This is a collaborative post with Very.co.uk
Having sleepovers at their grandparent’s house is a real treat for kids. I certainly loved staying with mine
When Big L was little he spent a lot of time at my mum’s house, including having sleepovers.I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when he was one year old, and was pretty poorly until I had my first operation when he was two. That turned out to be a bit of a nightmare and I was in hospital for a month. Obviously Monsieur Incidental was working full time so child care mostly fell to my mum during that time. The one operation lead to another and another and well, you get the picture. I spent a lot of time in hospital or recuperating and Big L spent a lot of time with Granny.
Big L loved spending time with his Granny and she loved spending time with him. She really was invaluable and I don’t know what we would have done without her.
Little L was a bit of a surprise when Big L was five. I had not long had my fifth operation which involved a long incision down my middle when I found out I was pregnant. Luckily it didn’t cause any major complications, basically I didn’t fall apart at the seams, and here we are today!
Little L reading on his bottom bunk – he likes it because it’s like a den
Since Little L was born he has only stayed at my mum’s house once or twice
Little L is very clingy, you see. He’s autistic and routine is very important, especially at bedtime. We can deviate a bit for special occasions but the end result has to be a story in bed with either me or Monsieur Incidental.
Attempting to get him to stay at my mum’s has been fruitless in recent years. My mum only had one single spare bed, which is fine for Big L, but if Little L was to stay at the same time it got a bit complicated, not least because it would be in a different bed, in a different bedroom in a different house, and I wouldn’t be there.
Luckily Very came along at the right time and asked me to collaborate with them…
The Novara Detachable Trio Bunk Bed
Choosing the right bed for a sleepover at grandparent’s house
First of all we had to choose the right bed. The boys currently share a room and have bunk beds so they are already used to them. As the bedroom at my mum’s house is a better size and shape than at ours we could fit a triple sleeper, with a single bed on top and a small double, queen sized bed on the bottom. This will make it easier for Granny to sit on the bed to read to Little L and also be more comfortable for me when I inevitably have to squeeze in with him. We chose the Novara Detatchable Trio Bunk Bed for a few reasons:
- It has the larger bed on the bottom
- It is suitable for older children, not too “babyish” and the classic design is gender neutral
- The beds are detachable which means they can be used as a separate single and small (queen size) double
- It had good reviews
The bottom bunk being larger means there is plenty of room to share a story
The bed arrived flat packed, I chose a bundle that included mattresses as we would need them. It is worth noting that mattresses on top bunks should be no more than 15cm deep for safety, you don’t want your child rolling over in the night and rolling right out of bed.
The delivery was very easy with phone calls to keep me updated of the scheduled delivery. They even called half an hour before delivery which was great as I could make sure I was at my mum’s house to receive the beds. They even took it all upstairs for us.
The instructions were fairly simple to read, it stated that it would take two people two hours to make, it took me more than double that on my own but I did it over a couple of days, I was very proud when I had finished I can tell you!
The finished product looks the part and is really sturdy. My mum is very pleased as are the two boys.
Big L can keep and eye on his little brother from the top bunk
Soft furnishings for a sleepover at Granny’s house
My mum has taken the opportunity to buy the boys new duvet sets, blackout curtains (these are a must if you want my children to sleep past dawn!) as well as a lampshade with cutout stars.
Granny has really made the room feel like it belongs to the boys, rather than being just a spare room and I am hoping that will help Little L and eventually he will want to stay with his granny and not need me to stay too.
The top bunk is easily sturdy enough for a teen and gives Big L his own space
Helping children to settle at sleepovers at grandparents house
As well as making the room their own, the boys will take their favourite teddies, books and pyjamas, everything that makes them feel “at home”. I will also stay over to make sure Little L settles and so I am there if he wakes in the night.
