We’ve done it. We’ve finally turned BB’s cot into a bed. With her bedroom officially hazard free (the freestanding bookcase is now firmly strapped to the wall, the draw cord of her blind is now safely looped out of reach) the sides of the cot are off, her gro-bag has been packed away and night time potty training can commence.

It’s been a long time coming – at two and a half it seems all her little friends have been in their own big beds for months but BB has firmly resisted.

It’s been a carefully executed move, so I thought I’d share my tips on how we did it:

1. Build up to the big day weeks in advance. Talk about the move to a ‘big bed’ regularly, emphasising what a special and important event it is.

2. Involve your child in the creation of the new bed, whether it’s turning their old cot into a bed (pictured) or building a brand new bed.

3. However much you love your carefully crafted colour scheme, let them choose their own duvet cover and pillow set featuring their favourite TV/book character (you can literally find everything online).

4. Buy a novelty night light they can switch on and off themselves and easily reach from bed (BB’s rabbit, pictured, gets cuddled at night and fed breakfast in the morning before spending the day on her new and much-loved bedside table)

5. Once the big bed is installed, make a big deal of the event with family, friends and neighbours who can congratulate your child on the momentous occasion. You could even go the whole hog and throw a ‘big bed’ party and invite everyone round to admire the new bed (I know, what have our lives come to?!)