ProudGrandma Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We have 2 boys who share a room. I have always thought it would be neat to get bunk beds for them, so today as I was garage saleing I found a really nice bunk bed and bought it. The boys are excited, I was exicited....we get it up, and organized and as I was tucking them into bed tonight my mind started worrying about everything possible...what if they get too close to the ceiling fan, what if the top bunk child gets the stomach flu and I have to get him off the top bunk while he is sick, what if the weather gets bad and getting him off the bunk is harder than getting him out of his floor bed and we don't get to the basement fast enough, what if he falls while climbing out, what if...what if...what if.. so now that you have stopped laughing at my craziness, are any of my concerns valid? Is there really any good reason NOT to have bunk beds? (oh, my boys are 7 and 9). thanks for humoring me. Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I used to fall off the top bunk at least weekly when I was a child. We got bunk beds for my (at the time) 1 and 3 year olds. We said, "Don't go near the fan or it will hurt very badly." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Bunk beds are great. Really.;) My boys have been in them since they were almost 5 (top bunk) and 2 1/2 (bottom bunk). My main complaint is that the sheets are a bear to change. I make the boys help.:tongue_smilie: The worst bunk bed incident was when the older one in the top bunk got sick, leaned over the side and threw up all over his brother's bottom bunk.:confused: (We have T shaped ones...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 The worst bunk bed incident was when the older one in the top bunk got sick, leaned over the side and threw up all over his brother's bottom bunk.:confused: (We have T shaped ones...) that's the kind we have and that is also my fear...or that as he is leaning over, he hits the ceiling fan. But if we don't run the fan, their room gets very warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We've had bunk beds for a number of years now. The top one has a good sized railing so I don't need to worry about that child falling off. I did worry about her stumbling down the ladder when she's tired but that doesn't seem to have been an issue. It does take longer to get a chid down in a hurry (and a 3yo who is in trouble can very easily climb there and hide in the back corner where I can't reach him :glare::glare::glare:) and sheets are a real pain to change. Other than that, we've been really pleased with them - and the kids too. As for stomach flu, there's not much that can be done about that unfortunately. I've read some horror stories and hope they won't happen to us. The only thing I do aobut that is at the first sign of a stomach bug going round the house I have dh put the kids in top bunks mattresses on the floor until everyone is well again. Not only should they not throw up ON anyone, it will facilitate making it to the bathroom. Yuck, I know. Oh, and about the ceiling fan- that was always a big concern of mine so any room that has bunk beds doesn't have a ceiling fan. They get a big floor one that tilts instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We have yet to have a ceiling fan debacle, and they have been in the bunk beds for 5 years now...or is it 6? At any rate, the top bunk is not directly under the fan so it has not ever been a problem. My younger son did complain mightily about his lack of fan air in the cave that is the bottom bunk and was not satisfied until I got him a $6 personal fan at Walmart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 so today as I was garage saleing I found a really nice bunk bed and bought it. :lol: You are the only person, besides my mother, whom I've ever heard use "garage saleing" as a verb :lol:. (Incidentally, DH went to a garage sale this morning - picked up some baseball mitts) On the bunk beds, when I was growing up, one of my brothers did lean over the rail to puke, but it landed on the carpet. Once he got off the top bunk in the middle of the night, went down the ladder, and peed on my other brother, thinking he was in the bathroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I tend to worry more about mine tossing each other off.......... :glare: We have had bunks for some time with no problems, but this summer when our oldest moves out we are moving some rooms around and I am thinking DH will be making some staggered bunks for us instead since the boys using them will be three and four and I don't trust them in a bunk bed quite yet. We have had up to three sets of bunk beds in the house at one time with different ages of kids with no problem. There have always been falls but no one ever broke anything or got hurt. No one has ever been so sick they can't at least crawl to the edge of the bunk and moan for help. With the ages of yours you should be fine. I don't make the bunks or change the sheets on them, I make the kid who lives there do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We have two sets of bunk beds here and have yet to have any incidents with them. Asside from my dd projectile vomiting chocolate from the top bunk all over the opposite wall. She over indulged at my cousins wedding on chocolate truffles.:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I wouldn't worry, if they are current ones. If they are older, you want to make sure of all kids of safety concerns... up to and including hanging.... if they someone get under the matttress??? Anyway, just check the general safety concerns part.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
---- Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 thanks for all of the responses. I really do appreciate it. I know that MANY people have bunks...and that MANY kids have slept on bunks over the years and have lived to tell about it....I know I am flu-phobic and when that thought hit me last night...I was like "AHHHH!!!!" how was I going to deal with THAT???? As for garage saleing as a verb...of course it is....it is an action after all...:lol: thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 The ceiling fan is a real concern. My electrician refusing to install ceiling fans in rooms with bunk or loft beds. Position the bed as far away for the fan as you can. Position the ladder at the end of the bed furthest from the fan. I think you also have gauge how old your boys are and how much "stupid boy" stuff they do. If no piece of furniture in your home is safe from swinging or climbing then I'd say you have a problem with your ceiling fan, but you have other problems too. Backing up from that extreme point, a good percentage of more typical boys will jump on the top bunk and will jump off to floor and the danger is all about the direction of 1. boys as projectiles 2. furniture placement 3. fan placement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolate Lover Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Someone gave us a loft bed with desk and drawers below the bed last year. It is still not put together because I am concerned for safety, and I am not ready to give up sitting on the side of his bed while he is in it to have a calming talk. Also, need another adult to help put it together.:001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 As for garage saleing as a verb...of course it is....it is an action after all...:lol: I go yard sailing. I like the image of "sailing" as opposed to "saleing" :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 My only real concern would be the fan. We used to talk about putting ceiling fans in the kids' room, but decided against it because of the bunks. Of course, this was after my kids proved troublesome with just our living room ceiling fan (getting balloons caught up, throwing stuffed animals around, etc.) My daughters have a plastic chandelier in their room, and they hit that with things enough as it is. As far as the bunks themselves, we haven't had any problems unless you count toddlers climbing up into them, though that was just an annoyance (no actual accidents.) My kids are 3rd generation bunk-sleepers. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisperry Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We have 3 sets of bunk beds and have never had much of an issue. Though I think they are valid concerns. I have boys who do stupid stuff but no major incidents (yet). I love these triple bunks that take up the same height as a regular set. Brilliant design I thought. I've been trying to get my husband to build them for years. I would think the top bunk would be so much easier to change the sheets on b/c you could stand on the middle. http://www.lungster.com/l/woodwork/triplebunk/triplebunk.shtml Changing the sheets is definitely the worst parts of having bunk beds. I typically put on 3-4 fitted sheets at once. Then I have them peel off one each week. My solution to the headache :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) The fan idea scares me. Can you get rid of it? I have bunk beds. The only one who's fallen out was the one in the lower bunk. The safety guidelines I've seen say the top bunk person under 6 or over 18 is most likely to be injured. I had a kid vomit from the top. It was gross. I hate changing sheets. My husband does it generally --it's easierto pull the bed out from the wall. I once did it and the same night there was an accident in the top bunk -- aaah ! Why does that always happen? Edited June 12, 2011 by stripe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 We have 3 sets of bunk beds and have never had much of an issue. Though I think they are valid concerns. I have boys who do stupid stuff but no major incidents (yet). I love these triple bunks that take up the same height as a regular set. Brilliant design I thought. I've been trying to get my husband to build them for years. I would think the top bunk would be so much easier to change the sheets on b/c you could stand on the middle. http://www.lungster.com/l/woodwork/triplebunk/triplebunk.shtml Changing the sheets is definitely the worst parts of having bunk beds. I typically put on 3-4 fitted sheets at once. Then I have them peel off one each week. My solution to the headache :tongue_smilie: the triple bed is a cool design!! I also like the idea of 3-4 fitted sheets. Another issue I have is my younger guy wants to sleep on the top and he still wets his bed unless I take him to the bathroom when I go to bed (which wasn't a big deal when he slept in a reg. bed), but I tried to wake him last night and I could not, so I left him and sure enough...he was soaked this morning. So I am not sure what I am going to do...other than wash his sheets daily. I certainly don't want to punish him for wetting his bed by taking away the top bunk. I am not worried about the bedwetting so much...he is quite small for his age and I am assuming so is his blatter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 the triple bed is a cool design!! I also like the idea of 3-4 fitted sheets. Another issue I have is my younger guy wants to sleep on the top and he still wets his bed unless I take him to the bathroom when I go to bed (which wasn't a big deal when he slept in a reg. bed), but I tried to wake him last night and I could not, so I left him and sure enough...he was soaked this morning. So I am not sure what I am going to do...other than wash his sheets daily. I certainly don't want to punish him for wetting his bed by taking away the top bunk. I am not worried about the bedwetting so much...he is quite small for his age and I am assuming so is his blatter. Don't know how old he is, but I had two kids in nighttime pull ups until they were ages 8 and 5, respectively. With pullups, bedwetting was a nonissue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I love that triple bunk bed! My husband and I keep trying to figure out how many children we can fit into this house before we need to add on another room. I can't wait to show him that! I would worry about ceiling fans. I think some of them have a release so that if they hit something or something gets tangled they will stop? I'd probably switch to a different kind of fan, but children and regular fans make me nervous too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 Don't know how old he is, but I had two kids in nighttime pull ups until they were ages 8 and 5, respectively. With pullups, bedwetting was a nonissue. he is almost 7 and he won't wear them...they are like diapers, he says. I even bought (and he wore for a long while) thicker underwear designed for this...but they were so bulky he was embarrassed to wear them too. I do still put a waterproof mat on top of his sheet but this morning it was all wadded up and he totally missed it. His pillow was wet, his sheets were wet, the small part of the waterproof mat he was on got wet and of course his PJ's too. My other son went through this too...it will pass, I am sure...but until then.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Inna* Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 what if the top bunk child gets the stomach flu and I have to get him off the top bunk while he is sick Well. After one incident, we keep one of those tall plastic popcorn cups in the corner of each bed. Because you never know. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We had bunkbeds for DS7 and DS4. They had a strict rule. Beds are only for sleeping and reading...NO playing allowed up on top. If they were caught playing, they had a punishment (nothing big, don't even remember if that ever happened, cuz they were good about the rule) At first, DS7 had the top bunk. No problems except : 1. I worried about DS7 because he is the one that comes into our room every single night which means he was going to be crawling down the ladder half-asleep every night, in the dark. 2. Making the top bunk stinks, wrestling the sheet, etc. 3. No more cuddling in bed, top bed anyway, to snuggle and read. Instead we would all three be in the bottom bed. Sometimes that worked, othertimes DS7 and DS4 would fuss and bicker, thus ruining reading time. DS7 and DS4 begged and begged and begged to switch beds. Thought it may be a good idea. DS4 is a "rule follower" to the extreme. He sleeps soundly through the night, so didn't see any real reason not too. Our problem, which is probably unique to us: -We only had one wall to put the bunk beds against. -That wall had the window of the room in the corner. -We placed the bunkbeds so where their head should be was on the opposite end from the window. -DS4 decides he wants to sleep with his head next to the window. -The window only had blinds on it. (The cord was tucked away out of sight and reach). Of course, if you push against the blinds, smooshing them to the window, that now creates a gap between the bed and window/wall that was not there, or at least not visibly. -One night DS4 rolls over, and somehow falls through that space that between the window and the bed. Most of his body falls through, but not his bobble head. Woke up to screaming and crying cuz he was essentially wedged there! Got him out, no harm done, but very scary!!! That was a freak thing, which can happen at any point in life, I guess. Wouldn't turn me away from bunk beds. But we did take them apart at that point, just because of the window situation and no way to avoid that in that room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I like bunk beds and my kids love them. My dh changes the top bunk for me when he is home. I don't let barfing children sleep on top -- they take bottom bunk for the night. If we are under a tornado watch then the boys all sleep on the bottom and in the floor because I, too, worry about mobilizing everyone quickly enough. My ds12 has the upstairs loft but even he has to sleep downstairs with the little ones during inclement weather. Our ceiling fan is positioned such that it is not an issue. If it were I would have dh remove it and cover the hole in the ceiling with some sort of cap. I think they make plastic caps for this, but I could be wrong. Never place a bunk bed in front of a window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I am following this thread with great interest, as we have been contemplating bunk beds as well. I am rather less worried about accidents than I am about stupid behavior. The barfing thing had not even occurred to me. Oy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We have them. We've never had any problem other than it's a pain to change the sheets. And especially was a pain when my son was wetting the bed occasionally. We set a rule that only 1 child at a time can be on the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Y'all do know about bunk bed sheets, right? The top sheet is attached to the bottom sheet at the "foot" end, so you don't have to tuck in the top sheet. Makes things easier around here! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Staggered bunks http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/bedroom-beds/bunk-beds-then-and-now-030199 Of course, if you REALLY need space then this is for you http://netspaze.com/2009/04/06/nested-bunk-beds/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 Y'all do know about bunk bed sheets, right? The top sheet is attached to the bottom sheet at the "foot" end, so you don't have to tuck in the top sheet. Makes things easier around here! :001_smile: I have never heard of these before...where do you find these???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.