Bunk Beds - A Basic Guide

Getting a bunk bed for your children might be a bit worrisome. I don’t blame you. When it comes to bunk bed safety, it is no joke. Who actually wants to have their children sleeping elevated up in the air? Can’t say most parents would make it their first choice to buy a bunk bed for their children. However, children love bunk beds and most parents, at one time or another, have probably been asked by their children for a bunk bed. It’s hard but most of the times, lots of parents refuse to buy a bunk bed due to safety reasons. The fear of their children falling off a bunk bed is not something to overlook! Though you may hear a lot of news about bunk bed related injuries, there are basic steps to follow in avoiding injuries.

• Sturdy bunk bed – Make sure that your bunk bed is 100% defect proof. A bunk bed may not be properly assembled and there are times when parts can become potentially dangerous to children. Injuries occur this way quite often actually. Make sure the ladder is perfectly safe and sturdy as well as side guard rails. Of course, check and double check all major parts that can cause injuries!
• Find the right mattress – This is a very important issue that often is overlooked. A mattress that is too high or too low can cause some serious fatal injuries. A bunk bed that is too low may potentially be dangerous as kids can accidentally slip between the mattress and the guard rail. Conversely, a mattress that is too high can have your children tumbling above the guard rail. Both situations should always be avoided. Measure the height of the guard rail and the bed itself and find the proper mattress! A general rule to follow is that the guard rail should come roughly 4 inches above the top of the mattress.
• Guard rails – always get a bunk bed with guard rails! You can never be too sure. Even the most calm child can roll right off the top bunk without a guard rail. Children should never be sleeping on a bunk bed without a guard rail. This is a rule that has absolutely no exception!
• No horse playing! – This is probably the biggest problem that parents and children have. Bunk beds are fun for children. Climbing up and down the ladder and hanging from the edge may all be fun activities for children but bunk beds should strictly be there for the purpose of sleeping and sleeping only!

Keep in mind that these rules are just basic general rules that should always be strictly enforced. While there are smaller factors that may become an issue with bunk beds, following safety standards can drastically reduce the risk of your children getting injured.
Getting a bunk bed for your children. Read about bunk bed safety. Follow all rules and standards and that will be one thing you will have to worry less about.