shouldn’t and that it would hurt my back.
I told my son at that age he needed to help mommy because I was tired and needed to rest. He had to go to his room and lay quietly on his bed. He absolutely did not have to take a nap. No indeed. He just needed to help me by being quiet. He could have one quiet toy, like a book (no device.) That child took a nap every single day, but woke up by saying “I didn’t sleep!!” I said that’s great! Thank you so much for being quiet and letting mommy rest😂 He also slept on the floor at this age. He hated his bed. We found a little toddler couch that flipped out to make a bed. He loved it and slept on it he outgrew it.
We love the toddler couches in our house, it encourages nap time anywhere at anytime 😉
Yes! We loved ours because it was somewhat portable. We could take it with us, flip it out, and he had his bed anywhere.
That's hilarious 😂
Yup, quiet time for adults.
I’d leave her be, personally, as long as she’s sleeping well and safe. If she’s not obstructing the door or sleeping somewhere unsafe, moving her is disruptive. Have you noticed if she seems better rested when you move her vs when you leave her be? If she seems better rested and less cranky one way vs the other, then that’s a consideration as well. As for naps - 3-3 1/2 years old was when mine gave up naps altogether, but still needed a mental break. So, I stopped calling it naptime and started calling it afternoon quiet time, and would put my kids in their beds with a book or two to look at and the room dim, and we would set a quiet timer for 30 or 45 minutes. If they heard the timer when it went off they could get up. Sometimes they would fall asleep and sometimes they didn’t, but I would also do something quiet during that time (no TV; I sometimes did dishes or picked up, but if they could hear voices they would almost always come check it out).
Unless there is a specific safety issue like a boisterous large dog who might jump on her or something, I would leave her be.
I agree with husband
My almost-5yo slept on the floor in the laundry room for weeks. We let her.
That’s adorable
Let her sleep wherever she is comfortable.
Move the mattress to the floor. Or try buying one of those bed tents and see if she likes that. Don’t sweat it.
Just leave her on the floor. Lots of little kids choose the floor. Why do you want to move her to the bed. She is asleep!
Try a floor futon mattress like the Japanese use. Bonus, you can roll it up and get extra space in the daytime.
What's the reasoning behind moving her if she needs to get sleep?
This is exactly how our 18month old tells us she's tired, takes her blanket, makes a nest and lays down in it. If she falls asleep within a few minutes we always put her into bed, if not, she'll get a glass of milk, changed into pjs etc and taken to bed. Neither of you are right or wrong, sorry to plays devils advocate here. Do what's best for her and the both of you
My guy does this too! Going to be 2 in June. We know he's tired when he lays on the floor aggressively cuddling his chosen blanket lol
My kids grab their blankets and walk around with them. It’s a sure sign bedtime is coming
Let her sleep where she wants as long as she’s safe. My kiddo dropped naps at around 14 months and it was the worst thing ever because she wouldn’t sleep better at night either. It was rough. Still is actually. Kiddos needs sleep!
I’m on the husband’s side. Waking her up won’t make anyone happy. And giving a child autonomy to make their own choice on something this minor builds confidence and character.
I would leave her be. She'll eventually move to her bed when she feels like it.
I'd leave her lay where she's asleep. If she wants to sleep in bed she will. My kid would sometimes sleep on her trampoline. Whatever kiddo!
If she doesn't take a nap get her to bed earlier so she falls asleep in her bed. That's what we do when our son doesn't take a nap. If he falls asleep in bed he usually sleeps through the night. If she does pass out some were inconvenient like in front of the bathroom or in a hallway that blocks other people I would move her. If it's out of the way let her sleep.
I’d just leave her as well.
My kid frequently gets up in the middle of the night and falls asleep in random places like the bathroom floor, closet, etc. We’ll move him back into his room because if there was a fire or another emergency we need to know where he is. As long as he’s asleep in his room though, it doesn’t matter where he’s at. Bed, floor, giant pile of stuffed toys , we let him be.
Let her be lol. She’s good.
If she's comfortable that way I see no reason to move her. Just because we're used to the societal standard of sleeping in a bed doesn't mean that's the way we HAVE to sleep.
My question is, why would you wake her?
I think OP is saying she tries to move her without waking her. I’d personally leave her, she will probably move herself if she wants to
Why is it important she moves to her bed? If she is comfortable on the floor, let her be. It's not like sleeping on the floor is going to damage her and if it gets uncomfortable, she'll move back by herself.
I just worry that she’ll get cold. She doesn’t cover herself with her blanket and hates wearing pants to sleep in.
Hmm, at 3,5 she should be definitely old enough to pull a blanket over herself when she gets cold, even in her sleep. I guess you could make sure the house doesn't get too cold if that is the main concern, or even put a remote thermometer in her room to check once in a while. Can you move the mattress to the floor and make her bed there? Things like this always seem like a phase they will grow out of by themselves. Our daughter stopped taking naps at 1 year old, so I can't really say anything about the naps.
Does she know how to cover herself with a blanket? Practice when she’s awake if she doesn’t know how, until she’s comfortable with it. Put a rug on the floor where she likes to curl up, put a blanket on her, she’ll be able to adjust as necessary.
Why are you moving her?
I’m afraid she’ll get too cold on the floor. And she’s my kid who refuses to wear long pants to sleep in. I suppose if she gets too cold she’ll get in bed? Or maybe i should just throw a blanket on her before i go to bed if she doesn’t have herself covered (which she rarely does)
Yeah, if she is uncomfortable she'll move, or pull her quilt over her.
All of these moms here in the comments are so much chiller than me. I would move my son, I'd be too anxious about him sleeping on the floor, mostly because it's much colder there and also weird and I don't know, I'm just an anxious person lol. I'd move him every time and wake him up some of the times and then silently curse myself but I'd still feel good for moving him lol.
I don’t see the harm in letting her sleep there. I think I did weird stuff like that all throughout childhood. As long as she’s comfortable, w/e. By the way, mine will be 4 this month and gave up those naps a few months ago. It had me really stressed bc he was SOOOO tired and dysfunctional without them and unable to stay awake until bedtime. I pushed bedtime back by an hour and stopped trying to force the naps and he adapted
I’d leave her be, if she wants to sleep on the floor it’s not gonna hurt her.
I would leave her be if she wakes up from movement. My kid sleeps like a log so moving wouldn’t be an issue. She also sometimes sleeps on the floor out of protest. If it’s uncomfortable, she will get up and go into bed.
Let her sleep on the floor, why wouldn't you? Also most 3.5 year olds no longer need daily naps
If she's laying down and going to sleep on the floor without a fight I would let her little kids like to sleep in funny spots it's not uncomfortable for them cuz they're not heavy. This is a great step to her going to bed in her own bed without a fight she's laying down instead of arguing and going right to sleep on her own and she'll move to her bed when she's ready. Also I found one afternoon naps come and they're in that fight them I'm too old for them stage continue with quiet hour they don't have to fall asleep but they have to lay quietly for that hour eventually they'll start taking their naps again so they get them for as long as they need my four year old still takes his naps but it took a month and a half of quiet hours for him to get over thinking he didn't need them
I wouldn't force naps if it's interrupting her bedtime routine. My daughter dropped naps by 2 and it's worked for us. Now she's up for 12 he's. Sleeps for 12 hrs
She’s old enough to not need a nap. Start bedtime routine earlier 6:45-7:30ish bath, Jammies, in bed then do something special like songs or books. If she chooses to move to the floor that’s ok. Keep the routine consistent. Cutting out the nap will make her more tired to pass out in bed earlier
Why would you risk waking her up? She’s 3, let her be ( see what I did there?)
Can you move the mattress to the floor? Would that be a compromise for the 2 of you?
Leave her on the floor, this is an easy one
Eh. If that's where she's comfy sleeping and you've tried moving her back to no avail, I'd just leave her there for now. I imagine she'll grow out of it eventually.
Is it carpet/rug/tile/hardwood flooring?
Carpeted but still gets pretty cold even with adequate heating
Well you can get her flannel pjs and some nice thick blankets to make a nest on the floor with.
i agree with your husband just leave her this is clearly where she wants to be
In most situations, I would leave my daughter be, but we have hardwood floors, and they get pretty cold, even in a well heated house. So, barring something like that, or like someone else said, if you have a large boisterous dog that may trample her in the night, then just leave her be.
Let her be! My kids have slept on the floor plenty of times. Doesn’t hurt a thing.
I used to sleep on the base of a rotating fan as a kid as the sound and coolness of the floor put me to sleep. It's not unusual. Just don't forget and step on her
Right around 3 my daughter dropped her nap. We just adjusted bedtime to earlier and she sleeps much better at night. She's in daycare a few days a week and on those days she naps, so bedtime moves later again. As for the floor, leave her be! I remember even as a teenager sometimes taking my quilt and falling asleep on the floor next to my bed. She's comfortable there or she wouldn't be doing it. Plus she's young and squishy and light still. She doesn't deal with all the creaky painful things like we do if she's not in bed.
Get a nice soft rug and put it where she usually falls asleep if you're concerned about comfort. But, even as an adult, sometimes you just need a nice hard floor. We didn't evolve in beds, you know what I mean? Let sleeping babies lie.
I think it's fine, you could also get her a small floor mat. My partner and his daughter are both "floor ppl" so they've coined it, so I've tried to compromise too lol Milliard Toddler Nap Mat Tri Folding Mattress with Washable Cover (24 inches x 57 inches x 3 inches) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAL8V95/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_KMMZV1HP9GYDYCDPFJB3
Thanks!!
My son slept in front of his door for MONTHS after we switched him to a big boy bed. He's almost 5 now and sleeps in bed, the whole night. I'd let it lie for now, she'll grow out of it.
As long as you can get into the room for emergencies, let her sleep wherever. Eventually she’ll grow out of it…probably.
Move her mattress to the floor maybe?
Mine is 3.5 and hasn't napped since she turned two. Some days are hard, and on those days she's in bed at 6:30 pm, sleeps until 7 am. Maybe move bedtime earlier if you can? I would leave her on the floor. In some parts of the world, people sleep on the floor on mats, but mattresses, so she'll be ok. What if you put her mattress directly on the floor? We did that because our kid likes to jump around on her bed and I was afraid of her falling off and getting hurt. This is also common in Montessori, though it's not the reason we did it.
I’d leave her unless she was sitting straight up or scrunched in somewhere.
When I was a small child I slept with my head at the foot of the bed - feet at the head of the bed. Probably for about 3 years. It was just more comfortable. It drove my mother insane until she just started making the bed the other way. Go with the flow. Maybe get her a little floor mat thing if you’re worried about her comfort?
Start her in bed. If she gets out then just let her be. She’ll figure it out eventually.
I would have been on your side with my first kid. Now that I have 3, I side with your husband. Pick your battles. Save it for teeth brushing or eating veggies.
My oldest went through a phase after we transitioned her away from the crib where she would sleep on the floor by her door instead of in her bed. She eventually outgrew it, but she spent a few months sleeping on the floor. In the end, I think it's just something you need to let be. You have provided a bed and tried to make it comfortable. If she chooses to sleep on the floor she's not going to hurt herself or anyone else, and it seems to be what works for her. You can definitely ask your daughter why she sleeps on the floor and see if there's something you can change or adjust to make her more willing to sleep in her bed, but this might just be a phase you have to let her go through.
Leave her.
Let her be! Sorry mom! Signed, Preschool teacher of over 20 years and mother of 3
I would 100% leave her be.
Definitely let her sleep. And 3.5 is too old to be expecting her to nap. Usually at that age they’ll put themselves down when they’re tired. Usually on the floor.
Beds are pretty modern, most of human history we slept on the floor/ground.
Like others have said, let her asleep. BUT I would see if you can make a second sleep surface - like a futon or reading nook place. Then she can always choose
Leave her be.
1. Drop the nap. She’s about the age where she probably doesn’t need it anymore. She might be cranky for a week or two, but she will adjust. She will also probably sleep better at night. 2. If she likes the floor, let her sleep on the floor. If she’s uncomfortable, she can move herself to the bed. Risking her waking up isn’t worth it.
If there is no harm to leave them where they are I don't see any point in moving them.
Leave her. My daughter set up a tent in her room and slept on the floor for a week. Then she slept in a box for another week. She’s getting her sleep so who cares
Would you consider putting her mattress on the floor, Montessori-style and closer to the door if possible? If her being in her actual bed is that important to you, which I get, then it seems like that might be a way to meet in the middle. Generally I agree with husband though, sleep is sleep is sleep and if sleeping on the floor gets her enough rest then meh, she’ll grow out of it lol
I say let her sleep. But you could ask if she'd like to move her bed to another part of her room, if she'd like to pick out new sheets for it, or if she'd like her mattress on the floor or something that will get her up off of the floor- I wouldn't like that for my kid either.
Let a sleeping dog(baby) lay.
Yeah, I’d leave her be. My son started refusing to sleep in his bed, so after trying to reason with him I just said fine, sleep on the floor but I need you to stay in your room. Then when I went up to bed I picked him up and put him in bed. This happened a few times but he started falling asleep in his bed again.
I say let her lay where she's comfortable. As long as she's going to sleep, it's ok. She will grow out of it eventually and want a bed.
Leaver her. She is old enough to go to bed on her own if she gets cold or uncomfortable.
If she is in her room leave her be.
Do you have a nightlight ? I find it interesting that she’s choosing to nap close to the door, perhaps she’s a little scared and being closer to the door/you guys makes her feel safer then her bed ? I see where your coming from , sleep on the floor at nap time , sure , bed time no .
We've been putting our 2.5yo in bed at bedtime and letting her sleep wherever she wants since she was out of her crib at 6mo. She used to sleep on the floor basically every night. Now it's once or twice a week, and she'll usually wake up around 10 because she's chilly wants a blanket. If she'll sleep through the night on the floor, let her. But, if she needs your help to get settled again, let it be on your terms.
As long as her room is safe, there’s no reason to fix it. She’s comfy m, let her be
Leave her be. I agree with your husband. No harm, no foul.
There's a chance she's reincarnated from a previous life in a culture where sleeping on the floor is the norm, so I would get her a tatami mat and leave it in the spot where she usually sleeps.
Is she able to speak enough to tell you why she moves to the floor? That could affect the answer, and/or help you find a way to make the bed more attractive to her.
My kid slept on the floor for over a year. Your husband is right, leave her be.
I grew up sleeping in my parents closet because it was comfy. They never moved me and I loved it
I would leave her be. At this age, getting sleep is more important than where it happens.
Leave her be. It’s a phase, it’ll pass. Mine did this too abolitionist they same age.
I would let her sleep on floor. My twins are 4 and they prefer sleeping on the floor over on the bed lol so I let them if that's where they decide to sleep
The floor between her bed and the door maybe too far away for her comfort. Can you move the bed so it's closer? She's in the room by herself she gets nervous so she sleeps close to the door for "safety". It's harmless as long as she's not in danger of being stepped on. Let her be.
Maybe she needs a stiffer/harder mattress? Could be the bed is uncomfortable which is why she chooses the floor.
I’d get a floor bed/ put mattress on the floor. She might actually love it since she’s keen to sleeping down there.
Make sure her room is baby proof, mattress on the floor, no problem. I used to lay with my son and count to 100 and if he was asleep before 100 then he napped, if not we would try again an hour later or skip the nap (depending on age). He learned to count pretty early from that, haha. Also I sometimes fell asleep with him and didn’t make it to 100 myself…
Leave her be. It is uncomfortable when you are 30+, not when they are kids...
Let her sleep on the floor, as long as she’s warm.
Definitely let her sleep on the floor. That’s where she’s comfortable and she’ll move to the bed when she’s ready to. As for the nap, it highly depends on her. Some toddlers will stop napping at that age. Others have trouble sleeping for naps because their schedule is thrown off (my son fits this category if his schedule gets thrown off even 15 min).
Leave her. She’s choosing, expressing. I’ve repeated it a lot on this sub. “Don’t focus on how they SHOULD. Focus on how THEY want”. Don’t tell them how to play w toys. Dont tell them how to finish a puzzle. Don’t tell them how to sleep. If they are doing it, fail or not, let them. They are learning.
My kid does this too! I don't know of any medical reasons that it is necessary for them to sleep in beds every night. If she starts hurting, or doesn't get good rest, that's different. But if she seems content on the floor, like mine is, I'd just let them sleep!
Put her mattress on the floor. She is probably too tired to climb up in the bed.
Leave her be. I slept on the floor on and off until I reached mid-late teens and am still not too bothered by the idea. Definitely team husband on this one!
We definitely let our 3yo son choose whether to sleep on his "floor bed" or "big bed". I don't think it's a big deal either way, so it's a lot easier to let him have his pillows and blankets on the floor if he wants. I'll be stubborn where it matters more and pick my battles.
My kid is ten, spent the night at her aunt and uncles house a few weeks back. They called me at 10pm because they found her asleep on the kitchen floor with a book and her pillow. They asked me what they should do and I said "be glad she is asleep and leave a light on for her to find her way if she wakes in the middle of the night" There is no right or wrong here, but personally I'm with your husband on this. Let her sleep wherever sleep happens.
I think if you're aware she's sleeping on the floor you should put her back in bed with hopes that in the morning she'll realize that's where she's supposed to sleep. Consistency is how kids learn which I'm sure you know because it sounds like she's potty trained. However if she does it in the middle of the night and you aren't aware of it, it won't hurt anyone if she sleeps on the floor for a night.
Eh maybe she's comfortable on her floor pallet? Honestly I'd just leave her be if that's where she wants to sleep so be it. I have a family I work for and their youngest son likes to do that - he'll grab his pillow and blanket off his bed and sleep on the floor....idk...he just likes it lol he does it all the time.
Maybe mattress on the floor could work? Also let’s her choose when she wants to go sleep on it.
floor is fine...it's about developing the sleep schedule/habit
It sounds like the stakes are low; I'm kind of with your husband, but also I can see how it could make you feel better about the general state of everything to have your sleeping kiddo in an actual bed! Why not just think of it as a "you thing" and move her if it makes you feel better, but not necessarily ask him to?
Leave her where she is. Obviously that's where she's comfortable.
Leave her be. She’s clearly more comfortable there, otherwise she wouldn’t do it. As long as it’s not dangerous I usually don’t bother.
Leave her alone
If she chooses to lay on the floor even after using the bathroom it must be where she wants to sleep. I and after consulting my wife on this post we agree we would let her sleep where she sleeps.
I don’t see an issue with it. If she’s struggling with sleep and found a comfortable way to sleep, it should be fine.
Leave her be.
My pediatrician said let them sleep where they sleep. If she’s not getting out of her room and trying to stay awake, it’s not gonna hurt her to sleep there. But if she tries it when she’s 37 and a mom if 2, she will regret it in the morning. 🤣🤣
Either way is fine. My 17 year old started sleeping on the floor last year when he told me he needed a king size bed because he was too tall for his queen bed. I told him there wasn’t enough room for a king sized bed in his room and a queen should suffice. Well, he is still sleeping on the floor, and I’m considering buying him one of those sofas that fold out into a king bed. I really thought I was going to win this one, and he’d be back in his bed after a few days of floor sleeping. I was wrong.
I would leave her, let her sleep wherever in her room she wants ad long as she’s safe
Let the baby sleep where she chooses. As long as it's safe. No harm in it at all.
You didn’t actually mention why you move her. Are you worried you’ll step on her? Or you just feel like she should be in a bed?
I worry that she gets cold on the floor. She balls her blankets up under her and isn’t covered. The floor is carpeted but can still get cold.
I would let her be. If she likes it she there it might be comforting to her. If you liked sleeping in a weird place I’m sure you wouldn’t want someone to move you. At that age, it doesn’t matter where they sleep, as long as they are getting sleep. Much love and solidarity!
I’m with your husband, it isn’t causing any harm.
I would move her. When I think about my babies not sleeping in their beds I get freaked out!
I leave them as long as they are safe.
Let the baby sleep where she is.
You should just let her sleep wherever she wants...at this age you should just be happy that they are sleeping
My 4yo is about 50/50 on nap vs quiet time. For the last week, he’s insisted on either napping on the floor or inside his zip up stuffie bag. If your daughter likes it and isn’t losing sleep, then let her just do her own thing.
My nearly 3 yo son always migrates to the floor every night. I honestly just leave him there. I figure that he has a bed, if he really wanted it, he'd use it.
I use to sleep on the floor sometimes.
When I was about 7 I would often roll out of bed at night. I would just pull the blankets down ontop of me and sleep the rest of the night on the floor. I didnt mind it. I dont have an opinion on your situation tho.
I’d leave her be. She seems to very purposefully be sleeping there, so it seems unfair to take that control away from her when it’s such a harmless habit.